The Directors: Max Gutierrez
Max Gutierrez is an LA-based director/DP with a knack for capturing those ‘wink and smile’ comedic moments. Working with celebrities and professional athletes is his jam because they’re demanding, hard to please and eager to end the day early, and that’s just fine with him. As a family man, he approaches visual storytelling and lifestyle work with an honesty and humanity that is based on years of juggling kids, coaching sports and pretending he’s still cool enough to hangout with the teens. He is repped by Sweet Rickey.
LBB> Tell us more about this new/upcoming DraftKings spot you directed. What has your experience been like working with Sweet Rickey and DraftKings?
Max> Shooting “Roundball Rock” was definitely one of the major highlights in my career. It wasn’t a Super Bowl spot, but it might as well have been. I got to shoot with the inimitable Kevin Hart and the amazing creative team over at DraftKings and production company Sweet Rickey. We had a choreographer, dancers, pyrotechnics, special event lighting, a massive arena and all the camera toys a film geek like me could ever ask for.
As always, Sweet Rickey kept it fun while running a tight ship – they've had my back and have been trusting my instincts for nearly 10 years now. Without their love and support, I don’t think I’d be where I am now. I would be remiss in not mentioning our familial crew. Every time we get together on set, it’s like a reunion, and Sweet Rickey is a big part of that. I would extend that love to the good people over at DraftKings as well. Time and time again they’ve invited us back to the creative table, and through that journey, we’ve really become pretty tight. As a director, I know that nothing ever lasts forever, so I’m going to enjoy every collaboration I have with them because they’re talented as all hell and a blast to hang out with.
There’s not many people I know who are fluent in sports talk, Dumb and Dumber quotes, and just about every comedy reference out there, circa 1990 to the present. But seriously though, they’re awesome to be around.
LBB> Do you have other upcoming projects with them that you're excited about?
Max> Yes! We have some really exciting campaigns coming out for the NHL and college football that we just shot, and are currently bidding on work for the NFL and NBA. In true DraftKings fashion, we’ve got some great scripts and some sports and entertainment legends on deck, ready to step up and make us laugh. I also just finished up a fun project for Chase. Stay tuned…
LBB> What excites you in the advertising industry right now, as a director? Any trends or changes that open new opportunities?
Max> I’ve heard a lot of rumblings of late that more and more streaming companies may offer their customers an ad-based tier of subscription. I really think this could be a game changer. Publicly offering cheap content in exchange for watching TV ads? What a brilliant concept!
Seriously though, if the streaming companies are willing to acknowledge that their rising monthly fees are too expensive for most people to afford, and start embracing ads, there may be hope for our industry after all. That is until Skynet and the machines start making commercials.
LBB> What elements of a script sets one apart from the other and what sort of scripts get you excited to shoot them?
Max> It’s really a matter of taste, I guess. A lot of scripts really get me going. I love comedy, action, sports, great dialogue, and anything that feels like it’s plucked from a film. Hate to be so vague, but it’s true.
You read something and you either love it or you don’t. You have to want it on your reel and be willing to be married to the script for the next month of your life. If there’s no spark, what’s the point really?
Typically for me, I’m really hooked when a script is a little absurd. When it’s so effing stupid it’s genius. I also love it when a writer hides the ball a bit and reveals the story in layers like breadcrumbs. Buttons can be overused, but I’m a sucker for ‘em. I’m a huge fan of visual gags as well. And although I do love great dialogue, there has to be a visual element to the script for my liking. Situational comedy is great, but it’s rare. Wordplays with clever twists just might be my favourite.
LBB> If the script is for a brand that you're not familiar with/ don’t have a big affinity with or a market you're new to, how important is it for you to do research and understand that strategic and contextual side of the ad? If it’s important to you, how do you do it?
Max> If you don’t understand the strategic and contextual side of a campaign, you might as well be golfing in the dark. Having a firm grasp of the brand strategy is essential to directing, otherwise you’re just making decisions to satisfy your own creative whims. And if you’re not making creative choices on behalf of your client, it’s going to be a struggle throughout the process.
LBB> For you, what is the most important working relationship for a director to have with another person in making an ad? And why?
Max> I don’t think it’s one person really. You need to have great chemistry with the agency creatives, and that of course involves multiple people.
On the production side, I would probably say the line producer is the most important working relationship because she or he is on the job with you from the very start. On the shoot day, the LP is performing the most delicate of dances – standing up for your vision without pissing off the client and agency, and letting you know when it’s time to move on in a manner that keeps you chill.
