Freelance marketing strategic creative director, internet and all media creative writer, producer
- 20 years experience creating, leading creative development and execution of national multi-media campaigns
- Fortune 500 brand writing, creative directing, $120+ million new business presentation wins
- Staff writer, VP creative director at DMB&B World HQ, Schupp Co., LaSalle Group, Momentum
- From product intros to integrated multi-media campaigns to spots on the Superbowl to viral videos
- Corporate videos, executive speeches, presentation music, audio, video demos and test spots
- No project too big, too small, too complex or too quick to develop, present and produce
BRANDS: Bud Light, Jack Daniels, Budweiser, Southwestern Bell, Sprint, Michelob, M&M Mars
Combos, Skittles, ODouls, Buick, Bud Ice, Phillips 66, Sea World, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Nat'l General
Insurance, St. Louis Univ. Health Care, General Motors, Hardee's, Chi-Chi's, Red Lobster, Purina Mills,
Kilz Primers, Missouri Tourism, Johnsonville Foods, United Van Lines, HoneySuckle White Turkey,
Ralston-Purina brands, Missouri Baptist Medical Center,Shawnee Mission Medical Center,
Panera Bread Co., Monsanto Wear Dated Carpet, Novus International.
CLIENTS: Arnold Worldwide/StL, Advertising Savants/StL, Cohesion/StL, DDB/Needham/Chi, DMB&B/StL,
Drive Agency/StL, Glennon Advertising/StL, Hughes Advertising/StL, J. Walter Thompson/ Detroit, Kupper
Parker/StL, LaSalle Group/StL, McCann-Erickson/Detroit, Momentum/StL, NKH&W/Kansas City, Noble &
Assoc./Chicago/Springfield, Omni Comm/Springfield-IL, Osborn & Barr/StL, Propaganda, Inc./StL,
Simmons-Durham & Assoc., Novus International, Thunderbolt Marketing/StL.
AWARDS; Multiple: Clios, One Shows, Mobius, Addys, Ad Age 100 Bests, Internat'l Broadcasting Awards,
Telly Awards, New York Internatl Film Festival, U.S. TV Commercials Festival, Marconi Radio Awards,
Internatl Radio Festival of New York. Singles: Addy Copywriter of the Year, Emmy, Clarion, Andy, others.
PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Digital Domain, Rythm & Hues, Paisley, Coast Productions, GSM, Pytka, Straw Dogs, Industrial Light & Magic, Pizzaz Pictures/London, Ian Leech, Big City, Peter Elliott, Big Deahl, Story Company, Artists Company, Steifel & Co., Johnston Films, EMM Group, Marliss Seiff, Jon Francis Films, Travisano DiaGiacomo/NY, HKM Productions, Peter Corbett & Co., Colossal Pictures, Celluloid, Backyard Productions, Morrison Productions/New Orleans, Michael Daniel Productions, Elbert Budin, more.
POST PRODUCTION COMPANIES:
Red Car/LA, FilmCore/LA, Optimus/Chi, Zsabo-Tohts/Chi, Laube-Roth/LA, Mad River/LA, The Framestore/London, Cutters, Richter & Ho, Silk Purse/Minn., Editel/LA, Click 3X/NY, Manhattan Transfer, Todd AO/LA, Marguerita Mix/LA, Filmworkers Club/Chi, Rock - Paper - Scissors, Post Time/LA, Avenue Edit, Swell Pictures, Final Cut/NY, First Edition/NY, Technisonic Studios, Northwest Telecine, Western Images, 90 Degrees West, Antidote, Coolfire Media, more.
MUSIC HOUSES:
AdMusic, Emoto, Groove Addicts, Music Animals, Killer Music, Bang, Spank!, Elias/LA, Herschel Commercial, JSM, Lucas-McFaul, Joey Levine, Pfeifer, HUM, Hummingbird, Marshall Music, Mike Post, Sicurella & Smythe, Schaeffer-Antellis, Toby Hooper, Hummingbird, Dan Williams Music, Still in Nashville, more.
I have a varied and successful history as a creative strategist, writer, creative director, design director and all media producer. I can assume any agency creative or production company role neccessary or collaborate with my A-level creative resources to get your communication objectives accomplished. I have had some success with new business creative development and presentations, earning my agencies more than $120 million in annual billings.
