This document contains a director's treatment for a Ski Yoghurt commercial. The director emphasizes creating authentic and relatable family moments through naturalistic performances and capturing genuine reactions. Casting real families and using a hands-on directorial approach will be important to achieve this. The visual style aims for beautiful realism through available light and a shallow depth of field. Authentic wardrobe, art direction and locations will reflect the diversity of everyday Australian families. The product will be featured naturally as part of people's daily lives.

1. FONTERRA | ***** **** | 1
DIRECTOR’S TREATMENT BY ***** ****
FONTERRA - Ski Yoghurt
“The Simple Things”

2. FONTERRA | ***** **** | 2
I love how playful this commercial is and the way it hooks into the rhythm of family life.
Ski Yoghurt is a well-loved product in this country and we aim with this spot to position
it where it belongs. As an intrinsic part of the family’s day and one of life’s simple, daily
pleasures. Making Ski Yoghurt a seamless part of each of these scenes of domestic play
creates that connection beautifully.
Each of the vignettes unfolds quite naturally, feels authentic, and conveys a sense of
natural, genuine joy. There’s nothing big or momentous in what we see. Believability and
authenticity are very central to my directorial approach. It’s something I strive for and am
truly passionate about. I will ensure that each scene contains a moment that resonates
with the audience and connects with them in a direct and emotional way. They should
feel as though they are watching something completely genuine, that each scene is a real
moment unfolding before their eyes.

3. FONTERRA | ***** **** | 3
Approach

4. FONTERRA | ***** **** | 4
This commercial will work best if we create a world and mood
we identify with and enjoy. It may be what is happening now
or a memory of childhood. The moments need to be believable
and enjoyable and pitched perfectly. Not too sweet. Not
too cool. Just authentic. So, how are we going to capture
authenticity?
Mostly it will come from the style of performance. And to this
end, casting and direction will be one of the most, if not the
most, important aspect of this project. It’s about the nuances
of each scene and making sure that we’re creating strong
performances, but also something beyond that, something
undeniably human. This will be achieved through a very hands-
on and thorough approach to casting and then working very
closely with our talent. I will scout wide for the right cast,
both actors and non-actors. I will be looking for chemistry and
connection between the people I cast. I will be encouraging
each person to reveal something of their own unique character
and giving them the support and permission to do so. And I
will be creating the perfect environment for the cast to move
beyond just acting, into something more alive.
The intention is that what the viewers see will resonate with
them; so the people and scenarios on screen feel familiar to our
audience, close to what they know. The relationships between
the various people will feel completely authentic. Interactions
should have the intimacy and familiarity of real life.
The idea is to always strive for imagery and actions that deliver
a high level of honest and understated emotion. The moments
can be sweet. They can be endearing and warm. But what’s
most important is that they are always simple, relatable, and
real.
This will be a highly engaging and enjoyable commercial. The
tone will be positive, uplifting, and full of life. We can achieve
this by a naturalistic yet beautiful visual style, the music we
choose, performance, and editing. These elements will come
together in a way that makes the viewing experience all the
more immersive. Put simply, we want the audience to forget
they are watching a commercial, and imagine they are watching
life.

5. FONTERRA | ***** **** | 5
Visual Style
& Cinematography

6. FONTERRA | ***** **** | 6
Beautiful realism will drive the overall look of this commercial.
The way we use lighting and camera style will ensure we
bring beauty to each scene. And the overall aesthetic will feel
contemporary and modern.
Camera work will never be distracting or overworked. The
images will feel naturally beautiful, appearing as though we’ve
used available light and time of day to our best advantage. A
handheld camera will make for observational, spontaneous,
and real imagery. Camera movement will take on a gently
suspended quality rather than being shaky. This, coupled with a
shallow depth of field, will lend a beautiful yet very human feel.
Real life moments that we just happen to drop in on and enjoy
from a carefully composed but always very real perspective.
My preference will be to work with ***** ****** as Director of
Photography as he consistently creates the beautiful realism
we’re striving for here. He has a talent for achieving lovely
lighting and a contemporary style. You can see some of his
work here.
For the very best, most cinematic imagery, we will use an Alexa
camera. The wonderful dynamic range of this camera will
capture all the nuances and beauty of our lighting. This will
be combined with Master Prime lenses, to give us that lovely
shallow depth of field mentioned earlier. This combination will
add that extra layer of quality as well as the naturalistic sense of
beauty I intend to create.
Our colour grade also reflects our naturalistic look and I would
like to go for a slightly soft, low contrast look. This subtle,
cinematic and contemporary style of grade comes across as
very human.
I will be going for simple shot construction, not over burdening
the commercial with superfluous shots or fast cutting. With this
in mind, I think we should consider the possibility of deleting
one of the currently scripted scenes. The pace and timing of
the edit can vary throughout, depending on the action and
requirements of each scene. For example, in the scene with the
girl looking in the fridge we’ll want to linger for just a moment.
And the scene involving the teenage boys can feel a little more
energetic.

