Deirdre Corley

AMC - Story Matters Here IDs

2009-08-13T19:13:57Z

When AMC adopted their new tagline "Story Matters Here," they needed a set of compelling new ID's to introduce it. As a freelancer for Plus, I conceptualized, wrote, and recommended film clips for the ID seen below and several offshoots which can now be seen on AMC. The concept hinges on the question - "What Makes a Great Story?" The answer comes in the form of common literary terms, such as Plot, Character, and Climax. The most memorable and exciting moments from films on the channel are highlighted, proving that at AMC, story really does matter.

AMC "Story Matters Here: Story Elements" from We Are Plus on Vimeo.

Here's a little bit of press coverage on the spots.

Mad Men Season Three Ad Campaign Pitch

2009-08-13T17:38:48Z

This spring I had the opportunity to work with New York creative agency Plus, when they were asked to present a variety of advertising directions for the third season of Mad Men. All of us big fans of the series, we had a lot of fun exploring the themes of the show and the traits of each character as we worked to infuse the drama, sex and incredible 60's fashion that makes Mad Men so amazing into each direction we pitched. Below are a few of the concepts presented to AMC for the campaign: DIRECTION 1 - FREEFALL: This concept is inspired by show packaging which depicts an anonymous suit falling through glass and steel canyons of advertising… The cast is captured fully airborne, caught in a moment of suspended animation as they plummet towards earth, subject to invisible forces they cannot escape. They are seen twisting and twirling through the air, nearly intertwined but just out of reach. Period dresses and ties twirl in the wind as they’re swept away. The state of free fall reflects the imminent change in the wind. Everything is spinning out of control. This a strong, simple theme for both ensemble and character portraits which focuses centrally on the actors. In lieu of detailed environments – the glamor and zeitgeist of the Sixties is still powerfully evident in personal fashion and style. Relationships and story references are exhibited through the positions and emotions of the cast. Print Campaign mock ups: On Air Promo directions: VO: ONCE YOU HAVE CROSSED OVER THE EDGE... Clips of the most shocking clips from Season 2, scenes that illustrate the characters going one step too far. Don cheating on Betty with Bobby, Betty cheating on Don, Sterling in bed with the secretary, Peggy with the baby, WHAT CAN YOU HOLD ON TO? Characters seen in the aftermath, Betty drunkenly wandering around the house, Don looking pensive in his hotel room, end with Pete in the chair, holding the rifle. THIS SEASON ON MAD MEN... THERE’S NO TURNING BACK. In quick succession we see close up shots of each of the six main characters looking into the distance followed by dramatic clips from Season three which act as teasers. Fade to black. Tagline is seen graphically... THE WORLDS GONE MAD MADMEN SEASON 3
Freefall Option 2 - VO DON: “I HAVE BEEN WATCHING MY LIFE. IT’S RIGHT THERE. I KEEP SCRATCHING AT IT, TRYING TO GET INTO IT. I CAN’T.” Clip of Don looking at his kids and Betty from afar, Don at work, not participating in conversation THIS SEASON ON MAD MEN, THERE’S SOMETHING IN THE AIR. Teaser clips of scandalous action from Season Three CHANGE IS COMING... Quick reaction shots of each of the six characters looking into the distance as if something is coming for them. AND NOTHING WILL EVER BE THE SAME AGAIN. Clips from Season Three of characters being emotional, crying, yelling, looking shocked. THE WORLDS GONE MAD SEASON THREE STARTS IN JULY. DIRECTION 2 - LIVING DANGEROUSLY Here we find the cast of Mad Men living like theres no tomorrow. The main characters are seen having a debauched cocktail party on the ledge of a building, letting it all go, seemingly unaware of the consequences. They are seen literally partying on the edge of oblivion, a reflection of the lifestyles they lead in the show and also a mirror of the events leading up to our own era. This is a way to exhibit the cast as an ensemble, and also to convey the balance between drama and flat out hedonism the show brings to life. We see the cast drinking, dancing, flirting at a high energy, glamorous bash that's just moments away from going over the edge. The secretaries are doing the twist, people are hanging out of the windows and climbing over one another as the party gets out of control. The combination of danger, sexiness and energy makes this direction eye catching and compelling.
DIRECTION 3 - SCANDALOUS SHINDIG This campaign is built around ensemble settings which, on the surface, evoke an idealized image of a wholesome, sophisticated 60’s social gathering – the cast of Mad Men are at a penthouse party, or a picnic in Central Park. On closer inspection, it becomes obvious that all sorts of sexy signals are being exchanged. Reframing and close-ups guide our eyes toward details that weren’t immediately obvious Examples: Peggy’s hand on the neck of the Priest’s guitar, Joan bending over to pick something up off the ground in front of Sterling, who is obviously ogling her, etc… This direction focuses on multi layered portrayal of the early 60s seen on Mad Men and in pop culture. On the surface, everything is picture perfect, but scandal and misbehavior is lurking just beneath. Print campaign mock ups -

