Zack Snyder made a name for himself in television commercials, becoming one of the most sought-after names in the business before venturing into feature films. Below are the details of his work in this field that have been uncovered for the wiki.
Unknown dates[]
Beghelli - Illumina 626[]
Zack Snyder directed a commercial for Beghelli's Illumina 626 lights starring Robert De Niro. De Niro's character, as a boy, takes to heart the saying, "A penny saved is a penny earned," later hearing that the Illumina lights save 50% of the energy and being deeply impacted at the thought.
1994–1996[]
Acclaim Entertainment – NFL Quarterback Club[]
Zack Snyder directed a commercial for the 1994 video game, NFL Quarterback Club, which was released on the Sega Genesis. The End produced the commercial, while visual effects studio Vision Crew Unlimited constructed a 1:8 scale football stadium within two weeks for the shoot.
Sega of America campaign[]
Zack Snyder directed a series of commercials for Sega of America in 1994, for which he was a Clio Awards Shortlist winner in 1995.
Sonic & Knuckles – "Elves"[]
Snyder directed the 1994 "Elves" commercials for Sega's Sonic & Knuckles. Michael J. Anderson starred as one of the elves.
In "Elf's Mission", a pair of elves leave the North Pole to attempt to deliver Sonic & Knuckles by its intended release date of October 18, 1994.
In "Elf's Story", a pair of elves claim to have come up with the concept of the game for Santa Claus, who laughs at the idea. The elves sell the game to Sega and seem to retire from Santa's workshop. Two versions of "Elf's Story" were produced using the same footage and core story.
Game Gear – "Squirrel"[]
Ethan Suplee starred in the 1994, Snyder-directed Sega Game Gear commercial in which his character smacks himself in the head with a dead squirrel to cause him to see colors in the Nintendo Game Boy he's playing. Meanwhile, another boy with a Sega Game Gear can freely play his handheld console in full color.
NFL '95 – "Joe Montana"[]
Football star Joe Montana starred in the Snyder-directed NFL '95 commercial for the Sega Genesis. The game features a long-range perspective, which Montana uses to view a fan in the stands, distracting him from his game and causing him to be tackled. When he comes to, he's quickly traded to another team, as is an option in the game. He notes his dismay that he'd just bought a new house.
Reebok – Emmitt Smith[]
For the 1996 Olympics, the advertising agency of Backer Spielvogel Bates was hired to produce a Reebok commercial and Deborah Snyder (Deborah Johnson at the time) was in charge of production. Looking for a director who could direct an epic action-based commercial, she found Zack Snyder, and it was here that they met for the first time.[1] Reebok later produced a small line of clothing and shoes for Wonder Woman 1984.
1997-1999[]
Molson – "High and Dry"[]
"High and Dry" was a commercial Snyder directed for Molson Dry lager. It was shot in April of 1997, then aired the following month. In it, the protagonist is on a plane next to a sleeping man who's encroaching on his personal space, so he places the man's fingers in a glass of water to cause him to wet himself. The sleeping man wakes up and heads for the bathroom, freeing up the protagonist to join a woman across the aisle.
Audi[]
Snyder directed a 1997 commercial for the Audi A3 called "The Test" for which he won a Clio Shortlist award, as well as one for the Audi A4 called "Maharaja", which also won a Shortlist. We have been unable to find further details about these commercials. Snyder appeared in a video from The Slow Mo Guys in which he referenced an Audi commercial he shot in Alaska at dawn, featuring a silver Audi in a snowstorm.[2]
Jeep Wrangler campaign[]
In 1997, Zack Snyder directed "Frisbee" and "Toro" for Jeep. The campaign won him a Clio Shortlist award. We have been unable to find more information about "Toro".
Jeep – "Frisbee"[]
"Frisbee" features a trio of Jeep Wrangler drivers playing Frisbee over deep chasms, when one drops the Frisbee over the edge of his cliff. He proclaims that he'll get it and runs to his Wrangler, while the other two do the same, each eager to drive their Jeeps over the rough terrain. The commercial won the Clio Bronze award as well as a Gold Lion from the Cannes Festival.