7. FONTERRA | ***** **** | 7
Locat ions,
Wardrobe
& Art Department

8. FONTERRA | ***** **** | 8
The style of this commercial has a contemporary family feel.
It is aspirational yet humble and grounded. We need to pay
attention to the subtle little touches, because it is these that will
create a sense of authenticity. These are everyday Australian
families and we can relate to them, but they aren’t generic.
Each family will have its own strong, unique identity yet the
familiar rhythm of family life will weave its way through each of
the scenes.
Diversity will be created through the varied ages and life stages
of the families, a potential mix of ethnic backgrounds, and
the different look and feel of the various houses. Within the
very broad definition of ‘middle class’ we will be looking for
houses that all feel a little different to each other and reflect
the identity of each family. The art direction will do the same
job. So we might see kids toys on the floor or colourful pictures
on the wall for the younger families. One family, perhaps the
mother and son with spoons, might have vintage furniture and
warm, inviting tones in the house, while the house belonging
to the dad in the final scene can feel slightly more modern. Our
families will have contemporary yet understated taste.
We’ll give the same consideration to wardrobe. Parents don’t
like to see themselves as daggy or typical so lets avoid this
stereotype. Mum in the opening scene can have a creative and
contemporary style that makes her all the more interesting.
Perhaps she’s a graphic designer who has her own style blog.
The little girl might look like she’s dressed herself, clashing
patterns and fabrics partially in costume or dress-ups, reflecting
her vibrant imagination. The teenagers will bring their own
unique sense of style. The dad building the birdhouse can
wear relaxed work clothes, perhaps an old favourite shirt with
the sleeves rolled up. But we can see he’s young and urban.
He loves his veggie patch as much as his vinyl collection. And
the dad in the final scene can have a Country Road sort of
look – relaxed yet classic. These are some initial ideas, so let’s
keep discussing these details moving forward. Ideally, I will
be looking to cast characters rather than create them. By this I
mean we should draw inspiration for wardrobe, art department
and locations from the fascinating individuals we ultimately
cast.

9. FONTERRA | ***** **** | 9

10. FONTERRA | ***** **** | 10
Food Styling
& The Product

11. FONTERRA | ***** **** | 11
I love the way the product is always there; a natural part of peoples’
everyday lives. The different ways it’s featured adds an interesting
and playful layer to the commercial. It’s the common thread that
links each scene. This ‘in situ’ approach feels entirely appropriate
and complementary to the human and naturalistic feel we will
create. It positions the product in a way that allows our audience
to remain immersed in the story and emotions of each scene. We
are saying something important about the brand. That it’s as much
a part of our everyday lives as playing, eating, connecting with our
family.
Viewers will see the various Ski Yoghurt products in each scene.
It is an element that will reward and engage on repeat viewings as
they identify the clever ways in which the product is featured.
The hero bowl of muesli, fruit and yoghurt will be presented in a
beautiful, contemporary way that blends seamlessly with the overall
visual story. I really like Donna Hay as a food styling reference. Her
style is warm, yet clean and modern, a look that I see integrating
well with our overall aesthetic. Of course, we’ll have a food stylist
on set and we can clearly define and clarify the look we are after
with them during pre-production.

