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YoUDee enlisted for ESPN commercials
The 15-to-30-second spots will be shown in major local markets to help ESPNEWS establish a channel position in cities that include Philadelphia, Chicago, New York City, Raleigh-Durham and San Diego. Filming took place Aug. 31 in CECO Studios, located on New York City’s west side. The open-beamed, top-floor studio was crammed with coils of cable, strobe lights and spotlights and a 30-foot-long camera-mounted boom. The anchor and the mascot were filmed standing before a backdrop of blue curtains on a set framed with Doric columns and a pair of large potted plants. Ringing the stage area and working around packing cases and tool bins were grips, lighting technicians, camera operators and film directors. While YoUDee waited for the director’s signal to turn a mock lottery cylinder, a tuxedo-clad Anderson issued a welcome to residents of each of the targeted cities. At the command “Action,“ YoUDee began cranking the cylinder, which was loaded with multi-colored miniature footballs, basketballs, soccer, tennis and golf balls. The commercials are intended to satirize the many local game shows in which hosts or contestants operate some kind of spinning device that determines the size and type of prizes to be awarded. Time out on the set
“There is the usual busy work, like the bookkeeping aspects, then there are meetings, where we sometimes fight over what will be included and what will be left out,” Anderson said. “Sometimes we argue over what story we should use as our lead.” Anderson, a six-year veteran with ESPN, where he anchors its 1 a.m. news show, is a graduate of the journalism program at the University of Missouri. “I’ve been in the business for 18 years, and I started as a news photographer at the University of Missouri,” Anderson said. “The university has a live NBC station, and I did some TV work there.” “Richard Crossland, a UD grad, was the best man at my wedding and is one of my dearest friends,” Anderson said. “I met him when he moved to my hometown, Green Bay, Wisc. Although he is a loyal Blue Hen fan, he did his graduate school work at Duke University, and he has been known to root for the Blue Devils during the basketball playoffs.” More UD connections Joining YoUDee on the set was UD alum Sandra Miller, a 1987 graduate with a major in communication and political science. Miller is executive producer of Production Farm, the agency responsible for arranging the ESPN commercial shoot.
Other job responsibilities for Miller, who has lived in New York City since graduating from UD, include making sure the filming gets done on time and that the end result meets the ad agency’s vision and direction. “I have the perfect job, because I am a highly organized person, and you have to be that way to run something like this,” Miller said. “It’s really great. I hire the people that I like working with, and every day brings something new.” Bringing the ad agency’s conception to life has taken Miller and her associates to such places as China, Japan and Africa for filming sessions. Another UD alum on the set was freelance videotape recording (VTR) operator Jeff Reeves, who graduated in 1991 with a degree in music and economics. Reeves, who studied classical guitar at UD with Christiaan Taggart and currently teaches guitar at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, said it was music that got him interested in a career as a VTR operator. “I got in the business through music, and music remains my real passion,” Reeves said. “Still, working here is great. It’s quite interesting to be on the set. Most of the commercials take one or two days to film, so I get to see the completion of an entire project.” Article by Jerry Rhodes To learn how to subscribe to UDaily, click here. |
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