humble Showcases The 'Tips of Our Fingers' For Canon

Branded content tech demos for camera companies are a perfect synergy of (art)form and function – the suppliers being able to give their products the best possible showcase in the hands of professionals and the professionals being given far fewer creative stipulations than the average advertising production. Companies like GoPro have long known that strapping one of their cameras to the adrenalin junkie results in endless online sharing, but a refreshing trend has started to see more and more prosumer products embracing the concept.

New York based production and post-production company humble is the latest company to produce such a film, the remarkable 'Tips of Our Fingers'. Written, shot and edited in-house for Canon U.S.A., Inc., with their agency Dentsu, the piece tells a heart-wrenching, dramatic narrative story, while deftly and subtly demonstrating Canon's cutting edge imaging technology.

'Tips of Our Fingers' brings to life the fantastical tale of a troubled, yet gifted young woman named Lia after she breaks free from the institution she is forced to call home. The film falls squarely within the road movie genre, following the journey of Lia and the hospital orderly Bruce who is sent out to collect her. Lia's unique sensory condition-which allows her to hear everything she sees-offers her only hope for freedom if she can convince Bruce to see the world through her eyes and ears.

Co-directed by humble's Sam Stephens and Charles Whitcher and edited by Eric Wais, the film was shot in its entirety on the new Canon EOS 70D digital SLR camera on location in and around Pittsburgh. We caught up with Sam and Charles to chat about the joys of showcasing new tech.
 

(left to right - humble's Sam Stephens and Charles Whitcher)

How did the Canon project come about? Were you approached by them or the agency?

Sam Stephens - Dentsu, which handles all of the Canon pro-centric work, approached us with the brief. The product we were working with, the 70d, is interesting in that it pretty much straddles the consumer and semi-pro market. It's a truly transitional product – taking features from both the high and low ends of the product line. Because of that, we ended up with a lot of freedom, a lot of creative space, in conceptualizing how to show it off.

Charles Whitcher - The project came about like any other commercial opportunity. Dentsu liked the work humble had created in the past, so they reached out to us regarding pitching some ideas for a short film to shoot for Canon. There weren't many parameters outside of total run time of the short film, so we were very excited to be part of such a liberating experience.

What was the brief? Was the project always conceived as a longer-form piece of filmmaking rather than a conventional spot?

CW - Absolutely. The initial concept was for the project to be a 10 minute short film that would highlight and demonstrate Canons 70D auto focus capabilities. Outside of that, we were free to make any film we wanted. Opportunities like this are rare, which is a testament to Canon and Dentsu for having faith in our abilities.

SS - The brief was simple and awesomely open-ended – the best kind. Come up with a piece of filmmaking that could only be shot with the Canon 70D. If that was a narrative, a documentary, a music video – it was completely up to us.

The defining feature of the camera is this really sophisticated auto focus tracking. A refined version of a consumer feature – something which, until now, didn't exist in DSLRs. We had to come up with an idea that used this autofocus tech in a really organic, innovative way.



The short genuinely feels like a labour of love rather than a marketing exercise. Was it a tale that was already established? How much of the piece was considered before the brand came on board?

SS - We've been enthusiastic Canon users for years. Some of our first big projects were shot with the first generation of video DSLRs. We love their cameras, their glass. That, combined with a brief that basically said make something new, was more than enough to turn this into a passion project.

In the brainstorming process, I remembered an image that had stuck with me for years. When I was around six years old I remember taking these long road trips with my parents in the back of a boxy silver Volvo. I'd lie on my back, staring out the window with my arm outstretched, and pretend to "play" the power lines with my fingers – like a guitar.

That image, combined with a long time interest in synaesthesia, quickly led to the idea of Lia and her unique condition that underpins the film. When we realized we could use the autofocus technology to focus from a finger in the foreground to the object being pointed at, to visually accentuate the "performance," we knew we had a killer idea on our hands.