I can take on the role, as well as the creative and financial responsibility, of an in-house media producer, working closely with staff or freelance creatives, interactive media directors and business management to coordinate and supervise every aspect and detail necessary to ensure the successful production of any video, audio, musical, interactive or creative materials. I have produced hundreds of projects under the strictest of legal and corporate supervision, restrictions and guidelines as imposed by the most demanding companies including Anheuser-Busch, Procter & Gamble and M&M Mars. These services include:
PREPRODUCTION
- Review briefs, strategies, scripts, layouts, website designs with agency to discuss parameters of the job and discuss any creative, production, timing, or budget issues.
- Provide expertise in consideration of production options regarding production techniques: animation, computer graphics, live action, special effects, lighting, direction, talent issues, music production, sound design, union and legal issues, network issues, etc.
- Assist agency in the preparation of storyboards and production guidelines for presentation to client and submission to production suppliers.
- Review client production requirements: union signator status, bid requirements, etc.
- Search available suppliers: directors, designers, editors, music composers, etc. appropriate for the job and present them to agency for consideration.
- Assist agency in selection of production suppliers to bid.
- Prepare preliminary production schedule based on agency/client need or airdates.
- Prepare bid package, i.e., cover letter, spec sheets, production notes, storyboards and submit to production companies via mail or e-mail.
- Serve as coordinator and key communicator with production companies throughout the bid and production process.
- Gather and review bids with agency.
- Aid agency in selecting recommended production suppliers to present to client.
- Prepare production plan.
- Prepare production estimate.
- Review and coordinate production insurance coverage if necessary.
- Assist agency in preparing presentation of recommended director, production company, editor, composer, etc. to the client with production plan and production estimate. Make client presentation for the agency if necessary.
- Award jobs to production companies.
- Prepare all purchase orders/contracts, deal memos (if needed) to suppliers once job is awarded.
- Plan/coordinate/book all studio sessions necessary for production.
- Plan/coordinate all agency travel.
- Plan and preside over pre-production meetings and presentations of production elements: set designs, locations, casting, wardrobe, etc.
- Specify talent union and talent category requirements with production companies and casting agents, and negotiate over-scale talent contracts with talent management, if necessary.
- Review intellectual property license situation and supervise/negotiate licensing of art, music compositions, music recordings, film footage, etc. if necessary.
PRODUCTION
- Supervise all digital design and electronic production work for agency and serve as coordinator, key communicator and budget comptroller between production companies and agency during production/shoot/post-production and recording process.
- Track all costs during production and review invoices before they go to the agency to check for any overages, undue charges, etc., then forward to agency for payment if appropriate. If not, review charges with supplier to make right.
- Offer cost solutions to both production company and agency as unexpected situations arise.
- Prepare and coordinate cost overage approvals through agency and client if necessary.
- Coordinate the preparation and delivery of talent contracts for shoot.
POST PRODUCTION
-Coordinate all materials between digital design and production companies and edittorial/post-production/music/sound design/audio companies.
- Supervise post-production process so no step is missed and all elements are handled in cost effective manner.
- Track and approve all post-production costs.
- Review & process talent contracts after the shoot for session payments.
- Search, check Anncr/VO availability, book audio studios and book talent w/agent.
- Prepare & deliver talent contracts for recording sessions, and process contracts for session payment.
- Prepare finished elements for agency and client presentations and distribution or delivery to media channels.
- Prepare final cast/completion reports for unions, client , paymaster services and agency.
- Review all invoices/production costs for final/actualized job accounting and prepare job history report.
- Coordinate storage of production elements.
Budweiser "Etta James"
SW Bell "Lint"
Denso "Sick Car"
Jack Daniels "Jimmy Hall"
Bud "Tower of Power"
United Van LInes "Doo Doo"
Mo Baptist Hospital "Heart"
Bud Lt. "DJ Strategy"
But Lt. Live "Reveal"
Bud Lt. Maxim "Mind Reader"
Bud Lt. "Pardi-Gras"
Bud "Bo Diddley"
Bud "KD Lang"
A "diddley bo" was a make-shift guitar fiddle thing they made in the south before they got their first guitar. Ellas McDaniel changed his name to Bo Diddley and also called himself "The Originator."
That what's I titled the Bud Spot I produced with him. We met at his show at the Abbey In NYC and hung out after the show. The next day we were in Electric Ladyland with Ben Wright arranging and Eric Randall on guitar, Steve Jordan on drums. It was a great session and he is truly a father of Rock and Roll. R.I.P. Bo.