Chrysler Corporation campaign[]
Snyder directed a series of commercials for the 1998 "Jeep Integrated" campaign which earned him a Clio Silver award. We have been unable to find more information about these commercials.
EB Beer – "General's Party"[]
Zack directed a commercial for EB Beer titled "General's Party" in 1998. It was banned for TV and was only shown in theaters. The song used in the commercial is the Sid Vicious cover of "My Way". It starts with generals posing for a group picture, then after it's taken they start to fool around. It ends with two phrases about EB Beer: "Forbbiden in Poland since 1989," and "Legal in Poland since 1993." The second phrase is presented with the EB Beer logo.
Sector Expander – "Rodeo"[]
Snyder directed "Rodeo" for watch brand Sector Expander in 1998, which won him a Clio Shortlist award. We have been unable to find any more information about this commercial.
Subaru – "Monument Valet"[]
Snyder directed the 1999 Subaru commercial "Monument Valet". The title is likely a play on words in reference to Monument Valley, however, we've been unable to find more information about this commercial.
Chevrolet S-10 Blazer[]
Snyder directed a 1999 Chevrolet S-10 Blazer campaign, consisting of "Mountain Climber", ":30", and "Geese". We have been unable to find more information about these commercials.
Coca-Cola[]
Wesley Coller first worked with Zack Snyder in 1999 on a Coca-Cola commercial. It was this experience that inspired Coller to continue working with Snyder, which continues to this day. Unfortunately, we have been unable to find any further details about this commercial.
2000–2009[]
Valleverde – "Walk with Me"[]
Snyder directed a shoe commercial in 2000 starring Kevin Costner. The commercial, filmed from the 24th to the 26th of April in Los Angeles, was produced by Movie Magic International under Max International for Valleverde shoes. In it, Costner is stuck in a traffic jam until seeing a small boy taking his first steps, then realizes he could also be walking instead. He gathers several others caught in traffic and they utilize the comfort of their Valleverde shoes to enjoy the freedom of walking to their destinations. John Paul Young's "Love is in the Air" plays during the commercial, and later became something of a theme song for Valleverde.
BMW – "Dessous"[]
Snyder directed "Dessous" for BMW, which depicts a BMW driver who is late for his wedding and must avoid the various undergarments tossed toward his car to prevent rousing his soon-to-be wife's suspicions. When he arrives, he hands her his handkerchief to dry her eyes, only for her to notice that what he had given her was a pair of panties. Hayden Clement scored the 90-second commercial and performed the sound design. The commercial was released in July 2000 and produced by Markenfilm Crossing GmbH.
Volkswagen – Golf[]
Snyder directed a pair of commercials for the Volkswagen Golf that aired in March of 2001. They were produced by Movie Magic International SRL
"Wrinkles" is about a man examining his face in various mirrors, blaming certain aspects of his life on their appearance. Things like his job and his girlfriend are considered stressors that age his face, however, when he finds his smile lines, he blames his new car - a Volkswagen Golf.
"Theatre" is about a dramatic stage performance during which the female lead begins smiling uncontrollably. Behind the stage, a man notes that he hasn't seen her act this way before and another points out that she got a new car.
Audi TT – "Changing Religion"[]
Snyder directed a March 2001 commercial for the Audi TT called "Changing Religion" produced by Markenfilm Crossing GmbH. The commercial features a motorcylist who enjoys riding around the winding path of a country road. He passes a fellow cyclist and waves. When caught in the rain, he's forced to wait for it to subside under a bridge, where an Audi TT driver stops to give him a ride. Feeling the same roads from the Audi, the cyclist decidest to trade in his motorcycle for his own Audi TT, which he uses to ride the winding path as before, waving to the same cyclist he'd passed on his motorcycle.