12. FONTERRA | ***** **** | 12
Cast ing

13. FONTERRA | ***** **** | 13
Since we want to see genuine families, real people, and natural
moments, casting will be key. We need to find people who have
the unique ability to behave authentically on screen, who are
engaging and fascinating to watch, and who can relax into their
role.
Because it’s essential to find kids that are real and everyday,
we plan to street cast as well as going through talent agents.
We will cast wide, and look for kids who innately possess the
qualities we are after, so their performances will not be much
of a stretch from who they naturally are. Having worked with
Daniella Friedman on similar projects, her approach to casting
would be perfect for this. She is great at uncovering and
identifying natural talent.
We will cast professional actors for the adult roles. It will help
to ground the performances of our kids. Where we see adults
and kids in the same scene I will be asking our adults to help
keep things spontaneous and fun for the kids they’re working
with. We want naturalistic performances from the adults. They
should appear to be everyday, likeable people, people we can
identify with. They could be someone we know: our friends,
neighbours, family, us. They can be attractive, but in a very
natural and down-to-earth way.
Because we will be casting a wide net, it will be a careful
process of elimination. As always, I plan to be really thorough
and hands on throughout the casting process, always keeping
an eye out for people who have an interesting and unique
quality. We will do call backs, which I will of course attend.
Because the majority of these scenes are about relationships
and connection, chemistry is crucial. We are casting
relationships so in the callbacks, we will pair people up
together and try out various combinations. I will then build
on these relationships during pre-production, so our cast feel
comfortable and familiar with each other within the scene.
The ages of kids will range from 5 through to 15, so it feels
natural for the parents’ ages to range from early 30’s to mid
40’s. This is important, because then the commercial will speak
to families at various life stages. A natural mix of ethnicities
will add realism and further diversity. Where possible we can
look to cast real friends and real family members, however, we
won’t limit ourselves to this.
Things lose their novelty quickly for kids, and it’s the genuine,
first time reactions that will be most captivating. We want to
see their eyes light up, their anticipation and connection. For
example for the two young boys in the backyard, this should
be the first time they’ve used a cup and string telephone. So
we need to be mindful of this throughout the audition process.
There will be some actions or activities that we will want to
hold back on and save for the shoot day. Therefore much of our
auditions will be built around improvisations that are similar but
not identical to the script.

14. FONTERRA | ***** **** | 14

15. FONTERRA | ***** **** | 15
Performance Direct ion

16. FONTERRA | ***** **** | 16
I find the best way to achieve completely spontaneous
behaviour is to take acting out of the equation as much as
possible. By this I mean rather than being overly prescriptive,
I’ll allow our actors a little more freedom to improvise within
the defined parameters of the scene. They need to be ‘in the
moment’, so for the most part I’ll set the scene in motion and
let things play out. And we’ll shoot the moments that naturally
arise.
I want to ensure these scenes have the spark of real life in
them, so rather than over directing or being overly technical, my
approach will be more organic and exploratory. I will of course
guide and suggest what needs to happen. I will work with our
talent as active collaborators. As each scene plays out I will be
looking for revealing moments that are candid, authentic, and
full of humanity.
For example, for the spoon scene I’ll ask mum to take the lead
by balancing the spoon on her nose and then get the boy to
give it a go. It might not work first time, or it might. But it’s this
unpredictable element that will allow for genuine responses.
The resulting smile or laugh won’t be acted or contrived; it will
be genuine, and thus engaging. To keep things fresh and to
provide other options for the cut I might then ask mum to make
it into a game or get the boy to see how long he can balance
the spoon on his nose. And our camera will capture all of it.
The little girl is another example of the above. We want to
capture the genuine wonder and curiosity in her eyes. So she
should be experiencing this for the first time when we shoot.
What’s great about this scene is that I will be able to give her
a clear and engaging task. Rather than asking her to act or
pretend, we will capture her natural looks and expressions as
they arise. These will be priceless.
My approach is designed to make our cast, particularly the
kids feel less aware of themselves and more engaged in what
they’re doing.

17. FONTERRA | ***** **** | 17
Music

18. FONTERRA | ***** **** | 18
The soundtrack is going to provide the audio backbone for this film and will play a pivotal role. The
track ‘***************’, included in the link below, has the right tone and feel. I like its upbeat
positivity. The track should feel genuine and warm so that it underscores and complements the
beautiful human authenticity of this commercial. A contemporary track will also serve to bring the Ski
brand into a modern context.
We are keen to be actively involved in this process and have already started exploring ideas and talking
to music companies which is how we came across ‘***************’. Please click on the link below
to listen to this and other early ideas that have been submitted to us. I also particularly like ‘*******’
due to its simplicity. This is just a starting point to get the ball rolling. From here we can discuss what
we do or don’t like about these tracks and then refine our brief from there.
Please listen to the whole track, as some sections of the track/s are more appropriate than others. Just
a start, but I’m feeling really positive about where we’re heading.
LISTEN HERE