CW - When the opportunity came in from Canon and Dentsu, the idea of making music with objects outside a moving cars' window just made perfect sense. The story was expanded and the characters were developed, but the idea of hearing sound in the things a traveler sees, that comes from Sam's own experiences.

Can you tell us any more about the story of the film? It's much more thematically heavy and poetically shot than many pieces of brand-related 'content'. Was there ever a worry that it would struggle to spread in the same way as, say, a cat-related vid or sketch comedy might?

CW - I think the film is a perfect fit for Canon, and I'm happy they feel the same way. We never stressed whether the film would be perceived as heavy-handed, because the creative process with Canon was literally that free. We were asked to make a film, and so we did. Again, this was a great opportunity because, regardless of what direction the story went, the focus really was on the achievement. Focusing on how the story is told allows for tremendous creative freedom.

SS - The story grew organically from the first image of playing the power lines. What if someone had a condition, a form of synaesthesia, that meant that everything they saw, they heard? Every object emitted a unique tone. Obviously that would be overwhelming, maddening even. But it could also be beautiful. It's an inherently poetic conceit. The visuals, the performances, and the script had to work as both a story and as a tone poem of sorts.

Charles and I never questioned what kind of tone the film would have. Lia's condition pretty much dictated it. We all knew the film was going to be darker, more dramatic, and perhaps a bit more abstract than what would be expected from a project like this. But everyone, from humble to Dentsu to Canon, knew it had the chance of being something uniquely beautiful and moving. We got full support across the board to stay true to the idea.



The film acts as a wonderful technical demo for Canon's new camera technology. Were you surprised by what you were able to achieve?

SS - Yeah, I mean the autofocus works as advertised. When does that happen? Seriously though, it wasn't a gimmick. There were shots that we couldn't have accomplished without it. More than the specific tech, the whole project was a proof of concept for this 'prosumer' level of gear. Could we take a $1000 dollar camera and make a theatrical quality indie film? Could anyone with a good story, a small crew, and some great actors do the same? To prove it, we kept our crew size, our equipment and our overall production to a guerrilla-style footprint. No process trailers, just suction cups and a U-Haul. No big lights. No cranes or dollies. Just a really passionate crew and cast and an incredibly tight schedule.

CW - I was very pleasantly surprised and pleased with the technical results we achieved with the camera. This technology is amazing. And more importantly, it's a tool for filmmakers to be able to tell their story the way they envision it in their head. Even still, when I catch a glimpse of "Tips of Our Fingers" online or on a television, I'm blown away at how cinematic the film is. To think our big screen film is captured on such a tiny camera makes me feel a little bit like I'm cheating the film gods, but this camera is the reason I have a film currently playing on a big screen - so it's worth it.

Was there anything that couldn't be realised? Did you have to figure out any creative solutions for problems?

CW - The only technical "issues" we had in production was having to scale back the tools we had access to outside of the camera. Canon challenged us spoiled commercial directors to act as indie filmmakers. This meant no fancy trailers or grip gear. In fact, the interior car shots were achieved by renting a small car trailer from a local moving company for about 50 dollars a day. At one point I was even riding on the side of the trailer's wheel cover to be able to direct talent inside the picture car. Nothing says indie filmmaking like risking your neck for a shot.

SS - Charles and I have a good history of working together, as well as with our DP, Pete Konzcal, and his incredible department heads. It's a family. We knew going in that it was going to be tough, and that we would be foregoing the usual resources we had in the commercial world. That being said, we've all cut our teeth in music videos. We've worked through impossible shoots through staying flexible and being clever. Production was hard, time was tight, but we got it all.

The biggest creative hurdle was the music and sound design. It's not a normal 'edit to a temp track and send it off to get scored' kind of project. The music/sound is the story. We finally found a composer, Samuel Kim, who understood what we needed. On very short notice, we flew him out from San Francisco and set him up with a little audio studio in the edit room at humble. As we finalized the cut, Sam was composing on the fly, working back and forth with our editor, Eric Wais. It was an amazingly creative, fruitful way of working. Sound and picture were in this give and take, this dance, until everything started clicking into place.