Audi Quattro – "Tracks"[]
"Tracks" was a commercial released in May of 2001. It was directed by Zack Snyder and produced by The End for the Audi A8 Quattro. It features a man and a boy walking through the snow, the man periodically stopping to point out what kind of animal tracks they've found. The final tracks are that of the Audi Quattro.
Budweiser – "Respect"[]
Snyder directed "Respect" for Budweiser, which came out in February 2002. The 60-second commercial depicts a group of horses traveling toward the site of the 9/11 terror attacks to pay their respects to the victims with a bow. The entire commercial was put together by Budweiser solely to pay respect to the victims of the attack, and was only aired once so as to avoid tarnishing its meaning. Filian/Lewbel Entertainment produced.
Lancia – "The Lady"[]
Snyder directed the August 2002 commercial, "The Lady," for the Lancia Lybra starring Harrison Ford. It was produced by Movie Magic International SRL. In it, Ford's character leaves a mansion in his Lybra. He comes across a woman on the run with a gun who gets in the passenger seat and commands him to drive, which he does, evading her pursuers. She falls asleep and he tosses the gun aside as they drive through the countryside.
Snyder talked briefly about the commercial during Pizza Film School, using Ford as an exmaple of an actor who really understands what it means to be on camera; understanding where the frame is while he's in front of the camera and explaining his actions to the camera operator as they're coming up to help get the shots. While on an SDCC panel, Snyder mentioned working with Ford on the commercial and telling him that he owned a life-size sculpture of Ford's Star Wars character, Han Solo, frozen in carbonite.
Audi – "Moving Man"[]
Snyder directed the August 2002 Audi commercial, "Moving Man", produced by Markenfilm Crossing GmbH. The commercial featured a man looking through stationary binoculars and beginning to dance back and forth to the confusion of onlookers. As it turned out, he was swaying with the flow of a curved road, following an Audi that was driving along it.
Soft & Dri[]
In 2002, Deborah Snyder (Deborah Johnson at the time) hired Zack Snyder for the second time, this time to direct a Soft & Dri commcercial. It was after this shoot that they started dating and would eventually marry in September of 2004. The commercial featured a glamour-girl actress who needed to ride a bucking bronco, but was unable. A male stunt performer wore a wig for the action shots, while the closeups featured the actress.[1] We've been unable to find more information about this commercial.
Budweiser – "Replay"[]
Snyder directed a January 2003 football-season commercial for Budweiser titled "Replay". In it, a zebra replays some footage of horse feet while a group of horses wait. Two men sit on a nearby fence and watch, one remarking that the referee is a jackass. The other man corrects him, pointing out that the referee is a zebra.
Subaru Impreza WRX[]
Snyder directed a commercial for the Subaru Impreza WRX just before filming Dawn of the Dead in 2003. He used a brief clip from the commercial in the beginning of the film before it cuts to an emergency broadcast.
Gatorade – "Lines"[]
Snyder directed a Gatorade commercial for Social Media Week (May 16-18, 2003) with Dieste Harmel & Partners. The commercial featured the flow of lines used in various sports, utilizing special effects to transition between them. The commercial was shot on location in Mexico City, produced by Kendall Henry, executive producer Gerard Cantor, and with production design by Paul Holt.
Subaru – "Unstoppable"[]
A commercial released in 2003 for the Subaru Forester featuring Lance Armstrong was directed by Zack Snyder. Armstrong points out the importance of not only strength, but agility, relating to the ability of the Forester to quickly avoid obstacles, while also being able to take a hit if a crash is inevitable. This narration is presented over shots of the Forester demonstrating its safety features and Armstrong biking.
Martini[]
Snyder directed a late 2003 Martini commercial starring George Clooney, which was the finale in a trilogy of commercials starring Clooney as himself. The first two involved him being kicked out of parties for not having Martini Sparkling Wine, while the third, the one directed by Snyder, saw him take his revenge by taking everyone's Martinis and shutting down a party. The commercial was shot under Movie Magic in Montreal and was aired exclusively in Italy. It was written by Leonardo Manzini with Sergio Mascheroni acting as its art director.