19. FONTERRA | ***** **** | 19
Script Notes

20. FONTERRA | ***** **** | 20
As mentioned earlier, my recommendation is that we cut a
scene so the commercial doesn’t feel too cluttered and so
we can sit with what’s left for just a few moments longer
and capture beautiful little reactions and responses. This will
heighten audience enjoyment and connection. Let’s keep
talking about this but for now I’ll discuss and include all scenes
for the purpose of this treatment.
We open on an observational wide shot of mother and son
sitting across from each other at the breakfast table set with
breakfast things, including the Ski Yoghurt. Beautiful, soft early
morning light filters through a nearby window.
The boy is around 7, only just old enough to pull off this trick
of balancing a spoon on his nose (it still has that novelty factor
for him, as if it’s something he’s only just learnt to do) and
young enough to be wholeheartedly engaged in this playful
game. Mum can be in her mid-thirties. She’s someone that
our audience will instantly like and connect with. Rather
than presenting her as a daggy suburban mum, she has an
understated yet very contemporary sense of style that reflects
her individuality.
The opening wide shot will be very brief, just to establish the
scene. We then cut to mum, and this is when things take an
interesting and playful turn. The timing of this will be very
important and it should feel as though it’s mum that has
initiated this game. We will see a cheeky spark in her eye as
she huffs on the spoon and raises it to her nose. I like how
this moment will, at least momentarily, feel a little off-beat and
unexpected. It’s like a playful challenge. Her son is immediately
engaged and grins playfully. Likewise, it will immediately
engage our audience and hook them in to the story. Naturally,
they’ll want to see if the boy is able to balance the spoon on his
nose.
We will cut to an over the shoulder shot as the boy attempts
to copy her. This is one of those moments where we need to
keep rolling and allow the boy to give it a shot, in his own way.
Naturally, we will capture some spontaneous moments that
could never have been pre-planned. Moments like this will add
something wonderful.
A great moment to aim for would be just as the boy carefully
takes his hand away. Although very brief, this will create a
wonderful sense of tension and anticipation that our audience
will enjoy. His success and resulting reaction will provide the
payoff. Time permitting, we can briefly cut back to see mum’s
reaction; a warm, genuine smile… or maybe she laughs
hysterically.
... (cont)

21. FONTERRA | ***** **** | 21
We then cut to the family backyard at another house. Maybe a large
shady tree, a suburban fence line, a garden shed. The kind of large,
suburban backyard where kids can play, get dirty and kick a ball around.
Not manicured but very natural. Somewhere that reminds the viewer of
where they used to play as a kid.
The boys are aged around 5 or 6, just the right age to still have that
childlike sense of wonder. Rather than being too clean cut, I think it
would be nice if there were something slightly scruffy and boyish about
these kids in a natural, endearing way. As we’re shooting outside, we
will use time of day to our best advantage and capture a late afternoon
feel. This will add a naturalistic sense of beauty to the scene. At times
the boys can be backlit by warm sunlight for example.
Our handheld camera will lend this scene a captured feel, as if we are
seeing this activity as it actually unfolds. We can also include a wide
shot to show the boys tensioning the length of string. This shot can be
made to feel observational by shooting past a foreground object such as
part of a shed or through the window of the house.
But for the most part we really want to be in close to the faces of the
boys to capture their anticipation as one of them puts their ear up to
listen. The moment when they first hear their friend’s voice coming
down the line will be utterly captivating. As mentioned, to create
performances that are full of life and completely authentic I want to
ensure that this is the first time the boys are experiencing this. We will
then capture their natural, unguarded responses.
We will naturally see the Ski Yoghurt tub when one of the boys lifts it
to his ear. In this way it’s incidental but also featured, thus linking the
brand to this simple moment of fun and wonder.
... (cont)

