With the new Kaiser Permanente commercial rolling out nationally, you can add “spot director” to actor James Woods’ lengthy and impressive film credits.
Woods has been making a slow but steady transition into television commercials through his two-and-a-half years association with At Tate, a division of L.A.-based Tate & Partners that represents feature experts for commercials.
Woods biggest job to date has been the spot, “Balance,” for Kaiser Permanente healthcare via Draft Chicago’s Draft Health unit. “It launches a new brand specifically for people seeking hospitalization insurance on their own,” said SVP/GCD Janet Barker-Evans, who wrote the commercial.
Nikki Weiss, Tate & Partners’ rep, had frequently talked to Draft producer Leslie Sutton about a directing opportunity for Woods. “Nothing came of it, but one day Leslie called and said ?we might have a job for him,'” said Weiss. Earlier, she had sold Woods directorial skills to JWT Chicago and Carmichael-Lynch of Minneapolis and had a reel to show.
When the agency discussed the project with Woods via a conference call, they were impressed with his “passion and energy, and his great ideas and thoughts for the spot,” said Barker-Evans. And so Woods was hired for the high-profile, big-budget spot that was shot in early July in Chicago.
The agency chose Chicago as the location “because it plays across the U.S.” and could be any of the cities in which Kaiser Permanente is located said Barker-Evans. “It’s easy to get beautiful scenery here; we can go from urban to rural in a matter of a few blocks.” Lincoln Park, the lakefront along North Avenue and Kiddieland were the main locations, filmed by famous feature DP Andrzej Bartkowiak (“Speed,” “Prizzi’s Honor” and scores more).
Leslie Sutton produced for Draft; Karen Roszkowski art directed; Swell’s Joe Otting edited; Rhythm Caf? scored and O’Connor Casting found the actors.
“The actors were not told who the director was in advance and were surprised to find Jimmy,” said Weiss. “He worked with everyone, and made each of them feel important even if we didn’t call him back. Altogether, it was a phenenomenal shoot.”
Weiss can be reached at 773/832-1237.
