Everyone's talking about it - Kentucky
"Unique to South Africa is the fact that locals still call Chicken Licken®’s biggest competitor ‘Kentucky’.
So, they decided to get the home of this competitor talking too, by putting up an EasyBucks® billboard
in the last place you’d expect: Kentucky USA. The price of R24.00 was converted into US dollars, translating
to a ridiculously low $1,60. And that certainly got Kentucky talking!"
in the last place you’d expect: Kentucky USA. The price of R24.00 was converted into US dollars, translating
to a ridiculously low $1,60. And that certainly got Kentucky talking!"
Crafting the film
My purpose was to film a documentary, not a commercial, not a mockumentary, but a candid exploration of classic Southern Americana life using Kentucky as a vehicle. A further intention In crafting this film, was to capture and characterise Kentucky State as a small town, this is a better context for South Africans. This helped highlight the disruptive nature of the foreign being that is Chicken Licken’s EasyBucks billboard to everyday Kentuckian’s lives.
Performances were purposely treated as an interaction rather than a delivery of a performance, helping to capture the soul of Kentuckians. This created a natural feel and evoked intrigue for the viewer and highlighted the absurdity of Chicken Licken’s billboard in Kentucky. All this, to subtly take a jab at a certain fast food takeaway place nicknamed Kentucky, because of course, ‘everyone’s talking about it’. Delivery for these reasons was natural and the Kentuckians are portrayed as salt of the earth folks allowing us into a slice of their lives.
The camera language adopted a documentary style, purposely shying away from dollies, drone shots and the likes. Rather holding on everyday Americana, that giving a feeling the frozen in time feeling that exists in Kentucky. A muted, natural grade and cinematography predominantly framed on sticks, making each frame feel like it could be a photograph. With this the edit had a very clear journey. Beginning in the countryside and each frame moving you to ‘downtown Kentucky’ to reveal how everybody is talking about it, even Kentuckay.
Features
Directed by Katlego Baaitse with Burley Boys Production
Advertising Agency: Joe Public United, South Africa
Group Chief Creative Officer: Pepe Marais
Chief Creative Officer: Xolisa Dyeshana
Creative Director: Assaf Levy
Art Director: Zamani Ngubane
Copywriter: Caroline Bergh
Strategy: Leigh Tayler
Account Management: Amber Mackeurtan, Asbo Ofori-Amanfo
Agency TV Producer: Wendy Botha
Production Company: Burley Boys
Director: Katlego Baaitse
Director of Photography: Barend Stofberg
Executive Producer: Daryl Burley
Production House Producer: Warren Burley
Post-production: Burley Boys
Editor: Barend Stofberg
Colourist: Alex May
Online Operator: Hofmeyr Smit
Audio: Warren Burley
Advertising Agency: Joe Public United, South Africa
Group Chief Creative Officer: Pepe Marais
Chief Creative Officer: Xolisa Dyeshana
Creative Director: Assaf Levy
Art Director: Zamani Ngubane
Copywriter: Caroline Bergh
Strategy: Leigh Tayler
Account Management: Amber Mackeurtan, Asbo Ofori-Amanfo
Agency TV Producer: Wendy Botha
Production Company: Burley Boys
Director: Katlego Baaitse
Director of Photography: Barend Stofberg
Executive Producer: Daryl Burley
Production House Producer: Warren Burley
Post-production: Burley Boys
Editor: Barend Stofberg
Colourist: Alex May
Online Operator: Hofmeyr Smit
Audio: Warren Burley
