CASE STUDY / 01 COMMERCIAL — 2022
30-SECOND TELEVISION COMMERCIAL
A commercial developed from initial concept and script through storyboarding, production and post-production.
ROLE
Concept · Script · Storyboard · Direction
Cinematography · Editing · Graphics
Reno Sparks Bin Busters approached me to create a 30-second television commercial introducing their trash-bin cleaning service to the Reno–Sparks market.
The challenge was awareness. Professional trash-bin cleaning was still an unfamiliar service to many local homeowners, so the commercial needed to quickly communicate what the service was, why homeowners needed it, and how the process worked.
I developed the campaign from the ground up—from concept and script to storyboarding, production and post-production—building the commercial around a simple idea: show the problem, demonstrate the transformation, and make the service memorable.
OBJECTIVE
Introduce and build awareness of a relatively unfamiliar local service.
AUDIENCE
Homeowners in the Reno–Sparks area.
DELIVERABLES
30-Second Television Commercial · Social Media Adaptation
02 / CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Because trash-bin cleaning was an unfamiliar service to many homeowners, the commercial needed to communicate the problem and solution almost immediately.
I built the concept around a simple visual transformation: show the unpleasant reality of a dirty trash bin, demonstrate how Reno Sparks Bin Busters cleans it, and finish with a clean result and clear call to action.
To grab attention immediately, I designed the commercial to open with a pressure washer spraying directly toward camera before transitioning into the Bin Busters cleaning system.
Pressure washer toward camera
Dirty, smelly trash bin
Clean · Disinfect · Deodorize
Brand + phone number
03 / PRE-PRODUCTION
I translated the concept and script into a hand-drawn storyboard, planning the commercial shot by shot before production began
The storyboard mapped composition, timing, transitions, sound cues and the before-and-after transformation. I then developed it into a 30-second animatic using temporary audio and sound effects to evaluate the pacing and present the commercial's direction before filming.
ORIGINAL STORYBOARD — 2022
Shot planning · Timing · Camera direction · Sound design
An early storyboard edit used to establish timing, transitions and sound before final production, commissioned music and professional voice-over.
PRE-PRODUCTION ANIMATIC
Storyboard edit with temporary voice, music and sound design.
04 / PRODUCTION PROBLEM SOLVING
The storyboard called for a clear before-and-after view inside the trash bin, but a standard bin made the interior difficult to capture on camera.
I developed a practical solution: remove a section of the bin wall while preserving the recognizable exterior, giving the camera an unobstructed view inside.
STORYBOARD DETAIL
Planning the dirty-to-clean transformation.
PRACTICAL MODIFICATION
A section of the bin was removed to give the camera an unobstructed view inside.
05 / PRODUCTION PLANNING
The practical solution also had to be communicated clearly before production.I walked the client through the modification, identifying exactly where the bin needed to be cut so the practical build would support the planned camera angle while preserving its recognizable exterior on screen.
CLIENT PRODUCTION WALKTHROUGH — 2022
Explaining the practical modification required to achieve the storyboarded shot.
06 / PRODUCTION
With the concept and storyboard established, I coordinated the production around a residential location that reflected the homeowners the service was trying to reach.
I cast and hired two actors to portray the homeowners, worked with the business owner on camera, and coordinated the shoot around changing outdoor conditions. Production was delayed until heavy smoke from nearby wildfires cleared enough to maintain the intended suburban look.
With the visual sequence established in pre-production, the shoot focused on executing the planned shots while adapting to the realities of the location.
Two actors were hired to portray homeowners, with the Reno Sparks Bin Busters owner appearing as the service operator.
A residential home was selected to visually represent the suburban homeowners the campaign was designed to reach.
Filming was scheduled around wildfire smoke in the Reno area to preserve the bright, clean exterior look established during pre-production.
07 / POST-PRODUCTION
With the visual structure established in the animatic, I carried the commercial into post-production by refining the edit, pacing, sound design, graphics and final audio.
The temporary elements used during pre-production were replaced with commissioned music and professional voice-over, while sound effects were layered throughout the spot to heighten the cleaning process and give the commercial more energy.
The final edit maintained the structure established during storyboarding while refining timing and transitions for the finished 30-second television spot.
The visual concept carried from storyboard and animatic through production and into the final edit.
The 30-second structure was refined around clear visual beats, maintaining the progression from problem to cleaning process to final call to action.
Professional voice-over, commissioned music and exaggerated sound effects were combined to give the spot energy and reinforce key actions on screen.
Brand information and the final call to action were integrated into the edit to clearly communicate the service and provide viewers with the next step.
Rather than relying on generic stock music, I developed a musical direction inspired by cinematic Western and rock influences, then commissioned an artist to create music for the finished spot.
08 / FINAL DELIVERY
ADAPTED FOR SOCIAL.**
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