Nissan – "Take Me Driving in Your Car"[]
Snyder directed and was the director of photography for a 2005 commercial for the Nissan 350Z called "Take Me Driving in Your Car," which featured Ramblin' Jack Elliot's cover of "Riding in My Car" by Woody Guthrie.
Miller – "Break from the Crowd"[]
Snyder directed the 2007 commercial "Break from the Crowd" for Miller Lite, which won him a 2008 Clio Shortlist award. The ad features a hulking humanoid monster comprised of people who are "going with the crowd," collecting more people as it lumbers down the street until a member of its being sees a waitress and orders a Miller Lite. At this point, the creature crumbles, and the people comprising its body make their way back to their lives. Snyder was filming this commercial during the opening weekend of 300 and received a call from Tom Cruise to congratulate Snyder on the 300 box office success while Snyder was shooting the commercial on Sunday, March 11, 2007.[3]
Gatorade - "The Gym"[]
Snyder directed the 2007 Gatorade commercial, "The Gym", featuring WBO welterweight champion Antonio Margarito. Margarito narrated his inspiring never-give-up story in Spanish and English for different audiences alongside imagery of him training then winning a boxing match. The commercial was edited by Jonathan Edwards.
Chevrolet - "Marketplace Epic"[]
Snyder directed a 2000s corporate promo for Chevrolet after previously completing a series of commercials for the car company. The promo features a man driving his Chevrolet through marketplaces with rich culture while "O Fortuna" by Carl Orff plays. The promo is three minutes long.
2010–present[]
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - "Tougher Than Cancer"[]
In 2018, Snyder directed a series of public service announcements for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society that were put together as part of a campaign with Oberland to increase brand awareness.[4]
Infiniti – "Infiniti Presents: Conquer Life in Style with All-New QX60"[]
On June 23, 2021, Infiniti released the new commercial for the QX60, directed by Zack Snyder and starring Kate Hudson. Hudson chose to present her busy life as one best supported by the QX60, as an Infiniti driver herself. This was Snyder's first usage of virtual production, commonly known as "the Volume," in which the set is built of LED lights displaying the desired background rather than using a greenscreen. Snyder decided not to employ this technology for Rebel Moon. The commercial was produced by Believe Media, which later signed Eli Snyder.[5]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Elaine Louie. "Deborah Johnson and Zack Snyder". NY Times. Archived from the original on August 7, 2018. Retrieved on October 4, 2004. “Cut to 2002. Ms. Johnson, working for another agency, hired Mr. Snyder again, this time for a commercial in New Zealand for Soft & Dri deodorant.”
- ↑ "Chatting Slow Mo with Zack Snyder"
- ↑ Borys Kit. "Zack Snyder's Next Cut: No Capes Allowed". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 29, 2023. Retrieved on November 29, 2023. “The Sunday of 300's opening weekend, Snyder was shooting a commercial for Miller Lite when he got a surprise phone call. Tom Cruise was on the line.”
- ↑ Alison Kanski. "'300' director Zack Snyder takes Leukemia & Lymphoma Society campaign in bolder direction". MM+M. Archived from the original on September 13, 2023. Retrieved on May 21, 2018. “The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is taking a bolder stance with its latest branding campaign and tagline, 'Beating Cancer Is in Our Blood,' directed by Hollywood director Zack Snyder.”
- ↑ Vicki Arkoff. "Kate Hudson Introduces the All-New Infiniti QX60". Pursuitist. Archived from the original on July 8, 2021. “Because she embodies the characteristics of the multi-tasking Infiniti SUV customer, Hudson chose to appear Infiniti’s short film – 'Infiniti Presents: Conquer Life in Style with All-New QX60' – directed by none other than Zack Snyder, the blockbuster director of superhero films including Man of Steel, Wonder Woman, Justice League.”