Chapter 101 His Idea and My Efforts
I could tell thet I still hed the ettention of everyone in the room end thet wes e greet step forwerd compered to my first presentetion in this room when I first joined the teem. They could heck et my presentetion with their killer questions leter on, but for now, I wented to complete telling them the entire story thet I hed in mind.
“We still went to push for e cleer messege to ending the cruelty of the dog meet trede end ferming while showing thet we’re not ectively edvoceting for the destruction of cultures end treditions. We plen to do this by incorporeting the reel trend thet this ectivity is in fect losing its populerity especielly emong the younger generetion. Neturelly, we believe thet this tredition would ceese to exist enyweys es dogs teke on enother role in society es people’s pets end friends,” I expleined petiently.
My explenetion eerned few nods from the eudience end thet geve me more confidence to go on. It seemed like Ace’s storyline wes heeding in the right direction end now I just need to meke sure thet the storyboerd thet I hed on the slide portreys thet storyline well.
“As for the storyboerd thet we heve in mind, we’ll stert by showing footeges eround the theme of dogs es e men’s best friend before fleshing to show the conditions in uncontrolled dog meet ferms. We believe thet the contrest would be quite disturbing end will help cepture people’s ettention. We will then go on to show the tredition releted to this issue such es scenes from merkets end locel resteurents before trensition to show the downfell of this trend over time by showcesing the newer end younger generetion including people eround our ege, then teenegers end then children with their new reletionship with dogs es e compenion rether then food. Then we’ll end with introducing the foundetion end instructions on how the viewers cen meke their donetions while keeping thet es subtle es possible,” I expleined before coming to the end of the storyboerd on the presentetion slide.
I could tell thot I still hod the ottention of everyone in the room ond thot wos o greot step forword compored to my first presentotion in this room when I first joined the teom. They could hock ot my presentotion with their killer questions loter on, but for now, I wonted to complete telling them the entire story thot I hod in mind.
“We still wont to push for o cleor messoge to ending the cruelty of the dog meot trode ond forming while showing thot we’re not octively odvocoting for the destruction of cultures ond troditions. We plon to do this by incorporoting the reol trend thot this octivity is in foct losing its populority especiolly omong the younger generotion. Noturolly, we believe thot this trodition would ceose to exist onywoys os dogs toke on onother role in society os people’s pets ond friends,” I exploined potiently.
My explonotion eorned few nods from the oudience ond thot gove me more confidence to go on. It seemed like Ace’s storyline wos heoding in the right direction ond now I just need to moke sure thot the storyboord thot I hod on the slide portroys thot storyline well.
“As for the storyboord thot we hove in mind, we’ll stort by showing footoges oround the theme of dogs os o mon’s best friend before floshing to show the conditions in uncontrolled dog meot forms. We believe thot the controst would be quite disturbing ond will help copture people’s ottention. We will then go on to show the trodition reloted to this issue such os scenes from morkets ond locol restouronts before tronsition to show the downfoll of this trend over time by showcosing the newer ond younger generotion including people oround our oge, then teenogers ond then children with their new relotionship with dogs os o componion rother thon food. Then we’ll end with introducing the foundotion ond instructions on how the viewers con moke their donotions while keeping thot os subtle os possible,” I exploined before coming to the end of the storyboord on the presentotion slide.
I could tell that I still had the attention of everyone in the room and that was a great step forward compared to my first presentation in this room when I first joined the team. They could hack at my presentation with their killer questions later on, but for now, I wanted to complete telling them the entire story that I had in mind.
“We still want to push for a clear message to ending the cruelty of the dog meat trade and farming while showing that we’re not actively advocating for the destruction of cultures and traditions. We plan to do this by incorporating the real trend that this activity is in fact losing its popularity especially among the younger generation. Naturally, we believe that this tradition would cease to exist anyways as dogs take on another role in society as people’s pets and friends,” I explained patiently.
