Live from SXSW Blueprints for more compelling stories
Check out the highlights of the entire chat. Answers to questions from the interview were altered to make them more concise.
On writing great characters:
Mark: "Everything starts with writing. The premise behind the original story, four office workers talking on a keynote presentation, was not exactly thrilling. But building great characters unlocked the plot. We spent a lot of time thinking about who these people were, what they looked like, how they differ and complement each other and how we could use the characters to create something entertaining and funny.
We tried to show the issue and every character's flaw so that they can be more relatable. That's where the authenticity lies. My goal is to make everything imperfect, and then celebrate it, because it's the reason characters are loved. This is why you love it.
The trick is not to think of these movies as normal commercials. I enjoy digging into each character's backstory. The more details, the better. These individual backstories provide information to the characters right from the start including: the production design, style, and wardrobe. This helps viewers to comprehend the character they are watching. This is why I created these characters for the actors to inhabit the roles, and it is evident the same when watching it. When you begin to look at these three movies, you will begin to experience the continuous effects."
Infractions to the law:
Mark: "My tip would be to speak to people who look like you. Be as truthful as possible. A lot of the marketing world has been manicured. It's a procedure where the edges of the characters and the stories are so sanded back. My advice is to push away from that process and don't be afraid to tell the world the way it really is.
For example, in the first film I ever made with Apple, I had a guy lick the iPad. I made this kid touch the tablet, and later we're on set and everyone's like, "What the hell's he doing?" I'm always telling them, "Oh, can we smash this? Can we think? Can I use it as an coaster?" Just make it actual. Come back to finding what's real in your work, in the stories we are telling. This is what draws people in and makes characters and stories charming."
On integrating the product:
Mark: "How you see the products in these films is extremely thought-provoking. All of it is based on the story. I try to use the product as an integral part of each scene. I sketch about the product, then build scenes around the product. It's the product that needs to take us from here to there. When you integrate your product into a story such as this, it's not a gimmick as it's a an element of the story that you're telling."
On taking risks:
It is essential to be willing to risk in order to create good entertainment, and to create a connection to your business. This is my opinion as the most important thing: you have to be ready to take risk, and also build positive relationships with those that you're taking chances with also. Advertising often gets protected or sheltered from that work. If you take off some layers, you'll be able to communicate with people in the same way as people."