How to Direct Animals, with Keith White
Just this past month, director Keith White signed with Toronto-based production company, Impossible Studios. Possessing an incredible body of work – including directing a camera team on an ice rink created on a frozen lake approximately 10,000 feet above sea level on a mountaintop in British Columbia – his portfolio is diverse, broad, and exceptionally creative. But, arguably, his biggest claim to fame is working on the iconic ads for telecommunications company, Telus.
Featuring an assortment of animals across the years - from those that fly to those that crawl, skuttle and run - the work is cute, catchy, and frankly, iconic. Inevitably paired with fun music, the critters would dance, play, recreate pop culture moments, or just serve as a cute way to draw attention to the brand name.
But how does one actually work with animals effectively? They generally don’t speak human languages, so it’s not exactly the same as giving instructions to a human actor on set. And on top of that, what can one actually do to make sure they deliver the expected performance on set, in a way that isn’t invasive to the animal’s health, happiness or wellbeing?
LBB’s Josh Neufeldt sat down with Keith to find out these answers, exploring his career working with animals, the most important lessons he’s learned, and how he approaches this unique aspect of his directorial career.
LBB> Being a director who works with animals is a super cool claim to fame! How did you get started in this sphere and learn to work with animals, and what makes it something you enjoy?
Keith> I started working with animals on my first critter shoot with Telus, six years ago.
I enjoy being given the opportunity to study these animals up close. It’s a privilege learning about them through spending time with them and the trainers/handlers/wranglers. Each critter is unique but there are certain approaches and lessons learned which are common and can be carried through from animal to animal.
Specifically, respect for the animals is paramount, and patience is key. The vibe in the room directly correlates to the animal’s temperament (as it does with human friends I work with as well).
LBB> What does the creative process look like when the spot involves animals, and how does it compare to a normal production process?
Keith> In my opinion, the creative process is very much the same when it involves an animal. It begins by breaking down the script, identifying the red flags, and communicating them to my fellow creatives to begin the problem-solving process. One similarity is likened to when you are working with children and the amount of time they’re permitted to be on set, as well as the patience and flexibility required when the critters have a different idea of what they’d like to do at that time.
Beyond that, generally, when working with actors, I don’t need to stop filming to clean up their poop… generally.
LBB> Tell us more about your work with Telus - shooting many of the brand’s famed animal spots! How did you get involved in this, and what was the pitching process like?
Keith> For the first Telus pitch, it was very much like the approach taken with all the subsequent spots. It all starts with flushing out the script and pitching an approach that considers all the challenges and unique sets of variables that come with each script and critter.
It’s also important to loop the trainers into the process early on and to be realistic about what’s being asked of the animals. The frameworks we’re asked to work within are the scripts and messaging, for which we work closely alongside the creatives and post-partners to determine the best ways to do so.
Finally, in terms of animal selection, on occasion, a critter shortlist is presented, but generally, the critters have been chosen by the time we’re in pre-production. The casting process begins from there.
LBB> What is the storyboarding process like when working with animals? Do you have to add in extra room for flexibility, or is it a matter of pursuing it until the right shots happen?
Keith> Before I sketch the boards, discussions with the trainers and research begins. Time permitting, extra room for flexibility is ABSOLUTELY built into the day as a contingency, along with real-time problem solving with the creatives and post partners.
On occasion, a scripted element needs to be pursued by waiting it out, but that approach is less than ideal, as firstly, it might not happen and, secondly, the time spent waiting is applied to the amount of allowable time for the animals on set before a break.
LBB> The Telus spot where you have geckos recreate a scene from ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ is brilliant! How did this come to life, and how did you work with your director of photography to get the right shots?
Keith> Once this wonderful creative had been presented, it was decided that it had to be as close as possible to a shot-by-shot remake. I recall saying that it had to be shot practically. It was difficult getting the sizes or any key feature details of the iPhone 12 before its release, so the scale of the props and the art gallery was kept relative to the geckos, allowing the iPhone 12 Pro Max to shine.
Ray Dumas was the director of photography on that spot, and lit the miniature world beautifully. Capturing the critter elements was straightforward, as it was a shot-by-shot remake. From the boards, I generated a VFX breakdown of the individual poses required from each gecko to composite, which was cross referenced on set before and after each set up.
LBB> When on set, how do you ensure the animals are well-taken care of, and do you use special equipment to make the shooting process easier?
Keith> On every animal job, there is a representative on set looking out for the welfare and safe treatment of the animals. We abide strictly by their time limits, and make sure they are always as well-rested and relaxed as possible when in their own space off set (when they are not working).
Production stays in constant communication with the trainers to check in on the animals’ well-being. Some animals require special flooring to protect, paws or hooves. The art department and trainers must also work together to ensure that all props, adhesives, paints, or liquids the animals encounter are safe.
LBB> What are some of the easiest animals to work with, what are some of the hardest, and why?
Keith> Animals that respond to a food reward system are generally more predictable, depending on what action you’re trying to capture. But in my experience, any animal can be the easiest or the hardest to work with depending on what is scripted. (That said, it’s difficult to get a sloth to run through the frame, and equally as difficult to get a lemur to sit still!)
LBB> What is the greatest challenge of working with animals, and how do you overcome it consistently?
Keith> The biggest challenge is the rare occasion when an animal just doesn’t want to cooperate. You overcome it by working with people who understand that these are in fact animals, and although some are trained and used to studio lights and cameras, they might just be having an off day.
At this point, we put our heads together, see what we have captured thus far, understand what we’re likely to capture based on the animal’s temperament, and then, work together to package it in the best way possible to tell our story.
LBB> Do you have any advice for people wanting to learn how to direct with animals?
Keith> Respect for the animals is paramount, and researching their behaviours will point you in the right direction.
LBB> Are there any cool animal-related projects you can highlight/tease in the near future? What can we expect from you?
Keith> I’m currently working on stopping my cat, Sprockets, from eating my potato chips. I tell him the salt is no good for him, but he doesn’t care!