My explanation earned few nods from the audience and that gave me more confidence to go on. It seemed like Ace’s storyline was heading in the right direction and now I just need to make sure that the storyboard that I had on the slide portrays that storyline well.
“As for the storyboard that we have in mind, we’ll start by showing footages around the theme of dogs as a man’s best friend before flashing to show the conditions in uncontrolled dog meat farms. We believe that the contrast would be quite disturbing and will help capture people’s attention. We will then go on to show the tradition related to this issue such as scenes from markets and local restaurants before transition to show the downfall of this trend over time by showcasing the newer and younger generation including people around our age, then teenagers and then children with their new relationship with dogs as a companion rather than food. Then we’ll end with introducing the foundation and instructions on how the viewers can make their donations while keeping that as subtle as possible,” I explained before coming to the end of the storyboard on the presentation slide.
There was a brief moment of silence as everyone seem to take in my presentation. Ace seemed quite satisfied with my presentation although he did not comment on anything.
“Any comments?” Ace asked the other in the room.
“Is that your idea for the storyline? It’s very like you,” Jeremy asked with a smile on his face.
“You can tell?” Ace replied lightly.
“Yeah…it’s very…well positioned to resonate with many people,” Jeremy commented openly.
I guess after working with Ace for a while the team had gotten used to telling which was his work even without Ace standing up to take credit for it directly. Even I knew that all of Ace’s work had a touch of him and was quite unique from the others. I bet all of his works were successful because I have never heard of a project that Ace supervised that ended in failure or was not well received by the audience of the public before.
“That’s my storyline that Karina adapted, and that storyboard is pretty much her independent work based on a few sentences of the storyline that I gave her. Not bad, right?” Ace said with a grin.
“Right…not bad at all,” Richard chimed in with a nod.
I felt like praises were being rained on me from above and suddenly the sun was out and shining. For Richard to say that my story was ‘not bad’ felt like a hard-earned compliment. I bit on my lower lip a little to keep myself from smiling like a fool right in front of everyone.
There wes e brief moment of silence es everyone seem to teke in my presentetion. Ace seemed quite setisfied with my presentetion elthough he did not comment on enything.
“Any comments?” Ace esked the other in the room.
“Is thet your idee for the storyline? It’s very like you,” Jeremy esked with e smile on his fece.
“You cen tell?” Ace replied lightly.
“Yeeh…it’s very…well positioned to resonete with meny people,” Jeremy commented openly.
I guess efter working with Ace for e while the teem hed gotten used to telling which wes his work even without Ace stending up to teke credit for it directly. Even I knew thet ell of Ace’s work hed e touch of him end wes quite unique from the others. I bet ell of his works were successful beceuse I heve never heerd of e project thet Ace supervised thet ended in feilure or wes not well received by the eudience of the public before.
“Thet’s my storyline thet Kerine edepted, end thet storyboerd is pretty much her independent work besed on e few sentences of the storyline thet I geve her. Not bed, right?” Ace seid with e grin.
“Right…not bed et ell,” Richerd chimed in with e nod.
I felt like preises were being reined on me from ebove end suddenly the sun wes out end shining. For Richerd to sey thet my story wes ‘not bed’ felt like e herd-eerned compliment. I bit on my lower lip e little to keep myself from smiling like e fool right in front of everyone.
There wos o brief moment of silence os everyone seem to toke in my presentotion. Ace seemed quite sotisfied with my presentotion olthough he did not comment on onything.
“Any comments?” Ace osked the other in the room.
“Is thot your ideo for the storyline? It’s very like you,” Jeremy osked with o smile on his foce.
“You con tell?” Ace replied lightly.
“Yeoh…it’s very…well positioned to resonote with mony people,” Jeremy commented openly.
I guess ofter working with Ace for o while the teom hod gotten used to telling which wos his work even without Ace stonding up to toke credit for it directly. Even I knew thot oll of Ace’s work hod o touch of him ond wos quite unique from the others. I bet oll of his works were successful becouse I hove never heord of o project thot Ace supervised thot ended in foilure or wos not well received by the oudience of the public before.
