LOOK around Angel Films director Jamie Way’s first professional ‘bid-to-close’ directing job and you’ll see a crew thawing out from a long, arduous winter. The warm April sunshine and the inspired, feathered symphony tweet-tweet-tweetin’ through the neighborhood make the one-day shoot for the Hospital for Sick Children’s Miracle Weekend one to remember.

Perhaps it’s the worthy cause of the PSA, but Mother Nature has obviously given two green thumbs-up to this project, and the relaxed set and happy crew reflect the perfect conditions.

The shoot is set in an old stone mansion tucked away on Old Yonge Street in Toronto’s wealthy north end. The sun-soaked crew and craft service truck are on the front lawn where the snacks are as good as the anecdotes about Vermont ski weekends and another winter passed.

The surprisingly young creative team mills around the set, tired from a shoot that went late the night before, but excited about working with such a well-respected industry veteran.

‘Jamie’s been awesome,’ says Chris Taciuk, the spot’s writer out of Roche Macaulay & Partners. ‘He did so much homework when he was bidding for the job and just has a lot of passion. We’re in good hands. He’s got 20 years experience as an art director and creative director.’

Clearly, the fact Way has barely 20 hours experience directing commercials out from under the agency umbrella does not bother anyone.

‘It’s [turning out] almost exactly like I envisioned it,’ says Dave Federico, the spot’s art director. ‘[Way’s] got a great attitude. He keeps stressing collaboration on the project.’

The spot depicts a couple sitting on the couch in their living room talking emotionally about visiting their seriously ill son at Sick Kids. After some moving dialogue, the characters speak about how they will no longer be visiting their child at the hospital, and being a PSA, the audience assumes the worst. However, at that moment a football crashes through the window and we learn that not only is the boy alive, he is strong enough to toss around the old pigskin.

Taciuk explains his thinking on the creative: ‘We want the spot to stand out on television and not be your traditional public service announcement where it’s this straightforward message. We want it to have something that’s a little bit more surprising and fun to watch.’

Besides Taciuk and Federico, the Roche Macaulay team includes creative director Geoffrey Roche, agency producer Ken Rodger and project manager Traeslyn Bregg. The shoot’s DOP is John Houtman, while Kelvin Fosberry is producing for Angel executive producer Sarah Ker-Hornell.

Before starting to direct dialogue, Way and the crew work to get the football smashing through the window just right. The crew, huddled around a monitor in the small living room set, waits and watches as footballs are chucked through candy glass panes into the ornate room. In the next room, a little circle of folding chairs is set up around another monitor. Taped-down carpeting protects the floor of the room, which serves as a makeshift lounge, housing client and agency. They sit and watch with interest as the shoot progresses. There is no doubt they are pleased with the goings on.

Working with the actors and getting good performances are a big part of Way’s work on the spot. For him, ‘the sexiest part is the performances.’

‘Rarely do you get to do a commercial like this because it’s 25 or 26 seconds of dialogue – and heartfelt dialogue, like a mini-movie. That’s what this is about for me,’ he says.

Calm and confident on the sunny front lawn, Way goes on to discuss how he has prepared his actors for the shoot day. Turns out the director did work with the actors ahead of time.

‘But not too much, because I want spontaneity first,’ Way cautions. ‘And as we go through it, then I’ll start giving them a few keys. We did most of the work on the casting side, and workshopped a bit there.’

Is there a difference between directing in-house at the agency and on a production house shoot such as this one? Shading his eyes from the sun, Way responds in the peaceful manner that seems to characterize his on-set style.

‘It’s a lot different. It’s you and you on your own. When I did commercials from within the agency, it didn’t feel so removed. On this one, you get the job basically on your vision of what you think the commercial should feel and sound like. From the agency point of view, you’re doing jobs because you know the agency’s perspective. This is purely a director’s perspective.’

The crew has been responding to Way’s direction with such ease that the director says ‘we call it the love project.’ Indeed, Way also loved the creative when he first saw it and knew it would be an excellent first extra-agency job.

Says the helmer: ‘You should be in PSA land, but it’s somewhat sending it up – but not really. I’m seeing a PSA done with a sense of humor. I think we’ve all had enough of the ones that make you cry so much you almost don’t want to watch them again. Those are good. But this is fresh. A lot fresher.’

Way loves having the agency and the client on set while shooting. For him, it does not limit his work or make things harder. Quite the contrary. Having the suits around makes his life easier. ‘I love it because you get an immediate reaction,’ he says. ‘You know when you’ve done some of it right or wrong right there.’

Angel’s Ker-Hornell glows when talking about Way’s first job. ‘He’s doing exceptionally well,’ she says. ‘They’re ahead of schedule and the effects have been nailed right away.

‘What’s most exciting about this particular spot,’ she says, ‘is that we’ve been waiting and waiting for a wonderful piece of creative for Jamie to do because people will be watching to see what his first foray is.’

In fact, Way chose the spot to begin to balance his reel, which to this point has featured mostly visual jobs. ‘It’s nice to get some commercials that give you some dialogue stuff. I don’t want to be known for one particular style of commercial,’ he says.

Visiting Way’s first commercial set was a special experience for Ker-Hornell, who is proud to have the agency-savvy director on her roster. ‘He runs a nice relaxed set, I’m happy to say. And we’ve surrounded him with people that operate from the same template. He does a lot of homework up front and then away he goes. I’m very pleased with how he is conducting himself. And the crew is being terrific. Everyone’s very happy. The agency is thrilled and the client is very happy.’

Sounds like ‘the love project’ sums it up right. With a good cause, a good client, and a good crew, even the elements are onside for Sick Kids.

-www.angelfilm.com