doug werby

I was hired to direct and edit these spots for Infineon Raceway through Engine Company One in SF CA. The good news, we got to film at the track, the bad news we couldn't film when they were racing, so I used hi res stills of the S curves and chicanes as background plates. Then a week later we shot our talent outside over a green screen. The magic came in post when the compositing of the talent with the track plates married beautifully. With screaming graphics and stock footage provided by the Infineon we assembled these very effective spots. Produced by Kaboom Productions. 

 This was the last project I completed after a very long run of directing and editing most of Macy's West's broadcast commercials. It was the only time I've worked with a choreographer and I had a blast directing it. A dream job, gorgeous models, fun music, working with Norman Bonney as DP. Produced by Kaboom Productions. Macy's was one of my longest running directing clients. It was always fun working with Jane Myers the producer but like anything else all good things had to come to an end when Consolidated Stores purchased Macy's and transferred all the work to New York. Boo hoo...It was a great run.

Here are a series of short films I was hired to create for Charles Schwab called Transitions. All real people discussing their plans for alternative methods of retiring. LA based Jordan Valente was the DP and brought an original warmth to the material. Shot over three days, all the stories came together with a similar optimistic theme. I also edited the entire campaign. Produced by Kaboom Productions.

I was hired by Doremus in SF to create this original TV spot for Sage One software. I based the spot around a company I created called Lost Robot. I felt the spot needed to be based in some type of business and Lost Robot became an app developer. Next I needed a location that would lend itself to a hipster type company. The fine folks at Spy sf were gracious enough to let us shoot in their upstairs space in SF. Each scene was carefully blocked out in relation to how it would fit into the multiscreen environment I was creating. Norman Bonney shot this spot on his Canon C-300 and did a fantastic job. Kaboom Productions produced.

One of my all time favorite projects. We had three days to shoot eight original pieces for a huge Yahoo! presentation. This was my favorite, one, because it is anthemic and it's rare I get this type of visual work. So often clients want to put you in a box but this one allowed me freedom to break away from my usual type of spot work. Shot by my friend Petr Stepanek we went crazy all over Oakland to gather these shots. One note: a few of the shots are from stock footage because we ran out of time. Kaboom Productions produced.

When I decided to become a director I was advised to write and direct some spec spots otherwise no one will hire me. So based on an experience I had at a very famous Chinese restaurant (House of Nan King) in San Francisco not known for their cleanliness I wrote this spec spot for Purell. Originally it was going to be a dude but I thought the contrast of using an attractive women as my muse would make it more entertaining. It is the first spot I directed, I still like it, I even did the voice-over , but on the downside I got so sick after shooting in that disgusting bathroom in Golden Gate Park. Kaboom Productions produced.

I was hired by Google to help them bring awareness to their super fast Fiber internet service providing system. All shot in one day at the Box Factory in SF, allowing us to create a multitude of different environments to translate the different stories and how the product benefited all these different needs. John Chater was the DP and it was produced by Kaboom Productions.

Real women, telling real stories about their pregnancy's and how they used BabyCenter.com to get them through the process and then some. I wanted to creat a light and airy environment for these ladies to tell their stories. Shot in one day at Blue Sky Studios in SF CA with Any Lilien as DP. After interviewing these ladies I was totally sold on the validity of the product. I edited this spot as well. Kaboom Productions produced.

I was hired by Doremus to introduce this new type of Web Cam. It was my goal to make this a cute spot by giving a little life to this camera. Reworking the script with the agency and making the spot revolve (literally) around our little conference cam allowed us to capture this spot in a day at the Box Factory in SF. Drew Eckmann was the DP and went above beyond and beyond make this little camera a heroic figure. Kaboom Productions produced.

What can I say: My little girl Olive was literally a living doll at this age. She would crack me up all day long, every day. So I wrote a spec spot that would allow me to use her beautiful expressions without demanding her to act. Being a film nut I wanted to do a send up to a father who was defacto a Fan Boy and had huge plans for his daughter. A fantasy to see his daughter on the big screen one day. So practice had to start at an early age. Here we get a peak into this pushy dad and his pent up hopes for a tiny girl to perform big. Michael Maley filmed this in 16mm and did a brilliant job taking my Guffman-esque direction to the screen. Ballistic Pictures produced. 