Media Advisory for "What's On Your Plate" Film Screening at BAMcinemaFEST

2009-06-25T05:17:58Z

BAMcinématek screens What’s on Your Plate? within BAMcinemaFEST and in conjunction with Afro-Punk Catherine Gund’s food justice documentary What’s on Your Plate? Screens in Fort Greene Park on June 27 BAMcinemaFEST is a a sixteen-day festival of new independent films and repertory favorites, running from June 17–July 2 Brooklyn, May 21, 2009—BAMcinemaFEST, in conjunction with Afro-Punk, will be presenting a free outdoor screening of Catherine Gund’s food justice documentary, What’s On Your Plate? in Fort Greene Park, June 27. The event includes a live musical performance, and will be introduced by the filmmakers. What’s on Your Plate documents the journey of Sadie Hope-Gund and Safiyah Riddle, two intelligent and inquisitive eleven year old girls from Lower Manhattan, as they explore their place in the food chain. Through the course of the film, the girls address questions regarding the origins of the food they eat, how many miles it travels from the harvest to their plate, how it’s prepared, and the effect it all has on their bodies and the environment. In search of answers, the girls visit local farmers, greenmarkets and supermarkets, as well as the New York City Board of Education’s school lunch program. They find solutions for healthier more environmentally responsible ways of eating, and begin to understand the economic impact of the way we eat. With child obesity rampant, and public concern for the environment at a fever pitch, this film could not come at a better time. Ideal for families to watch together, What’s on Your Plate? presents a variety of perspectives on how food reaches our urban community and its associated challenges. What’s On Your Plate?, U.S., 2009, 73min, DOCUMENTARY Director: Catherine Gund Producers: Catherine Gund, Tanya Selvaratnam With Sadie Hope-Gund, Safiyah Riddle About Director Catherine Gund Catherine Gund, is an Emmy Award-nominated producer, director, writer and organizer. Her media work — which focuses on arts and culture, HIV/AIDS and reproductive health, and other social justice issues — has screened around the world in festivals and theaters, on PBS and the Sundance Channel, at community-based organizations, universities, and museums. As a filmmaker who has worked in all aspects of production for 20 years, her interest is in telling stories and finding the details that educate and inspire. Gund’s productions include Motherland Afghanistan (AFI Fest Official Selection; PBS broadcast); A Touch of Greatness (Best Documentary Award, Hamptons Film Festival, Ohio Film Festival, and Denver International Film Festival; PBS broadcast; Emmy nomination); Making Grace (theatrical release); On Hostile Ground (Sundance Channel broadcast); Hallelujah! Ron Athey: A Story of Deliverance (Best Documentary Award, Chicago Underground Film Festival); When Democracy Works; Positive: Life with HIV; and Keep Your Laws Off My Body; as well as work with the collectives DIVA TV (co-founder) and Paper Tiger Television. She co-founded the Third Wave Foundation and was on the founding board of Working Films and remains a consultant. She has served on the advisory council for MediaRights.org and as a consultant for the Robeson Fund. About BAMcinemaFEST BAMcinématek launches BAMcinemaFEST, June 17–July 2, a sixteen-day festival of new independent films and repertory favorites. —indieWIRE on BAMcinemaFEST: http://www.indiewire.com/article/nyc_to_welcome_bamcinemafest_with_june_debut/ The festival celebrates ten years of repertory screenings at BAM. This year’s line up features fourteen New York premieres as well as nineteen repertory screenings and more. About BAMcinématek BAM Rose Cinemas “offers one of the most civilized movie–going experiences in the city” —The New York Times The four-screen BAM Rose Cinemas (BRC) opened in 1998 to offer Brooklyn audiences alternative and independent films that might not play in the borough otherwise, making BAM the only performing arts center in the country with two mainstage theaters and a multiplex cinema. In July of 1999, beginning with a series celebrating the work of Spike Lee, BAMcinématek was born as Brooklyn's only daily year-round repertory film program. BAMcinématek presents new and rarely seen contemporary films, classics from cinema history, work by local artists, and festivals of films from around the world, often with special appearances by directors, actors, and other guests. Entering its 10th year, BAMcinématek has not only presented major retrospectives by well-known filmmakers such as Michelangelo Antonioni, Shohei Imamura, Manoel de Oliveira, and Luchino Visconti, but it has also introduced New York audiences to contemporary artists such as Pedro Costa and Apichatpong Weerasethakul. In addition BAMcinématek programmed the first U.S. retrospective of directors Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Arnaud Desplechin, and Hong Sang-soo. Recently BAMcinématek co-curated a three year summer collaboration of new feature/documentary/short films with the Sundance Institute, 2006–2008. # # # #

