Here is my take on the contestants in the PromOscar Sweeps Category:
KHOU: This won the CBS Eye on Excellence Award. The use of no sound helps this spot grab attention and is used to make the point that kids cannot hear smoke detectors at night. (I produced this - so I guess I'm biased!)
KXAS: I wrote about this last week. A great use of props and "going the extra mile." Not sure when this was done - probably before we all did a million identity theft promos. Good spot.
NBC17: Really makes a connection. Who hasn't had these thoughts? Especially as we get older - our memories force us to say a lot of crazy things like "Where is my pen?" and "Did I foreget the baby in the car again?"
WFAA: Simple. Cute. Well done. I love this spot.
WKYC: I loved the use of sound in this spot. What a great tease. It would be hard not to watch this special report.
WNBC: A fun approach to a rather serious subject. Nicely done.
KCBS: A great use of a simple graphic technique and treatment on the voice. Great SFX as well.
2 comments:
I'll go:
These are all great spots.
Some comments:
KHOU:Excellent. The silence forces you to look at the screen, so it's impossible to ignore. I'm a little scared when I do these spots that the viewer will miss the first couple of lines.
KXAS: I did one like this, but ours didn't turn out as well.
NBC17: Good. Fun. Nice production value. Not sure if it would make me watch.
WFAA: Cute concept. Good, simple sound design and nice build to the music.
WKYC: Once in a while, an amazing piece of tape lands in your lap. If you play your cards right, you can spike ratings significantly. They did it here. "We can't show you the video until we can tell you the whole story" is a line I plan to "borrow" if I get the chance some day. Sound and no pictures make this gripping. No way I'm missing this. My vote for best spot.
WNBC: Nice way to do that. It's different. Kind of a lame sweeps piece, but a good promo for it. My guess is ratings didn't get a jolt on this day.
KCBS: I almost voted for this one, but I may have seen it too many times. I'd definitely watch the story. Good and simple.
WKYC gets my vote, but here's my take on the spots...
Smoke Detectors:
I like it, it's very powerful, but like the previous poster, I'm fearful that someone may not see the first few words & your message is lost.
Credit:
Interesting way to do a story that's been done a million times. It would have been really cool if it had been a steady cam shot with the #s popping up as people crossed camera!
Memory:
Definitely something we all can relate to. Kind of a lame story, but a very creative way to make a promo out of nothing!
Stress:
This one actually bothered me. While, yes it gets my attention with that squeaky noise. It goes on WAY too long. It would be much better as a :15. Not sure if it would really drive viewers though.
Strip Search:
Obviously this was one of those stories that you just go "damn, what a story." Then the news dept says, but wait you can't show the video! What?! This was the most effective way they could do this promo. I hear that woman crying & screaming & my heart starts pounding. I fell for it, I can't wait to watch! I'm jealous we don't have that tape! It was so simple, yet so effective. My only criticism is that I may have left out the "in police custody" line, just because most viewers don't think they'll ever be in police custody.
Armed Robbery:
A cool different way to do a promo for a story that sounds like it was pretty lame. Good thing about it though, it stands out because it doesn't look like all the other stuff you see on TV all the time.
Turbulence:
Another good way to do a promo w/ no footage. Something about the promo bothered me though, but for some reason I can't pinpoint it. Of course that really doesn't matter, because I'd probably tune in to watch this story!
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