This video is for a pitch that we threw together in 2008 for the title design of a CBC show called “Wild Roses.” We got a call from the shows post supervisor asking us to submit some ideas, and in typical fashion, we went overboard and took it way too far. In these pitch clips, there are usually several ideas working together, and you throw it at the client to “see what sticks.” The show had been explained to us as having to do with a lot of power games, so I had the idea to do a setup in 3D which looks like the desk of an Evil Oil Tycoon in the midst of a strategy session. I wanted moody Gordon Willis esque lighting, a smooth camera move and some optical shallow depth of field. I built a miniature oil Derek and figured out how to do the rigging on that thing so that the parts would move together in concert, something I’ve long since forgotten. Ultimately the CBC decided to go another way with the titles and in my opinion, what they went with was a hell of a lot less interesting, cheap looking and totally in keeping with the creative thinking that ultimately caused the shows cancellation.

Years later I was so happy to see the title sequence for “Game of Thrones” and even more happy to see it win an Emmy for it’s brilliant title design. I felt kinship with the people who created that title design and a little bit vindicated that perhaps this idea of mine was a little ahead of it’s time for 2008 and a little saddened that this sort of work would get rejected in the Canadian creative market in favour of something mediocre.

I think the lesson learned here is to not cary a pitch too far towards completion, but limit it to more vague suggestions of what might be done. Apparently creatives reviewing pitches are more likely to reject something that appears almost finished over something vague, because in vagueness there are possibilities and opportunity for direction. Where as when something is almost finished, it’s closed off and does not give the client an opportunity to direct and shine. Lesson learned.