Animal News Samples

2009-01-06T05:54:41Z

In my spare time I enjoy writing about animals and bizarre animal related news stories for a scarcely read blog hosted by my ex-roommate Josh. If you are looking for an animal news reporter, you would be hard pressed to find a more dedicated journalist than yours truly. Here are some examples: Is That a Slow Loris in Your Pants, or Are You Just Happy to See Me? An Animal Related Travel Story from Punxsutawney Pennsylvania An Update on German Celebrity Orphan Polar Bear, Knut

Branding and Copywriting for AMC Channel Re-brand

2008-11-02T23:00:07Z

When New York design and creative firm Plus et Plus was asked to re-brand cable channel AMC from top to bottom, they called me in to help out with idea generation and copywriting. I worked with them to create programming concepts, brainstormed tag lines and wrote copy for promotional contests and interstitials. Below are examples of some of the programming strategies that were presented to the client, some of which can be seen on AMC today.

Newsletter Copywriting/Client: Plus et Plus

2008-11-02T00:46:25Z

For the past three years I have worked as a copywriter for creative firm Plus et Plus, creating a voice for their website and company newsletters. Click here, here, here or here to view past newsletters in their entirety.

Branding and Copywriting for Oxygen Re-Brand Pitch

2008-11-01T20:38:46Z

I recently worked with New York design firm Plus et Plus on a re-branding pitch for the Oxygen channel. I helped to conceptualize overall branding themes, generated ideas for possible taglines, and wrote copy explaining each concept for the pitch document. The project involved a complete brand overhaul, from the look of the channel to the music they used in interstitials and promos. Below are some music suggestions we compiled that reflected the new feel of the channel. (Note: The majority of the work I did on this project cannot appear here as it is falls under a non-disclosure agreement. I would be happy to answer general questions about my experience on this and other branding projects if asked.)