This all happens, I might add, as fires are magically being put out in the background. That said, once the shoot starts, every department head is essential. It’s a house of cards, and if one person isn’t on top of their game, it all falls down.
LBB> What type of work are you most passionate about - is there a particular genre or subject matter or style you are most drawn to?
Max> Right now, I'm really into sports comedy and have been for the past couple of years. I LOVE sports, and I grew up playing sports - can’t get enough of them. I even played college football back in the day (although I was more like a background actor on the side-lines with a clipboard than a quarterback). I’m pretty passionate about most sports narratives.
To me, an athlete's journey is synonymous with the hero’s journey – it’s the underdog story, the hard work and sacrifice, the bouncing back from defeat and injury and overcoming all odds. It’s everything I love about storytelling and filmmaking. And I was a kid of the 80s and 90s, with ‘Just Do It’ ingrained in my mind to this day. I want to shoot those Nike ads and the like because I believe I have the perspective to tell those kind of stories authentically.
I also love working with pro athletes and celebrities, especially actors. There’s just so much attention on the project that everyone is buttoned up and ready to bring their ‘A game.’ And when someone like Kevin Hart steps on set, it really raises the stakes. You have to experience it first-hand to know what I’m talking about, but I love being in the middle of it.
It’s kind of like playing sports really – there's this intense pressure to perform, so you have to over-prepare and just trust in yourself and let the pressure roll off of you. It really tests your mettle and skills.
LBB> What misconception about you or your work do you most often encounter and why is it wrong?
Max> The industry seems to want to label and pigeonhole directors. I suppose that’s human nature, but I don’t believe that it’s the best way to find talent. When I look at reels for DPs, production designers, stylists and VFX artists, I love seeing a wide range of work. To me, versatility is a sign of adaptability and mastery of the craft. Why is it not the same with directors!?
At one point early in my career, I did comedy. Then I shifted to docs and reality because that’s where the opportunities were for me. Then it was a mix of direct-to-camera, interviews, lifestyle and visual-storytelling. Now I’m back full circle, working in comedy, only this time with celebrities and athletes. I’m stoked where I’m at (don’t get me wrong), but go figure.
My journey has been all over the place, and I have an archive of work to show for it. But it was never a matter of choosing a certain path, it was how others saw me as a filmmaker, and what subsequent doors were open to me. All of these transitions were easy for me because I started out as a DP, and as a DP, you learn how to shoot a little bit of everything. Plus, you get to see how other directors work in different genres – their techniques, their challenges and successes – all of it. It really sharpened my craft.
I believe my capabilities go way beyond what’s on my website, Sweet Rickey’s, or what’s seen on a Wiredrive link, or what’s not seen on a Wiredrive link for that matter. It’s always taken someone to believe in me before I can take the next step. Sometimes, if the agency or client doesn’t see it on your reel, they won’t even give you a chance. In many cases, I believe that they may be turning away the best option.
LBB> What’s the craziest problem you’ve come across in the course of a production – and how did you solve it?
Max> I had a job fall apart on Friday the 13th, the eve of the pandemic. We were in downtown Los Angeles and it was raining outside, and we had about 10 social scenes left to shoot, half of which were outside. The other half were to be shot inside at locations that were systematically turning us away, as word of the shutdown was imminent.
With the chaos of the situation invading our psyche, we pressed shooting whatever we could in between showers, and finding cover for our camera and talent under awnings and tents. Meanwhile, our production team was knocking on storefront doors trying to find anyone who would let us in to shoot. After the fastest director/tech scout I’d ever conducted, we made some on-the-fly tweaks to the creative and characters and worked through the content, and somehow managed to finish our day in spite of what was looming.
The work helped distract us from world events before we could process it all, but there was no point in panicking over things out of our control. Did I cause the rain? No. Did I cause the pandemic? I certainly hope not. So why not just keep your head down and stay focused. In the immortal words of Dory, “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming…”
LBB> How do you strike the balance between being open/collaborative with the agency and brand client while also protecting the idea?
Max> I start by getting over myself. I passionately offer up ideas, but I’m working with really smart people who know their client better than I do. I’ll give my idea another shot or two, providing justification, but if they’re not vibing the idea, it’s time to move on. Your obstinance can impede the creative process if you’re stuck in your own head. I just let it go. Demonstrating that flexibility will earn you more creative trust in the future. If you want total creative freedom, become a writer.
LBB> What are your thoughts on opening up the production world to a more diverse pool of talent? Are you open to mentoring and apprenticeships on set?
