We open on two tough-looking bagmen as they drive their battered pick-up across a barren stretch of desert to deliver a mysterious package to an ominous kingpin in the back of his limo. No, this isn’t a scene from the latest Hollywood crime thriller, but rather the new in-theater commercial for MovieTickets.com produced by Santa Monica based Steele Films.
Paying homage to the aesthetics of the Academy Award Winning Film Traffic, the gritty “Black Market” spot climaxes when the package is revealed to be a bagful of movie tickets. When one of the bagmen tells the boss that he only needs to log onto MovieTickets.com to purchase tickets, the now useless bagmen are left stranded in the desert.
Produced by Steele’s own John Stewart Muller and Laura Boersma, this comic spot was directed by John Chuldenko and photographed by Frederick Schroeder for Los Angeles agency BPG. Filmed in only one day in the high desert of Lancaster, California, the crew had to brave dust devils, high winds, extreme temperatures and nearby forest fires to bring this striking spot to life.
Director: John Chuldenko
Cinematographer: Frederick Schroeder
Producers: Laura Boersma & John Stewart Muller
Agency: bpg