Interview with Unnur Andrea Einarsdottir/Swallow Magazine/Fall 2008

2008-08-28T20:49:04Z

Things get a little dirty in this Interview with Icelandic performance artist and musician Unnur Andrea. It can be found on newsstands now in Scandinavian food magazine, Swallow. Read article by clicking here

Interview with Jens Lekman/Swallow Magazine/Fall 2008

2008-08-27T21:17:04Z

A recent chat about the myth of "Scandinavian cuisine" with Swedish musician Jens Lekman. Read entire article by clicking here

A Nice Set /Published by IdN Hong Kong/In Stores Now

2007-02-12T19:48:53Z

A Nice Set is the companion book to the art exhibit of the same name. Published by IdN, the book contains detailed images of the custom designed slip mats that comprise A Nice Set, as well as information and interviews with each of the participating artists, who include Ian Wright, Genevieve Gauckler, Marc Atlan, Jeremy Hollister, and Universal Everything just to name a few. A Nice Set also contains talks with DJs and musicians such as A-Trak, Bobbitito, Jamie Lidell, Danny Krivit, Loop Professor and more. The limited edition book comes in an imprinted hardcover box, and a bonus pull out poster featuring each of the slip mats in the show. The book can be purchased at A Nice Set tour stops, through the IdN Proshop, and will be available at fine book sellers worldwide in Spring 2007. A Nice Set was co-written by myself and friend/collaborator Joy Merrifield. Excerpt (artist bio/slipmat write up): "Kenn Sakurai: Placing pop culture on a pedestal and then promptly tearing it down, the work of Kenn Sakurai, aka ESM, is proof that one needn’t hide behind pretense when you’ve got talent to spare. Lowbrow subject matter is skewered and satirized with clever results in Sakurai’s silk screened prints and street art, which has drawn comparisons to the man who started it all, Warhol. Previous cases in point include “Hello Kissy,” in which the painted love children of the men from Kiss and Hello Kitty find a home on a set of stickers created for Paris’ Colette, and “10 Car Hits,” a book of prints he created with frequent collaborator Dave O’Regan in which he emphasizes the cultural import of Tony Danza’s rusty Who’s the Boss? van, among other famous TV vehicles. Since graduating from Vancouver’s Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design in 1999, the Canadian artist has designed prints, postcards, pillows, stickers, skate decks, and t-shirts that have shown in galleries and sold all over the world. Like much of his work, his pieces for this collection give text and images equal face time. One of his signature devil images—also seen on the streets of Tokyo—sits over top stencil-cut text derived from musical genres, while he stays true to his penchant for pop cultural references with a pixilated homage to everyone’s favorite Gen-X shoplifter, Winona Ryder."

Marrakech Film Festival Part Two- CITY On Location/November 2006

2007-02-11T01:22:40Z

In 2006 I wrote a series of travel pieces from the Marrakech International Film Festival for City Magazine.

Marrakech Film Festival - CITY On Location/November 2006

2007-02-11T01:19:08Z

Come Together/Feature - CITY Magazine/May-June 2006

2006-07-16T05:38:07Z

"Musicians and artists have always played in the same sandbox, but new projects are bringing both to a creative frenzy. Deirdre Corley offers up a glimpse at the season’s most inspired collaborations." Read entire article

Performance Wear/Feature - CITY Magazine/March 2006

2006-03-10T04:10:38Z

Performance Wear "DON’T LISTEN TO THE PURISTS: ROCK ’N’ ROLL is not, and never has been, about the music. Okay, yes, the music is important. But it’s also about an attitude, a statement, and, especially, a look. Rock ’n’ roll and fashion are intrinsically tied. You can stay in your studio practicing power chords until your fingers bleed, but if your pants aren’t tight enough, you’re missing the point..." Click here to view a PDF of the entire article

Dungen / Feature - CITY magazine / Oct 2005

2005-08-31T10:07:22Z

NORTHERN SOUL Singing in his native Swedish, Dungen’s Gustav Ejstes pushes the confines of musical genres—and moves beyond the ABBA paradigm. By Deirdre Corley Click here to download the PDF. Appeared in the October 2005 issue of CITY magazine.