It seems that the entirety of the film – production, editing and post – was done in-house by you guys. Do you prefer having total control over these aspects? Is it a trend you see emerging more and more (i.e. brands/agencies going for 'one-stop-shops')?

SS - We've been working like this at humble since the very beginning. It's always made the most sense for us and for our clients. From concepting in the conference room, to preproduction, to post – having a consistent team that's passionate about the entire project was absolutely essential in making this happen. Beyond the obvious budget efficiencies and flexibilities, it's the ability for a single, tight-knit team to shepherd the project all the way through each stage of the process that makes it an obvious solution. Every step has its own challenges, its own unforeseeable hitches. To be able to remain nimble, in the loop, and respond creatively as a team makes projects like this possible.

CW - I think anytime the same creative minds see a project from beginning to completion, is a very good thing. The humble environment is the best when it comes to nurturing projects creatively, and there's no place like it. It's such a unique company, because we have all these highly creative people with a passion for film and images who are genuinely interested in the projects that come through our building.

Every project I do that comes through humble ends up being viewed by other directors on the roster, as well as humble editors. That's special. To have other filmmakers weighing in on projects is huge, and one of the reasons I love having the opportunity to finish a project in house.

The film has a pretty comprehensive making-of film, also produced by you. Do you think there's an increased interest in 'added-value' content nowadays?

CW - I think people are interested in how things are made. We like to peek behind the curtain. This particular one was unique because the BTS was the commercial, since we were allowed such creative freedom with the film.

SS - In many ways the behind the scenes is the branded content. The film is the proof. There were bigger, more expensive, and numerous cameras shooting that BTS than what our film had to work with. We've done a number of projects like this now, most notably for Lenovo, and they've all been successful. If you make something that people want to watch – something new and fresh that hasn't been done before – chances are they'll want to know how. It's where you can work in the traditional product specs and benefits. I think it's a great model.



What do you think a company/brand needs to succeed in the 'content' world?

SS - They need to be honest with themselves and with their consumers. Canon has been commissioning original, branded content before anyone thought to use the term. They've got a long history of putting their tools in the hand of filmmakers and letting them do what they do – tell engaging stories with beautiful visuals. It works because they're supporting a community – a community that's loyal and passionate. It feeds that loop.

Other brands successful at this – Red Bull, Dove, and Lenovo – understand their brand, understand their consumers and spend their energies making awesome content for that audience. Anyone can sponsor a cool one-off project, but if it doesn't relate back to what already works for the brand – and if it doesn't make that connection stronger – it's just scattershot spending hoping for some tangential good will.

CW - I think the idea of less is more is really starting to catch on in the world of branded content, because brands are realizing that if they can make people feel a certain way, then people will reward them for that. It's all about creating memorable content that can be associated with a brand. Using that approach allows a brand's message to be felt and become nostalgic, rather than being seen as propaganda.

Is it a form you'd like to explore further?

SS - Absolutely. The ability to create longer form, more creative, and more experimental content within the advertising space is the most exciting thing going for directors like us. Being able to work closely with agencies and brands at the very beginning of the process – to help concept and push boundaries and collaborate – is the most rewarding form of this work out there. That's what creates the passion. Not just in us, but in everyone involved in the project. You tell the difference on screen.

CW - I'd agree. The challenges with this project were great, as were the rewards. When I'm not working on music videos or commercials, I am forever working to develop scripts to keep my brain in the narrative world.



What's up next for you guys?

SS - Getting "Tips" into some festivals. Concepting more longer form work – both for brands and networks. Trying to find that sweet balance between the work that pays the bills and the stuff like "Tips" that re-energizes and restores our love of the process.

CW - Currently, I'm out West directing a campaign as well as taking meetings for a short film I wrote. Big things are coming in 2014, and I've hit the ground running.