Richard Farmer Goes from the Ridiculous to the Sublime
The Green Dot director's increasingly eclectic work ranges from brainy short films to comic turns with porn stars. What's not to like?
Richard Farmer's Journey From
the Ridiculous to the Sublime
The Green Dot director embraces work that runs the gamut from
comedy spots to thought-provoking short films. What's next for
this multi-media creative talent? How about his first feature.
Can porn stars emote? Are their thespian chops on a par with their booty cred? Richard Farmer can probably tell you.
The Green Dot Films director, who's represented in Canada by Imported Artists, got quite a bit of notice last year for his campaign for Amour, the Canadian adult film studio, produced for Cossette West. The spots, which feature fetching yet empty-headed porn actresses mangling lines of dialogue in casting tapes (the payoff is in the tagline, which rightly claims that you won't be watching for the acting), became a viral sensation last year with over a half-million YouTube hits. Finalists for D&AD this year (and included in their annual), they were winners at London International last year, as well as at the Lotus Awards. (Click on the titles to check out "Shakespeare," "Sword," "Hot in Here" and "Tethescope".)
While comedy seems second nature to this soft-spoken native Oklahoman, his work runs the stylistic gamut. He's been with Green Dot since 2008, and has shot for a number of top brands since then, including Target, Vitaminwater, EA, Subway, Kahlua and Gillette, out of agencies such as BBDO NY, Droga5, Leo Burnett, TBWA and PMH.
Farmer's recent short "Under God," which he wrote and directed, is a fictional parable inspired by the real-life event when President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the hero of World War II, met UNIVAC, the world's first super computer. The short won awards at the Honolulu International Film Festival, Dam Short Film Festival and 14th Annual Fade-In Awards and was screened at 35 film festivals internationally.
The Oklahoma University alum started off as an agency producer for Ground Zero in Los Angeles and also produced for Mindfield, a creative studio in L.A., before stepping into a more creative role as a director. He began his directing career as part of the directing duo called HAPPY, along with British-born Guy Shelmerdine, who's now with Smuggler. In their debut year they were named the Best New Director at Cannes and were included in the Saatchi New Directors Showcase.
Over the course of their partnership, HAPPY concocted creative advertising work for such notable clients as Mini Cooper, Ikea, Coca Cola, Virgin Mobile, Playstation, Bacardi, Skittles, Egg, Wrigley's, Brawny, Bud Light and Nike/Foot Locker. The duo also won acclaim with their music videos, including Gnarls Barkley's "Run", which featured Justin Timberlake recreating dance moves from Farmer's favorite '90s music videos on a fictitious dance show called "City Vibin.'" It scored 2008 MTV Video Music Awards for Best Choreography and Best Art Direction.
Expanding their narrative canvas, the team conceived and directed a short in 2006 titled "Jane Lloyd," an affecting look at the tragic life of its eponymous fictional heroine conveyed using only music and depictions of her printed name. The film garnered the duo widespread acclaim, as well as Best Short Film awards at the London Film Festival and Malibu International Festival.
Originally intended for a music video pitch, HAPPY took on the project independently, fueled by the excitement to create an entertaining story in a new visual way. Following the London Film Festival win, it finally reached its original music video intentions when David Gray requested a re-edit of the short for the music video of his song, "Alibi."
Embarking on his solo-directing career with Green Dot Films in 2008, Farmer honed his vision with spots for EA, Hyundai, Gillette and Subway, among many others. Last year, his Amour campaign became an internet hit, bringing a flood of attention to the Canadian adult entertainment network, with its deadpan depictions of fictional auditions featuring the leaden performances of porn stars juxtaposed against the tagline: "You won't watch for the acting."
In "Shakespeare," for example, a curvaceous blonde triumphs over the talents of an ardent, passionate but rather plain-looking actress at a Shakespearean audition, sealing the deal with pouty lips as the dumbfounded producers shower her with praise.
Most recently, Farmer completed the Vitaminwater "Psychic Caesar" campaign out of Droga5, whose innovative Facebook application marked the brand's entry into a more interactive arena of marketing.
Though best known for comedy, Farmer enjoys working on a variety of genres across videos, short films, documentaries and commercials. "Playing in all the art forms just seems ingrained in my DNA," he says. "If I could write a comic book, design the video game, shoot the film and score it, I could die happy."
When getting new boards for a commercial, he likes to "take a fresh approach and just read them as soon as I can, with no preconceived notions about the product or brand," he explains. As I digest them I simply follow my intuition and trust the ideas that first come to me."
Farmer is constantly seeking a way to make his commercials entertaining while still communicating a smart message for the brand. He uses a variety of techniques to achieve this goal, whether it's to make the spot visually focused or via interesting casting choices or other creative methods. "The goal is always to allow the work to stand on its own," he says.
While working continually in commercials, Farmer's directorial vision has grown more pronounced, as evidenced in "Under God," which was influenced by Joseph Campbell's seminal PBS series "The Power of Myth." "This is a story that needed to be experienced on film," says Jimmy Greenway, its Executive Producer, who also produced the advertising documentary "Art & Copy." "Richard's unique and exciting perspective on this story drew me in from day one."
Published 6 May, 2011
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