Identity Director Scott Corbett Makes Magic for Conn-X

Identity, a production boutique known for cultivating talent with dazzling visual styles and cinematic storytelling capabilities, announced the latest commercial project from Director Scott Corbett, who has wrapped a :60 spot for Greek IPTV service provider Conn-X via ad agency Leo Burnett / Athens. Titled "The Magician," the commercial began airing this fall on TV and in cinemas, and tells the tragic story of a downtrodden illusionist whose tricks always result in boxes of Conn-X routers.

"I knew Scott would bring visual artistry and an authentic voice to this project," said Joe Masi, executive producer and owner, Identity. "His cinematic approach and ability to capture the right mood and comedy required of this story made him the ideal director for this film."

"The Magician" opens against a desolate landscape overlooking the Aegean Sea, as a magician sits with his few belongings, staring forlornly into his top hat. In the distance, the sounds of a motorbike come closer. The traveler gets off his scooter and asks the man if he's OK. As the ruined magician begins his tale, the viewer is taken on a series of flashbacks into a vintage theater as the man performs in front of a listless, expressionless audience. He attempts to pull a rabbit out of a hat, but grabs a Conn-X box. A dove doesn't just disappear; in its place a Conn-X router appears. A woman sawed in half spills entrails of Conn-X boxes. "Don't worry, believe in yourself," encourages the agreeable young motorist. "Go on...pull out a rabbit." The illusionist concentrates and waves his hand over the hat. A Conn-X box materializes, which the young man eagerly snatches before sputtering away on his bike.

Director Scott Corbett was inspired by the mood and aesthetic of both 1960s Spaghetti Westerns and the surrealist filmmaking of director Federico Fellini, in particular his 1973 movie "Amarcord." But the look of "The Magician" wasn't originally meant to be so cinematic. Set in a park and intended to play out as a traditional 30-second comedic spot, Corbett and Identity Executive Producer Joe Masi read the script and knew there was something richer that could be drawn. And once Corbett reviewed the location photos, that's when the idea hit him.

"I tend to let locations set the tone for a lot of my work," explained Corbett. "So when I saw the photographs of the abandoned windswept Athens shipyards, I knew we could take the commercial to a more desolate and desperate place, yet still retain its off-beat humor, which highlighted Conn-X as an object of obsession -- and a little bit of magic. Identity's relationship with the agency was incredibly collaborative from the start, so we were able to convince Leo Burnett and the client to go in this new direction and also turn the spot into a :60."

Corbett shot the spot when temperatures in Athens reached 110 degrees. Despite this minor challenge, Corbett's experience was overwhelmingly positive, in large part due to the agency's inherently compelling story and the friendly all-Greek cast and crew. There were serendipitous moments too, like discovering the family-owned magician's school shown in the flashback scenes, which needed little art direction because it was so perfect.

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