Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1544119
B A T M A N V S B A T E M A N | P E R S P E C T I V E 6 1 Working on the State Farm: Batman vs. Bateman campaign felt less like the run-of-the-mill commercial and more like a mini-feature film. The design team set out to achieve a level of cinematic weight not often seen or afforded in advertising. To say it "blew up" would be an understatement. The spot's viral views and acclaim proved we hit the mark. I wanted to share an inside look of the production with the readers of PERSPECTIVE. When David Skinner (Production Designer) and I started on the project, we knew that attention to detail was going to be our top priority. There are a lot of die-hard superhero fans out there. The moodiness of the dark esthetic of Batman was very important to convey. Working with David, who has designed over forty Super Bowl commercials, has been a powerful lesson in leadership. The way he communicates information and his vision makes everyone involved want to be more than just facilitators, he gives you the tools to take ownership and responsibility and see the bigger picture. The Art Department had an ad agency and client, along with DC and Warner Bros. to satisfy, and every detail had to get "run up the ladder" for approval. There was a lot of back-and-forth on what was allowed "visually" for virtually every element. During the preproduction stage, we had to pivot quite a lot. Some characters would get written in and then canceled two days later, with all the related changes to locations/set designs/ props/dressing and graphics that followed. A. GOTHAM ROOFTOP WITH BAT SIGNAL. ILLUSTRATION BY JAMIE RAMA. B. BAT SIGNAL. EARLY MOCK-UP DIGITAL MODEL. C. & D. BAT SIGNAL. LIGHT HAD TO BREAK INTO FOUR PIECES TO FIT THROUGH ALL THE DOORWAYS TO GET ON TOP OF THE ROOF. SET PHOTOS. D C B