We had the privilege of filming at Clemson University for yet another commercial project. This time we were tasked with creating a 30 second spot to air on regional television. The Walker Course at Clemson University is open year round, unlike more northerly courses in the foothills of the Appalachians. The TV commercial we created will serve as an effort to woo golfers from the mountains down to Clemson for the winter and possibly beyond. My goal was to craft a tightly edited piece that appealed predominantly to the target audience of southern men. This piece was shot over three different occasions on location at Clemson from the spring to the early fall. I tried to get as much movement in our shots as possible by using a dolly slider and a steadicam for flying shots. I shot with a 14mm lens on the steadicam parts. Because the frame is so large my fast walking appears like running and hopefully adds to the excitement and visual interest. Golf is a sport that is remarkably staid and the filming is all very regulated. Whether it is the Masters or the British Open, golf basically is filmed the same way on ESPN. This piece was also a challenge to film golf in an engaging, new way that stressed extreme closeups and moving shots. Those are both angles you do not get when watching a tournament in person or on tv. The music, ages of the golfers and even the tiger paw graphic I superimposed on the ball in the final shot are coordinated to appeal to the swath of men in the golfer demographic Clemson is hoping to reel in. We are excited that it will be airing regionally in NC, SC and GA from November to March of 2013.
