How To… Get Your Spec Seen By The Right People

We shot a lot of specs while studying at the Filmacademy BW and since we can now look back retrospectively, we've tried to think about how to create and distribute a successful spec spot.

First, the best advice to follow would be: Find your own way, make things in a different way and do it like no one did before. That is what we are always aiming for - which is why you may not want to read the following advice...

Getting started.

In film school we had all the freedom when it came to choosing which brand, product and story we wanted to depict. But this freedom also made it difficult to come up with an idea because it meant that there were unlimited ways to go about each project, making it hard to ultimately decide on one route.

Therefore, start by setting your own limits. This can be as simple as going to a place you've wanted to see for a long time. That's how we started with our Johnnie Walker spec, Dear Brother, that is based in the Scottish Highlands. Inspired by the vast and lonely landscapes, we started writing a story around the brand's tagline 'Keep Walking' and its optimistic, metaphoric meaning. For us, it is always important to embed the brand into an emotional storyline and let it become a part of it. Be subtle and focus on a good plot.

Compete with the best.

While doing spec-spots we have always focused on big brands. For Dear Brother, we could have chosen a smaller whiskey factory but we wanted to go with Johnnie Walker as we knew a commercial for a bigger name would receive much more attention. And the expectation for spots from a big brand are much higher... which challenged us to try and reach a similar level.

Do what they don’t.

The goal should be - in our opinion - to make a film that follows the brand’s trajectory so that it feels like an authentic piece of work that could actually air... but also to go beyond what they'd dare to do and add something that's not yet been seen by them. Everybody loves it when commercials have the courage to try new things out, cross borders and are fun to watch. You've got the freedom, so use it wisely!

Don’t get in contact with the brand.

The most difficult issue is funding spec-spots. It's obviously tempting to ask the brand for financial support. But don’t... unless you've got no other choice. People in marketing are often afraid and critical of spec commercials. It’s likely that they'll stop you from making your film with their name attached to it.

With ABC of Death (below) we had no choice but to ask Volvo for their involvement because we needed a freshly-released SUV that car dealers wouldn’t give us without the brand's permission. We gave it a try and called them... and luckily, they gave it to us. Don’t expect everyone to be as cool as Volvo though. 

Money is your enemy. Time is your friend.

You will need to spend some money to achieve the production value required to make the film get noticed and taken seriously. We don’t mean the equipment – although it does help – but all the locations, people, production design etc do add up. For the money, you'll need to find creative solutions to shoot what you really need to tell the story. 

You might have no money but you'll have tons of time… so use it. 

Volvo ABC of Death:

The launch.

You've worked for weeks on your project and you are close to a mental breakdown. You want to get the film out there and seen by everyone. But be patient; there will be a right time for your film. We decided to wait and release the Johnnie Walker Dear Brother spec at Christmas as we thought that's when people are more receptive to emotional stories. For Volvo's ABC of Death, we waited for the week before Halloween. We're not sure if the timing really made that much difference but it seemed to work for us. 

But we think the best way to get your film launched, seen and rated by the right people is to get it featured in an online magazine and enter it into award shows. It's always great to get some feedback on the project and its execution from the industry.

From the Filmacademy to Academy Films.

It is important to find the right partner that helps you continue to build your reel and your strategy. However, take it easy… it's not very helpful discussing strategies until you know where you want to go. That's why we took time meeting with numerous production companies… and they all were super with us. However, not every production company fits every director and vice versa. Joining Academy Films was an instinctive decision; it's important to find someone you really like and ideally, loves film as much as you do.