NORMAN SEEFF / COMMERCIALS : 1985 – 2000
IN THE MID-EIGHTIES I WAS APPROACHED BY A NUMBER OF PRODUCTION COMPANIES TO DIRECT TELEVISION COMMERCIALS. I FELT INSTANTLY AT EASE IN THIS NEW MEDIUM AND INTRIGUED BY ITS POSSIBILITIES. I SENSED INTUITIVELY THAT THE DYNAMIC PROCESS OF EMOTION BASED DIALOGUE AND THE SPONTANEITY OF CREATIVE INTERACTION THAT I HAD DEVELOPED IN WORKING WITH PUBLIC PERSONALITIES AS A PHOTOGRAPHER WOULD TRANSLATE EFFECTIVELY TO WORKING WITH ACTORS.
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT SURPRISED ME. SUDDENLY I WAS AN ‘A’ LIST DIRECTOR IN HIGH-DEMAND AND I WAS BEING OFFERED COMMERCIALS WITH PUBLIC PERSONALITIES FOCUSING ON DIALOGUE AND STORY BASED THEMES. ONCE I DEMONSTRATED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE APPROACH IN CREATING AN AUTHENTICITY AND VITALITY OF PERFORMANCE, AGENCIES AND CLIENTS FELT CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO ALLOW ME TO IMPROVISE FREE-FORM STORYLINES WITH ACTORS – AND OF COURSE THE ACTORS LOVED IT.
I WAS DISCOVERING THAT COMMERCIALS AT THE HIGH END ARE A TRUE ART FORM. PRODUCTION BUDGETS AT THE TIME WERE CONSIDERABLE AND I WAS EXPLORING WHAT I CALLED ‘HIGH PAID FILM SCHOOL’ WITH A LEVEL OF CREATIVE FREEDOM. I PUT MY PHOTOGRAPHY CAREER AND MY SESSIONS PROJECT ASIDE FOR THE NEXT FIFTEEN YEARS AND FOCUSED EXCLUSIVELY ON MY COMMERCIAL CAREER.
ALTHOUGH COMMERCIALS OFFERED ME A CONTINUUM OF EXPLORATION OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND CREATIVITY IN A DIFFERENT DISCIPLINE, AT A CERTAIN POINT THE LIMITS OF THE MEDIUM COULD NOT SUSTAIN MY ONGOING GRANDER VISION OF A DEEP DIVE INTO THE PRIMAL SOURCES OF CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION AND I BEGAN TO FEEL THE URGE TO MOVE ON.
IN 1999, I WAS APPROACHED BY A MAJOR PRODUCTION COMPANY TO COLLABORATE IN DEVELOPING ‘THE ARTIST’S JOURNEY’ INSTALLATION FOR THE EXPERIENCE MUSEUM IN SEATTLE. I WAS PROVIDED THE MEANS TO PHOTOGRAPH A REUNITING OF OVER 30 FUNK MUSICIANS, DOCUMENT THE SESSION WITH MULTIPLE CAMERAS AND DIVE INTO THE INNER DYNAMICS OF CREATING PEAK EXPERIENCE. IT WAS MY OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN TO THE SESSIONS PROJECT, NOW WITH AN ADDED FOCUS ON DEVELOPING DOCUMENTARY PROJECTS WITH THE AIM OF EXPLORING AND EMPOWERING CREATIVITY ACROSS THE DISCIPLINES.
NORMAN SEEFF / COMMERCIALS : 1985 – 2000
IN THE MID-EIGHTIES I WAS APPROACHED BY A NUMBER OF PRODUCTION COMPANIES TO DIRECT TELEVISION COMMERCIALS. I FELT INSTANTLY AT EASE IN THIS NEW MEDIUM AND INTRIGUED BY ITS POSSIBILITIES. I SENSED INTUITIVELY THAT THE DYNAMIC PROCESS OF EMOTION BASED DIALOGUE AND THE SPONTANEITY OF CREATIVE INTERACTION THAT I HAD DEVELOPED IN WORKING WITH PUBLIC PERSONALITIES AS A PHOTOGRAPHER WOULD TRANSLATE EFFECTIVELY TO WORKING WITH ACTORS.
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT SURPRISED ME. SUDDENLY I WAS AN ‘A’ LIST DIRECTOR IN HIGH-DEMAND AND I WAS BEING OFFERED COMMERCIALS WITH PUBLIC PERSONALITIES FOCUSING ON DIALOGUE AND STORY BASED THEMES. ONCE I DEMONSTRATED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE APPROACH IN CREATING AN AUTHENTICITY AND VITALITY OF PERFORMANCE, AGENCIES AND CLIENTS FELT CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO ALLOW ME TO IMPROVISE FREE-FORM STORYLINES WITH ACTORS – AND OF COURSE THE ACTORS LOVED IT.
I WAS DISCOVERING THAT COMMERCIALS AT THE HIGH END ARE A TRUE ART FORM. PRODUCTION BUDGETS AT THE TIME WERE CONSIDERABLE AND I WAS EXPLORING WHAT I CALLED ‘HIGH PAID FILM SCHOOL’ WITH A LEVEL OF CREATIVE FREEDOM. I PUT MY PHOTOGRAPHY CAREER AND MY SESSIONS PROJECT ASIDE FOR THE NEXT FIFTEEN YEARS AND FOCUSED EXCLUSIVELY ON MY COMMERCIAL CAREER.
ALTHOUGH COMMERCIALS OFFERED ME A CONTINUUM OF EXPLORATION OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND CREATIVITY IN A DIFFERENT DISCIPLINE, AT A CERTAIN POINT THE LIMITS OF THE MEDIUM COULD NOT SUSTAIN MY ONGOING GRANDER VISION OF A DEEP DIVE INTO THE PRIMAL SOURCES OF CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION AND I BEGAN TO FEEL THE URGE TO MOVE ON.
IN 1999, I WAS APPROACHED BY A MAJOR PRODUCTION COMPANY TO COLLABORATE IN DEVELOPING ‘THE ARTIST’S JOURNEY’ INSTALLATION FOR THE EXPERIENCE MUSEUM IN SEATTLE. I WAS PROVIDED THE MEANS TO PHOTOGRAPH A REUNITING OF OVER 30 FUNK MUSICIANS, DOCUMENT THE SESSION WITH MULTIPLE CAMERAS AND DIVE INTO THE INNER DYNAMICS OF CREATING PEAK EXPERIENCE. IT WAS MY OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN TO THE SESSIONS PROJECT, NOW WITH AN ADDED FOCUS ON DEVELOPING DOCUMENTARY PROJECTS WITH THE AIM OF EXPLORING AND EMPOWERING CREATIVITY ACROSS THE DISCIPLINES.
