We all know the saying, ‘never work with children or animals’.
At a glance it makes sense, they can be disruptive and difficult to control, making a film is complicated enough already, how can you be sure you will get the performance you want? The last place you want unpredictability is on set! At Aspect, we think that if you’re smart about your approach and willing to be flexible, the benefits can far outweigh the challenges. So when should you consider filming with children? How do you work with animals on set? What are the risks and how do you prepare for them?
Just do it!
When it comes to advertising, they’re everywhere. We could try to list our favourites, but there are far too many to mention…Not only are they cute, children and animals in advertising are the most common and effective way to grab the audience’s attention. When used correctly, they can give your ad’s messaging or brand story an emotional pull that resonates. But it’s not just about creating an emotional connection. There are many ways children and animals can be used creatively, to create impact, or convey a message in a profound or unexpected way. Children have no filter, they aren’t afraid to say what they are thinking. This fact is used to great effect in this ad by Equal Future, using a simple exercise these children are able to express their dismay over pay inequality.
Equal Future
Using children in adult roles can also be powerful, take a look at this ad from Barbie’s Imagine The Possibilities, simple and brilliant! Be brave! Your industry may have no obvious relevance to animals, but don’t let this put you off.
Thinkbox, who exist to remind people of the power of TV advertising, had huge success with Harvey the Dog. The lovable ad really helped to demonstrate the mighty combination of animals and emotional story-telling. Use your character to help distribute and market your content and get your brand talked about.
If your audience likes the character, bring them back again. Harvey now has 53,000 Facebook fans and a multitude of awards after starring in three of the Thinbox ads. Campaigns like these can lead to large profit results for your brand.
Keep your wits about you
Animals
Casting will involve selecting from a pool of trained animals, look out for animals that have had some video experience. We’d suggest involving the trainer early in the process, give them the script and make sure they are clear of the ambition for the advert. Draw on their insights and thoughts on what’s possible in preparation for filming. Be sensitive when developing the creative and watch out for pitfalls. A boots advert involving a dog having his hair blow dried caused uproar amongst animal lovers and a Christmas ad with a dog being fed Christmas Pudding was equally controversial. Common sense and audience awareness is a must.
Children
Casting for kids will involve an audition or sometimes, children will record self tapes. Similar guidance applies, look for children with some on set experience as this will inevitably lead to a smoother production. Be warned, children can often display multiple personalities. Be prepared for the adorable, charismatic, child star you auditioned to fall victim to tantrums and shyness on the shoot day. The trick is to have patience, and in planning give yourself enough time for things to go wrong.
On set
When filming, animals come with a handler and children will come with a parent. Be sure to draw on their skills and experiences to get the best performances on the day. You can expect a far slower pace when filming. Being in front of the camera can be stressful for animals and children, regular breaks are required to maintain a relaxed environment. Stay flexible and open - you can never predict how long you will need. Have a back up plan and be prepared for the worst. Break your actions down into their simplest components. In our experience, we have found some of the most basic actions have proven to be a challenge and have resulted in script/concept alterations on set. Thankfully, this goes both ways, also be prepared for unexpected surprises from your performers – you never know when you might capture the perfect unscripted moment.
Embrace the boundless performance possibilities
The best thing about working with children and animals is best explained by comparing them to regular adult performances. When adult actors put on a performance for video it may be very convincing, but ultimately they are pretending. It isn’t real. This isn’t the case with children and animals. All the expression, both good and bad, the thrills and happiness, the boredom, shyness and tantrums, the curiosity, wonder and excitement; is unfiltered, raw emotion. It is real. Yes it can be challenging and unpredictable, but when it goes well and you capture that perfect moment, there is nothing quite like it.
Some of our favourite Aspect videos featuring children and animals: PDOLNationwide scarf ad The GRO company
