Rupert Wainwright can direct a convincing, heart-felt story able to capture the attention of the most hardened judges in three minutes or less. The president and chief creative director at Adore Creative, an advertising agency with offices in London, Paris, Moscow, Sao Paolo, New York and Los Angeles, works with a talented staff and top tier production professionals to create advertising campaigns and short movies for clients ranging from Rebook, Doritos, Sony Pictures, and the country of Russia – specifically Russia’s bid for the 2013 Summer Universiade, the 2018 World Cup, and the campaign that resulted in their hosting the recent 2014 Winter Olympics.
“With Russia we knew not all members of the audience understood the personality of the country,” said Wainwright. “We wanted to make a story that would raise awareness and change the perception of people’s common misconceptions.”
For the 2014 Winter Olympics, Russia was bidding against a number of countries eager to host the Olympic Games. To win this bid, Wainwright had to blend the creative direction presented by the Russian government with his own artistic interpretation. Ultimately, Wainwright’s winning campaign, “Russia: The Door is Open”, presented a fluid shot that swings the doors of the Kremlin open (ceremonial doors that have never previously been opened to the public) and seamlessly ushers the viewer through eight Russian environments. A set of “doors” opens as the camera continues its journey to each new setting, presenting an inviting, elegant, fashionable and most importantly engaging environment.
Crafting a compelling story is a skill Wainwright refined earlier in his career. He made an impact directing music videos in the 80s for artists including M.C. Hammer and N.W.A. In the 90s he transitioned into television and film directing, with credits that include “Stigmata” and the 2005 remake of “The Fog.” His evolution continued with the transition into documentaries and advertising.
“It’s another layer of work for the brain to be involved with,” said Wainwright. “You’re taking one vision of a brand and exposing it to the world. It flexes a different muscle because you are trying to present a gripping story and sell something at the same time.”
Adore Creative receives jobs through advertising agencies or through clients directly. Advertising agencies generally have a direction for the campaign clearly drafted prior to approaching Adore. While some clients also have a strong direction in mind, Wainwright enjoys having the opportunity to create a marketing pitch. Campaigns can include a thirty second commercial spot or a three to five minute promotional short film and other promotions that fit the client’s needs. Wainwright recognizes most customers have an easier time describing what they don’t want, and works off these points to create a compelling script that will bring the needs of the advertisement to life.
While all film projects fall under a well defined budget, advertising budgets present a different challenge. The clients expect the deliverables for a set rate and timeline. There is no room for weather delays or equipment malfunctions. Utilizing his production knowledge and his creative instinct, Wainwright has found ways to rise to the challenges that keep projects running smooth, in budget, and exceeding the expectations of the client. During a Reebok campaign where the parameters of the concept were purposefully loosely defined, Wainwright was shooting a commercial that featured comedian Sinbad interacting with basketball players on a court. Wainwright noticed his banter with the players was lively and engaging between takes, however the material presented on camera was dry and less powerful. Aware of this discrepancy, Wainwright devised a plan that resulted in the campaign winning a Grand Effie – a marketing communications award presented by Effie Worldwide, Inc.
“We wired him with a radio mike that was constantly recording, so we captured everything he said in addition to his on camera recording. We had a great repository to choose from,” said Wainwright. “We cut the spot like a radio play, laying down the audio and finding the right images to fit it. We were contracted to do one spot, but the agency liked it so much we cut four spots at the end.”
While the staff at Adore Creative excel at creating concepts and preparing scripts, Wainwright credits the exceptional department heads he’s worked with in bringing the spot’s vision to life. Robert Gantz (Mesrine I and II), Roman Vasianof (End of Watch, Fury), and Shane Hurlbut (Need for Speed, Act of Valor) are a sampling of the cinematographers who have shot alongside Wainwright on recent campaigns
Up next for Adore Creative: creating a campaign for Oculus Rift. Oculus Rift is a new virtual reality headset with advanced stereoscopic 3D technology that provides the user with a seamless vision of the virtual reality world they are engaged with.
“I’m very interested in creating live action programs that are completely immersive, it’s a brand new experience,” said Wainwright.