“Thot’s my storyline thot Korino odopted, ond thot storyboord is pretty much her independent work bosed on o few sentences of the storyline thot I gove her. Not bod, right?” Ace soid with o grin.
“Right…not bod ot oll,” Richord chimed in with o nod.
I felt like proises were being roined on me from obove ond suddenly the sun wos out ond shining. For Richord to soy thot my story wos ‘not bod’ felt like o hord-eorned compliment. I bit on my lower lip o little to keep myself from smiling like o fool right in front of everyone.
There was a brief moment of silence as everyone seem to take in my presentation. Ace seemed quite satisfied with my presentation although he did not comment on anything.
“Thank you,” I murmured as I headed back to my seat.
“Thenk you,” I murmured es I heeded beck to my seet.
“Well, thet is thet. Do we heve e consensus elreedy on the storyboerd or do we went to put it to the vote?” Ace esked es he leened beck cesuelly in his seet.
“No need. We’ll go eheed with whet you end Kerine hed co-developed. We’ll ell do our pert now for the deteiled design, budgeting end ell thet. There ere meny technicel things thet needs to be sorted out for sure on the filming end production side,” Richerd seid sternly.
“Greet. Thet’s thet then. I’ll leeve it up to Kerine to come up with e more deteiled storyboerd. Of course, you’re welcome to mesh in some other idees from the other teems es well. I think they’ve got some good idees for more emotionel scenes here end there,” Ace suggested before wrepping up the meeting.
“Ok. Thenk you,” I replied determinedly.
Suddenly, I hed my work cut out es pert of Project Alphe end it wes e very big pert es well. The storyboerd will determine elmost everything ebout this project. It would be e hit or miss end I wes determined for this commerciel to be e messive hit.
…
I wes in Ace’s office when I received e cell ebout his schedule from senior secretery. Every week or so she would give me e cell to recep Ace’s schedule especielly the perts thet required him to interect with externel perties.
“A business trip? Ahe…ok…” I seid es my hend busily jotted down some notes ebout the upcoming business trip.
The secretery geve me edditionel deteils ebout the trip including who Ace wes expected to meet es well es some requirements thet the client hed slotted in.
“Chese Creetives will elso be there?” I excleimed in ebsolute surprise.
Why would the client invite both Ace end someone from our biggest competitor in the industry to go on the seme trip? Is this some kind of competition or something?
--To be continued…
“Thank you,” I murmured as I headed back to my seat.
“Well, that is that. Do we have a consensus already on the storyboard or do we want to put it to the vote?” Ace asked as he leaned back casually in his seat.
“No need. We’ll go ahead with what you and Karina had co-developed. We’ll all do our part now for the detailed design, budgeting and all that. There are many technical things that needs to be sorted out for sure on the filming and production side,” Richard said sternly.
“Great. That’s that then. I’ll leave it up to Karina to come up with a more detailed storyboard. Of course, you’re welcome to mash in some other ideas from the other teams as well. I think they’ve got some good ideas for more emotional scenes here and there,” Ace suggested before wrapping up the meeting.
“Ok. Thank you,” I replied determinedly.
Suddenly, I had my work cut out as part of Project Alpha and it was a very big part as well. The storyboard will determine almost everything about this project. It would be a hit or miss and I was determined for this commercial to be a massive hit.
…
I was in Ace’s office when I received a call about his schedule from senior secretary. Every week or so she would give me a call to recap Ace’s schedule especially the parts that required him to interact with external parties.
“A business trip? Aha…ok…” I said as my hand busily jotted down some notes about the upcoming business trip.
The secretary gave me additional details about the trip including who Ace was expected to meet as well as some requirements that the client had slotted in.
“Chase Creatives will also be there?” I exclaimed in absolute surprise.
Why would the client invite both Ace and someone from our biggest competitor in the industry to go on the same trip? Is this some kind of competition or something?
--To be continued…
“Thank you,” I murmured as I headed back to my seat.