Aussie director Ben Briand fuses silent film style with a modern approach for BBDO New York
BBDO New York recently commissioned Australian director Ben Briand to bring a unique series of short films to life – ‘The Reformed Troglodyte’ and ‘The Gentleman Shaver’.
Due to the overwhelming reach of Briand’s previous short films, ‘Apricot’ (voted best narrative on vimeo.com) and ‘Some Static Started’, the agency was keen to get Briand on board for their client The Art Of Shaving.
Based out of New York, the client’s aesthetic is a throwback to the 1950s and 60s when a straight razor was commonplace. The result is three wry and amusing short films that evoke the charm and style of remerging masculinity.
Produced by US production company The Institute, founded by Michael Bay and Scott Gardenhour, the films have recently been made available in Australia online and in the back seat of just about every cab in NYC.
Working with wardrobe designer Amy Westcott (Black Swan, The Wrestler) and cinematographer Eigil Bryld (In Bruges, Barry Levinson’s You Don’t Know Jack starring Al Pacino) Briand applied his distinct aesthetic whilst evoking the signatures of black and white cinema.
Says Briand: “We looked at restrained elements of Godard, physical comedy by W.C. Fields and everything in between. But, at the end of the day my crew and I wanted to create something that was also somewhat modern in the way it felt.”
Briand was named one of the 10 industry faces to watch in 2011 by Encore Magazine.
For commercial projects, Ben is represented by Prodigy Films in Australia, The Institute in USA & Moonwalk Films in Paris
Credits
Client: The Art of Shaving
Agency: BBDO New York, USA
Chief Creative Officer: David Lubars
Senior Creative Directors: Kara Goodrich / Cesar Finamori
Art Director: Cesar Finamori
Copywriters: Kara Goodrich/Dana Stalker
Executive Producer: Peter Feldman
Production Company: The Institute
Director: Ben Briand
Executive Producer: Scott Gardenhour
Producer: Kati Haberstock
Director of Photography: Eigil Bryld
Edited by: Jump Editorial
Editor: Michael Saia
3 Comments
Here’s W.C.Fields doing the “Gentleman Shaver” 77 years ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1G_FaFdGpk
Love the W.C original and think Ben did a very good job remaking it for this client.
If I was doing this she would eventually have piped up “When are you going to stop pissfartin’ around and get ready?” Or is that too obvious?