Live from SXSW Blueprints to create better stories
Read on for highlights from the whole chat. The answers to the interview have been edited for brevity.
On writing great characters:
Mark: "Everything starts with writing. The key concept of the story's beginning, four office workers who screamed during a keynote presentation didn't really inspire me. However, creating great characters opened up the story. We spent a lot of time considering who these characters were, how they contrast and complement one another, and what we can do with these characters to make the story more entertaining and funny.
We wanted to highlight the problem and each person's faults in order to make them more relatable. The authenticity is where it is in. My goal is to make everything imperfect, and I love that since that's what makes people charming. This is why you love it.
The key is to not consider these films to be typical commercials. I love digging deep into each character's backstory. The more details, the more interesting. The individual stories of backstories help the characters right from the start including: fashion, production, and design. This helps viewers to comprehend what each character's role is. Therefore, I make these characters for actors to inhabit You can sense the same when watching it. I think when you start watching the three films, you will start to feel the ongoing effect."
On breaking the rules:
Mark: "My tip would be to speak to individuals who are like you. Make sure to be as authentic as you can. So much of the advertising world is manicured. It's a process where the edges of characters and stories are so sanded back. My advice is to push away from that process and be brave enough to present the world in the way it is.
For example, in the very first film I did using Apple I saw one of my actors licking the iPad. I had this kid lick the iPad and then we're on set and everyone's looking at each other and saying, "What the hell's he doing?" I'm always telling them, "Oh, can we break this? Can we think? Can I use it as a coaster?" Just make it real. Come back to finding the truth in the work, in the stories we share. It's what makes people want to listen and makes the characters and stories enjoyable."
On integrating the product:
Mark: "How you see the product in these films is extremely thought-provoking. The whole thing is tied to the script. I attempt to use the product as a key ingredient in each scene. I write around the product, build scenes with the product. The product must take us from here to there. When you weave your product into a story in this way, then it's not a gimmick It's an element of the story that you're telling."
On taking risks:
You have to take risks in order to create good entertainment, and build a relationship with your brand. This is my opinion as the most important issue: you need to be ready to take chances, while also fostering strong relationships with the people that you're taking chances with too. Advertising can be covered or shielded from this work. But if you peel back some layers, you can talk to people just like them."