McDonalds "Spare Change"

This was a fun and challenging project. DDB Sofia invited me to Bulgaria to work with local production company The Junk Brothers to direct this spot for McDonald's. I brought my long time collaborator Alex Naufel to DP the spot, and we had great fun creating this look. The biggest obstacle was - no surprise here - the cute little dog. It was boarded out to be in practically every shot but my producers ensured me that Sofia was home to the best (and only) professional animal wrangler in Bulgaria. When I stepped off the plane the look on his face said it all: Oleg, the wrangler, had taken a job in Italy and he -and his entire pack of trained animals - were out of the country. Not to worry, my producer said, "my brother's cousin has a very cute little dog". My heart sank. And what followed was three days of dog auditions which mostly consisted of me on all fours trying to get a dozen local dogs to just.... sit still... for a few seconds. 


Twelve hours before the shoot and all we had was a stinky production office and no dog. One last ditch effort was made: there was rumor of a very cute and well behaved puppy that belonged to a friend of a friend several hours away in a remote and rural part of the country. They would deliver it to set in the morning and it would just have to work. Got to set, the dog was there, and... well... watch the spot!