Despite the lack of official endorsement, Heaps Normal permitted Thrill Ride to proceed independently with the spec ad.
Production company Thrill Ride has partnered with Recliner to launch an ad for Australian non-alcoholic beer company Heaps Normal beer.
A quirky homage to Australian beer advertisements of the past, featuring cult members, unconventional workmen, an eccentric badminton player, and a floating head.
These creative choices nod to the ghosts of Australian beer ads while looking forward to a new way of drinking beer.
Despite the lack of official endorsement, Heaps Normal permitted Thrill Ride to proceed independently with the spec ad.
Thrill Ride founder and creative director Travis Crosbie said he wanted Heaps Normal on board from the beginning.
"As a commercial director, it was straightforward to market my personal brand by showcasing directed spots on my website and social media," Crosbie said.
"Launching a production company is different. It's generally frowned upon to feature projects we haven't produced ourselves. Since Thrill Ride isn't adopting a rostered director model, displaying examples of our work on the website posed a challenge."
However, as the project progressed, differing creative visions emerged. "While having the brand's backing would have lent authenticity to the ad upon launch, we ultimately needed to produce something that showcased our creative capabilities and production expertise," says Crosbie. "It was a tough decision, but we amicably agreed to part ways."
Recliner executive producer Lawrence Phelan oversaw production logistics and casting.
"We're always eager to push boundaries and collaborate with fresh creative voices, so when Travis approached us, we jumped at the opportunity," Phelan said.
Credits
Director: Travis Crosbie
Production: Recliner x Thrill Ride
Executive Producer: Lawrence Phelan
Producer: Mark Day
DOP: Hossein Khodabandehloo
1st AC: Aleksander 'Lilac' Pedraza
2nd AC: Johannes Beer
Gaffer: Corey Clement
Best: Liam Harrington
LX: Ric Mecchi
Prod designer: Jenna Dafter
Standby Props: Marlon Dalais
Art Assist: Jimmy Mitchell
Set Dresser: Tiana Lioulios
Costume: Candice Nelson
BTS Stills: Robert Geary
Offline edit: Ilya Malov
Online edit: Travis Crosbie
Colorist: Ted Deacey
Post Sound: Talia Raso
Motion Graphics: Andrew Onorato
Actors:
Hero: Manmohan Suri
Worksite worker: Glen McBride
Worksite worker: Ryan Brennan
Main worker: Lloyd Price
Badminton Player: Bridgette Kucher
Badminton Player: Marlon Kilbey
Main Cult bearded man: Simeon Bisas
Other Cult members:
Kirsty VandenBurg
Katherine Karfi
Sarah Angow
Kerry Crosbie
Jack Ruddell
Micaela Hollins
Jack Cooper
Noah Watkins
House Gathering Extras:
Brent Jacuta
Martin Kowalczyk
Michelle Bayliss
Adriani Vasilakis
Noah Watkins
Matthew Poggi