The first time I heard Lana sing I had to do a video for her and I wanted to co-direct it with my partner in crime Sylvie Gil (who I live with and raise three kids). Sylvie's eye for composition and black and white lighting convinced me we could create a beautiful piece. With the help of Petr Stepanek and his Red camera we were off. Lana met her future husband on the set our first day of shooting and has been happily married ever since. Please listen and watch this timeless classic.

Two jews walk into a bar. I directed and edited this spot for HeBrew Beer in rockridge district of Oakland and my friend Marc Beyler was the bartender. The writer Ian was the guy on the stool barside. And one of the Hasidic guys was a rabbi in SF. Produced by Ballistic Pictures Inc. 

I directed this spot for the San Jose Earthquakes. Any Lilien was the DP and world famous Landon Donovan was a great sport to work with. Darin Hunt did an awesome job with the art direction. Kaboom Productions produced.

The very first thing I ever directed and it won a prestigious D&AD award. I shot the titles on my old super eight film camera. Hired special fx's dude Joel Heladicheck to animate the pickle, then edited altogether in about an hour, and bam. Produced by Red Sky FIlms.

I directed this no budget project for my friend Barry from Tres Agave. I got paid in tequila which was fun and  it lasted me about a year and a half. This is truly a great product and had no idea how to make a proper margarita until I created this spot. The spot was pulled from a much longer piece that never really worked so we ended up using this version for the company. Drew Eckmann was the DP and it was a great collaboration. Ballistic Pictures produced.

This spot was so much fun to produce. I worked closely with the writer to craft a visual interesting, in your face kind of spot. Casting this spot was probably my favorite ever. Our challenge was to select non-union talent that could be dry and funny. We lucked out with this cast who got the humor and brought it to the screen. The client liked it so much they ordered the same spot in Spanish six months later. Here you can see both. The DP was Andy Lilien. Produced by Kaboom Productions.

I directed this spot in Toronto a week after 9/11. I got food poisoning eating Montreal Meat on a bagel from the caterer's food truck. By noon I couldn't barely move, so I planted myself behind the video monitor and directed the entire spot from a room right next to the bathroom. This spot won an award the the Toronto International Commercial Film Festival the next year.

In this gallery you will see various projects that Doug Werby has completed for AAA Nor Cal NV and Utah all in the period of 10 months starting October 2013.

Working through Ballistic Pictures Doug is able to accept projects that he might not otherwise be considered for. The info graphic video's for AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah play in their branch office's. With lot's of help from  friends at Naissance Doug was able to complete this animated, infographic video in a three week span of time from award to finish. Doug co-wrote and produced this spot and worked closely with Nick and Lexie from Naissance who provided graphic creation, animation and after fx's work.

The infomercial was filmed over five days in Northern California in December  2013 and January 2014 through Kaboom Productions. Featuring Don Wildman of Travel Channel's Monumental Mysteries. Steven Sills Produced and Lauren Shwartz Executive Produced.

I was hired by Doremus to create this story of an IT guy and his ability to use Logitech UC products to solve everyday problems within his company. We had one day to shoot this informational film and I didn't want it to feel corporate so I tried to interject a little "The Office" style filmography. Drew Eckmann did a great job creating a spontaneous, reality feel to the storyline. Kaboom Productions produced.

These two spots were shot over two days in Monterey California. We woke up at sunrise on day one to film this nice gentlemen swimming in the ocean water. About ten minutes before we started shooting this city size ocean liner pulled right into our bucolic frame ruining any type of natural feeling shot. After readjusting the camera and some fancy post production we were able to remove the giant boat. This was my first spot using the 5D Markll as the camera. I think the results speak for themselves and I was sold. Norman Bonney was the DP in the Wetsuit getting in the water to get the expression shot of the swimmer. Kaboom Productions produced.