NEW YORK - Editor Mike Douglas of Cut + Run recently completed editorial and sound design on new spots for TBS that are part of the network's Department of Humor Analysis campaign. The comedic spots, starring John Cleese, were conceived by Mother in New York and were directed by Kevin Thomas of production company Thomas & Thomas.
Cleese uses deft comic timing in his role as host/lead scientist in the D.H.A. The organization's "mission" is to study, analyze and interpret what the average person finds funny, using "scientific" research and experiments that test the laughter level and humor heft. Data is fed into the Humor Analysis Machine (H.A.M.), and then shredded. The spots conclude by prompting viewers to take a survey at www.tbshumorstudy.com, an online site containing a wealth of humor-based interactive and viral material.
In addition to commercials for broadcast and cinema release, the campaign includes viral marketing and a media-rich Web site. Douglas helped the agency craft the virals and also cut the commercials using an Avid Adrenaline system. The virals, he notes, use stock footage, stills, 3D graphics, and video shot by the creative team. They didn't have to have a specific running length, which also allowed him some creative freedom.
Conor O'Flynn and Merritt Duff assisted on the edits. The Mill's Fergus McCall served as colorist and Jeff Robins handled the online.
Carl Mendelbaum and Rex Recker of New York City's AudioEngine handled mixing duties.