Max> Haven't you ever had the feeling that you've seen an ad before? A homogenised industry gets pretty dull. I believe that we need new voices and perspectives because the old narrative has, in many cases, played itself out. To foster this belief, Sweet Rickey (and our clients), have been totally aligned and mindful about bringing equity and inclusion to our productions.
Now that the doors of opportunity are starting to open, it’s essential that this new talent pool is ready for the job. To that point, I actually participate in a mentorship program at USC, my film school alma mater. The talent pool there is very diverse, and the students are very, very talented. I would certainly be open to apprenticeships, especially when the aspiring filmmakers do not have access to training or film schools.
LBB> Your work is now presented in so many different formats - to what extent do you keep each in mind while you're working?
Max> I used to hate the 9x16 aspect ratio. Probably because I was looking at everything through a cinematic lens, trying to make the frame look like some movie I had stored in the recesses of my brain. But as I shot the format more and more frequently, I realised there was an opportunity to reconsider how I composed the subject and moved the camera, maximising a vertical canvas.
Rather than griping about the dead space at the top and bottom of my static 9x16 frames, why not take advantage of the verticality to get closer to the subject, while panning across the environment to reveal the scene? Those kinds of discoveries kept popping up for me.
Nowadays, I set my framelines knowing most of the pros and cons of each aspect ratio. It’s become second nature. This biggest challenge I find though is trying to find the compromise when capturing all of these different formats at once. Yes there’s cropping, and pan and scans, and so on, but one format generally has to be prioritised on certain shots.
LBB> What’s your relationship with new technology and, if at all, how do you incorporate future-facing tech into your work?
Max> Last year, I had the opportunity to shoot on the LED Volume over at Nant Studios in El Segundo, CA. That place is absolutely incredible BTW. I had never worked on a virtual production before, so I harassed the Nant techs to no end, asking as many questions as I could over the three weeks we were there.
I must say that the tech is pretty mind blowing, and is already changing the film business forever. That being said, I’ve had a hard time selling the idea of virtual productions because so few people understand the workflow, and how much lead time is required to create your environments in Unreal Engine. Once people grasp the possibilities, which are truly endless by the way, I suspect virtual production will become the norm in some corners of the industry.
I did however manage to sell the idea of shooting a ‘poor man’s process’ on an LED volume recently, and the results were pretty stunning. We had originally planned on shooting driving footage on a process trailer, but the schedule would’ve had us on Van Nuys Blvd. at rush hour with celebrity talent. It would've been a disaster. Shooting on the stage was super easy, and we were able to ‘place’ the vehicle and talent on the Brooklyn Bridge. It blew everyone away.
LBB> In addition to this new DraftKings spot, what pieces of your work do you feel show what you do best – and why?
Max> Draft Kings Roundball Rock with Kevin Hart
We talked about this one a little bit already, but I think it’s important to mention how much went into making this spot, and DK thankfully had our back the entire way. There was so much coordination – between the dancers, pyro and lighting cues, camera moves and then finally integrating Kevin – it was probably the most prep I’ve ever done on a shoot. I know it’s often hard to ask for a rehearsal day, but sometimes they’re really necessary and can pay off in a huge way. The shoot was as smooth as could be.
I had worked with Kevin Hart a lot in the past. He’s typically been talking about a DK offer at home chilling while watching the game, or in his car getting a notification in his car, or in his backyard grilling, etc. This was the first time we really let Kevin loose and man did he deliver. We had a choreographer on set to work with Kev on some fun 80s dance moves, but at one point I knew it was best to just back off and let Kevin be Kevin. He ran with it and had us in stitches.
Draft Kings with Retired NFL Legend Jerry Rice
Directing this spot was an absolute dream. I grew up in the Bay Area and am a huge Niners fan, so is Steve Baker, the creative director over at DraftKings. So to spend eight hours on set with one of our childhood heroes was just surreal. The whole day was a pinch myself moment really. He was so gracious with his time, telling old war stories from the Candlestick gridiron.
We were all on cloud nine having a great time chatting about football, and I really believe that chemistry conveyed on the screen. He was so damn funny and down to try whatever we asked of him – I really think he trusted us and the spot was better for it.
Pure Michigan - Tourism spot of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
I directed this spot a while back for the Tourism Board of Michigan in collaboration with McCann Detroit and 1080, Inc. I really love showing this spot because we had a great opportunity to get after some action shots.
We had drone shots with cliff jumps and perilous falls, underwater shots, rigged shots with extreme mountain bike jumps, a camera op/mountain climber hanging from the face of a massive rock to grab shots of a climber at dawn, and more... The whole shoot was an adrenaline rush, and as I mentioned, I am a sports (of all kinds) fanatic and want to find more and more opportunities to film it.
