The Directors: Plan(9)
Filmmakers and visual artists Jonathan Specktor and Juan Pablo Rodríguez comprise the amazing directing duo known as Plan(9). The guys met at art school and began working as a duo, bonding over their love of music, technology and sci-fi films. For years they have worked in advertising and music videos, providing their particular way of storytelling and editing techniques to projects for Y&R, Ogilvy & Mather, McCann erickson, TBWA, BBDO, among many others. Plan(9) has a knack at recognising the needs of every brand, but are not afraid to push the envelope by mixing narrative and aesthetic styles to create amazing audiovisual products. Plan(9) have always had a goal to create visually incredible stories. Inspired by the unlimited possibilities of the web, pop culture, and current media, Plan(9) is now focused on creating innovative and entertaining content throughout every platform. Their unique way of storytelling provides brands with what they seek most to be different.
Name: Plan(9)
Location: Bogotá (Colombia) / Los Ángeles (USA)
Repped by/in: Altered.LA
Awards:
- Cannes Lions 2018, Silver Lion, Savor Saver
- Dorado Festival 2021 Pony Malta - Beat The Bullying - Gold Radio - Gold Influencer - Silver Film Austin Music Video Festival 2021 - Video of the year nominee
- Cannes Awards 2021- Beer Cap Project - Bronze in Direct Lions
- New York Lift off Film Festival 2020 - Official Selection
- Ciudad de Mexico International Film Festival 2020 - Best Music Video
- Brazil CineFest Int'l Film Festival 2020- Official Selection
- Innovation Clio Awards 2018 - Silver Innovation
- El Ojo Iberoamérica 2018 - Gold Effectiveness
- Lo Nuestro Awards 2015 - Best video of the year
- El Ojo de Iberoamérica 2013 Ojo Directo - Bronze on the Digital Media Category
- Ojo Mobile - Bronze on the Technology Category
- Cannes Lions 2013 - Finalist Direct Lions
LBB> What elements of a script sets one apart from the other and what sort of scripts get you excited to shoot them?
Plan(9)> The most important element in a script for us is storytelling. If the story works, we always find a way to get excited about it. This could be through camera angles, character development, or innovative VFX proposals. We always aim to turn what we receive into something we genuinely want to go and shoot because it's rare to receive a perfect brief. Therefore, it's always better to transform it into something worth shooting – especially considering the amount of work involved in a shoot. That being said, we love stories that have an imaginative and extraordinary element. These are the types of stories that excite us from the brief. We are fans of science fiction and believe that cinema is a mix between art and magic. In the end, we want to create magic.
LBB> How do you approach creating a treatment for a spot?
Plan(9)> We start by identifying what needs to be communicated. More often than not, the goal is sales! But we try to identify that differential aspect with which the brand wants to connect - innovation? Fun? Prestige? Whatever it may be... Then, we work around this concept to find audiovisual ways of enhancing it. As directors, you always have this possibility. And in our case, we aim to find a resource that achieves this but also connects with us, our style and what we ourselves would like to see.
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?
Plan(9)> Doing research and understanding the strategic and contextual side of an ad is certainly important, even when working with a brand or market we're not familiar with. It's crucial to understand the brand's tone, their target audience, and the energy they usually employ. Even if we aim to do something entirely new, knowing this information allows us to identify what we need to break away from. We have a distinct directorial style, so if a brand approaches us, it's because they want that style reflected in their piece. Knowing what the brand has done before allows us to merge our essence with theirs.
LBB> For you, what is the most important working relationship for a director to have with another person in making an ad? And why?
Plan(9)> As a directing duo, our most important relationship is undoubtedly between ourselves! Being able to meet halfway or knowing when to give in when the other has a better idea has been key in our partnership. Beyond that, it's crucial for the producer to trust and understand your vision so they can help bring it into reality. This is probably the first relationship we look to strengthen – if your producer trusts and understands what you want to achieve; they will help make it happen.
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?
Plan(9)> We are most passionate about works that incorporate an extraordinary element. We love enhancing reality, so we gravitate towards pieces where something extraordinary happens. This doesn't necessarily mean VFXs (though we love those too), as a well-executed narrative twist can transform a traditional story into something extraordinary.
LBB> What misconception about you or your work do you most often encounter and why is it wrong?
Plan(9)> At the beginning of our career, our work was more "famous" than us. Creatives thought our commercials were made abroad, and often we received our own commercials as "references". Also, we've never been overly extroverted and believe that work should speak for itself. As a result of this, many people perceive us to be arrogant... but nothing could be further from the truth! We simply don't like making too much noise.
LBB> Have you ever worked with a cost consultant and if so how have your experiences been?
Plan(9)> Yes, we have worked with cost consultants several times and surprisingly it has worked out quite well almost every time! Our treatments tend to be very complete and specific; this allows us to justify most of our creative decisions (which ultimately translates into production costs).
LBB> What’s the craziest problem you’ve come across in the course of a production – and how did you solve it?
Plan(9)> Probably the craziest problem we encountered was on a commercial shoot where our proposal involved having sets within a large warehouse - with the aesthetic appeal of the warehouse playing an essential role in production design. There was some major miscommunication and when we arrived on set, lights were placed right in the path where characters needed to move from one set to another...and there wasn’t enough time to fix it! How did we solve it? TRANSITIONS – on set, we had to re-plan the storyboard so there were creative transitions between each set which ended up enhancing the overall storytelling of the commercial.
LBB> How do you strike the balance between being open/collaborative with the agency and brand client while also protecting the idea?
Plan(9)> Collaboration with both agency and brand client is always crucial - without it you might find yourself as a director against everyone else...and even if you win all battles (which seldom happens), you may end up with a commercial that pleases you but not necessarily your client.
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?
Plan(9)> Talent can emerge from anywhere, and the audiovisual world is constantly evolving. So, the more diversity there is, the more fresh visions will exist, which in turn will inspire new creators to do the same. We love mentoring and we often invite individuals to observe and participate in small tasks on set. We also encourage them to ask questions about what they observed once the shoot is over. This allows the set to flow smoothly and provides a safe space for those learning to ask even the most absurd questions.
LBB> How do you feel the pandemic is going to influence the way you work into the longer term? Have you picked up new habits that you feel will stick around for a long time?
Plan(9)> We believe that virtual meetings have been a significant learning experience post-pandemic. They allow us to connect with clients and agencies regardless of distance, opening up many opportunities. Plus, they help us be more efficient with our time. We think this practice will continue to be relevant in the future.
LBB> Your work is now presented in so many different formats - to what extent do you keep each in mind while you're working (and, equally, to what degree is it possible to do so)?
Plan(9)> Being aware of all the various formats that exist today is impossible, and trying to accommodate all of them implies that everything simply must happen in the center of the frame. This unfortunate reality often leads to interesting compositions or actions on the sides of the frame being discarded due to "format constraints".
LBB> What’s your relationship with new technology and, if at all, how do you incorporate future-facing tech into your work (e.g. virtual production, interactive storytelling, AI/data-driven visuals etc)?
Plan(9)> From the beginning of our career, we have always sought to push the boundaries of what is possible with the resources we've had at hand. This has led us to experiment with different technologies and techniques, always trying to achieve something that feels fresh and exciting. At present, we are deeply immersed in exploring artificial intelligence's potential, using it at all stages of our process - from creative brainstorming and image creation for treatments, to implementing it in various commercial pieces to create fantastic worlds that would not have otherwise existed. Staying up-to-date with the new tools that emerge daily is part of our job and something we are passionate about.