22. FONTERRA | ***** **** | 22
cont inued...

23. FONTERRA | ***** **** | 23
Next we have a father in his early thirties and his 8 year old
son making a birdhouse. Young boys love this kind of activity
– being trusted to use tools and working with their dad. The
audience is part of a bonding moment. The boy is able to use
tools, with a little guidance of course. To separate this scene
from the previous backyard scene, and to create variation, I’d
like to shoot in a garage. Dad will have his workbench and
tools. The garage door will be open to allow for plenty of natural
light. Wood tones will make the scene feel warm and visually
appealing. It will feel all the more special and intimate that
the boy is in dad’s workspace. In addition, an observational
handheld camera style will make it feel real rather than staged.
I love the idea of the nails and screws in the yoghurt tub. This is
just the sort of thing that people do – re-use the containers of
the products they use the most. To ensure that we actually do
see the Ski container I would like to shoot a close up of a nail
being taken out of it.
Simple coverage will be best for this scene – an observational
wide shot through the garage door as we see father and son
working together, then closer, more intimate shots as we see
their natural interaction, their ease with one another, a warm
smile of approval from dad and his son’s focus on the job.
He’s taking it seriously. Shooting over shoulder will help
to further naturalize these moments and make them feel
subjective.
On completion, Dad will hold the finished birdhouse up towards
the light of the open garage door. The daylight will backlight
this moment slightly and add an organic sense of natural beauty
that will enhance the emotional content of this moment. Time
permitting, we can finish on a proud smile from the boy.
The scene with the teenage boys will add energy and
movement to the cut. Rather than choreographing their action,
we just need to get the boys engaged in the activity, allow them
to move and play the game in their own way, but of course
within a defined space. Using a handheld camera, we will
then follow and capture their movements and interactions as
they occur. The result will feel real and spontaneous. As in the
storyboard, we will finish on the yoghurt container bouncing
off the rim and into the bin. This will extend the moment just
slightly and allow us to see that it’s a Ski Yoghurt container
they’ve been playing with. Screen time permitting, we can then
briefly cut to the reaction of the boy that scored the point.
... (cont)

24. FONTERRA | ***** **** | 24
For the scene with the girl at the fridge, we want to convey childhood
wonder. Five would be the perfect age for this girl. She is cute and we
like her all the more because she seems so real, like she could be one
of our own children. She’s alone in the kitchen, lost in her imagination.
Discovering that the light goes on and off in the fridge captures that
moment of curiosity, simple magic as seen through the eyes of a child.
When we see her face and anticipation it must be real so we film the
first time she plays with the door.
I propose three simple shots. Firstly a shot of the Ski Yoghurt container
naturally placed amongst the other items in the fridge. Our shallow
depth of field will be flattering to the product and help isolate it visually.
We see the light going on and off. Then we cut to a slightly lingering
close up on the young girl’s face, so that we see true engagement in
her eyes. This can be shot from inside the fridge looking out and we see
the girl’s curious face peeking through the opening in the fridge door.
It will feel subjective and sensory, as if we are momentarily in her world,
close to her sensations. Finally we cut to a wide shot where we see her
in the kitchen still playing with the door. This scene will be simple, fresh
and playful.
The dad in the final scene is in his late thirties, early forties; a likeable
contemporary looking dad; he is wearing casual clothes. He finishes
putting his fruit into the bowl of muesli and yoghurt and throws a
strawberry into his mouth before sitting down. I want to ensure that
this moment feels absolutely natural. He is not showing off, it’s just
something he does before he sits down. The 12/14 year old kids might
roll their eyes or shake their heads at the ‘dad’ moment and dad sits
down with a cheeky grin. This feeling of movement, life and light-
heartedness will continue through the scene.
... (cont)

25. FONTERRA | ***** **** | 25
As in the storyboard we will cut to a close up shot of the bowl
of muesli, fruit and Ski Yoghurt as it’s placed on the table.
Cinematography, lighting and food styling will ensure that it
looks beautifully presented, simple and delicious. We then cut
to dad as he raises a spoonful of yoghurt to his mouth and
enjoys. While doing this he will still be connecting with his two
kids and responding naturally. So as he eats and enjoys the
yoghurt we might see a smile in response to one of his kids.
We then cut to our final pack shot on the bench where dad left
the yoghurt, fruit and spoon just moments before. This will be
filmed ‘in situ’, and whilst ensuring the product looks fantastic,
the shot will remain consistent with the naturalism of the
commercial. Again, beautiful yet natural lighting that feels like
it’s coming in through a nearby window to best complement
the pack. As in the storyboard we will see one or two
strawberries and a spoon next to it. Perhaps in the background
we see a natural wooden tone, such as a chopping board – to
give warmth and natural associations. Our shallow depth of
field will further add visual beauty and depth to the shot.

26. FONTERRA | ***** **** | 26
Thank You

27. FONTERRA | ***** **** | 27
I’m delighted that you’ve brought this lovely script my
way. I’m really inspired and excited as it offers real events
borrowed from life, into which we’re injecting genuine
moments of joy, whimsy, warmth, and human connection.
This is of course only the first step. I anticipate this as being
a collaborative process, so I look forward to talking with you
further and expanding these ideas.
Thank you.
***** ****
13 January 2015
FONTERRA | ***** **** | END