Etta James was Janis and Aretha before there was a Janis or Aretha. One of my favorite singers and one of my favorite recording sessions. She had a hard life and never recieved the recognition she deserved, but she was an amazing artist and a sweet, sweet lady to work with. Rest in peace, Etta.
I assisted Thunderbolt Marketing in producing a campaign of materials for Denso Automotive (world's largest OE auto parts manufacturer) in print, radio, direct mail and internet to support the company's first effort in entering the automotive aftermarket. You know, non-original parts. It included introducing the Platinum TT Spark Plug, a successful test market for Oxygen Sensors at Advanced Auto Parts Stores in Washington, DC and Baltimore, which won Denso national distribution, and this training program we created for technitions (mechanics) steering them to use Denso aftermarket parts. This animation was produced in 5 days time for $5,000.
We won the Bantam Electronics account and helped Grand Prix launch the new brand with a college campus exclusive print and OOH poster campaign.
We designed and wrote the ads
and website continuing the retro
psychedelic look and the baby
concept was the visualiztion of
our campaign theme: The Next
Generation of Digital Players.
I knew that a national sales promotion had to be local in execution but national in scale, and it would have to involve the web in an innovative way and it would have to offer the consumer a seriously unique experience. We created Bud Light Live. Consumers were allowed to "expose themselves" to our film crew, and on the world-wide web, from bars and nightclubs in 57 markets across the country. They would appear in a very innovative "virtual 360 degree 3D bar" website for each of the 57 markets that signed up. Then we invited them to appear in a live :60 Bud Light TV spot starring them and a favorite regional band, that aired local in 57 markets, during "Friends" on the local NBC affiliate. Our Bud Light client called it genius and it raised sales at least 10% in every participating market.
Celebrating 20 years since the company spun off from Monsanto and has grown into a global leader in the agrichemical industry, Novus hired me to tell their story., direct the design of their 20th Anniversary logo, have it animated, wrote and produced 3 videos and this interactive video timeline for their use on the internet and at trade shows around the world, with an application created for touch screen kiosks. This is the full video version and almost 22 minutes long.
"Don't give up your day job."
VIDEO LINKS
David Lee & The House Rockers: Rockabilly band. I played tenor sax and
record producer. "What Would It Take?" was a National Gavin Radio Report
"Hot Single" for 16 weeks in 1989, reached #1 on C&W stations in 4 cities and
was played on over 1100 stations. The song also appeared in the movie, "White Palace" starring Susan Sarandon. We toured the region and opened for many national acts.
The Benders is an R&B horn band I started with the singer, Tom Wilson, 25 years ago. We played hundreds of dives and big shows around St. Louis, breaking attendance records in the 80's and 90's. We reunited in 2011 and are back at gigging the best bars in the area.
The "Dogtown Horns" is our 3-piece horn section from the Benders that makes
guest appearances with top local acts on special occasions. From 1990-1992 we were part of
Mama's Pride , a national recording and touring act that hit it big in the late 70's. - this is a low quality video of a high quality song we played at Mississippi Nights a few days before we were asked to open for Ringo Starr's All Star Band in St. Louis and Kansas City.
Kingdom Brothers are a top local blues band with whom I make guest appearances and played 20 songs including Ray Charles' "Fool for You," at the St. Louis Art Fair in 2011
Oliver Sain was a great St. Louis R&B musician, producer and band leader who produced R&B hits: Fontella Bass "Rescue Me" and Bobby McClure "Don't You Mess Up a Good Thing." I played in his "All Star Review" band with Fontella, Bobby and Ike Turner's "Ikettes."
Johnnie Johnson was Chuck Berry's songwriting partner and is in the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame. I played tenor in Johnnie's Magnificent Five on several gigs and performed with him on several songs in the album: Buffalo Bob Bedroom Blues Band, "Livin' on the Edge"
Asleep at the Wheel asked us to open up for them at the Casa Loma Ballroom and then invited us to sit in on few songs. We've a few shows with them and they are one of my favorite bands of all time.
Tragedy of the Commons is a band for whom I produced these demos "5 Billion Virus" and "Carolina" in 2009.
Richard Zempel
Zempel Creative Services
3859 Flora Pl.
St. Louis, MO 63110
TEL: 314-974-2778
email: rz_z-lance.com
my name copyright 2023 no animals were harmed in the making
