PROJECT Wheat
It’s funny. In film school I always felt like I stood out for the wrong reasons. All of my peers were focused on character arcs and when the resolution occurred in the plot’s timeline. Meanwhile I was filming sports, trying to make the viewers’ palms sweaty… I was chasing a feeling.
That’s not to say that inherent (and massively important) storytelling mechanics should be cast at the wayside, however this story, isn’t an overly complex one. It’s not a Christopher Nolan film in reverse.
It’s a bite of life. The warmth of memories dusted with the greatness of the Fairfield once born of nature.
It’s a feeling.
And that feeling is the story I want to tell.
THIS PROJECT Is Special
I meant it when I said this on our briefing call but I genuinely couldn’t be more excited about a project. All of the passion projects that I shoot on my own time outside of the commercial sphere have immense overlap with this script.
It’s not every day that you’re presented with, in my opinion, the core essence of being human, and then asked to weave it into this medium; poetically no less. Even just by describing how I interpreted your script sounds pretty amazing as I read it back.
This opportunity isn’t one I take for granted. While there are so many attractive dimensions I’d love to get lost in I want to never stray from the task at hand: we are representing arguably the most personal sub-brand of Marriott International.
JW and Alice’s spirit — their love, vigour, and warmth — deserve to be honoured. We need to do all of this in a big yet sensitive way that pays homage to the upcoming centennial, setting a bountiful path of prosperity with our visual acquisitions.
BREAKDOWN
Script | Approach | Casting | Cinematography | Production Design | Food & Beverage Edit | Music | Sound Design | International Approach | Motion Moodboard
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SCRIPT
Quick energetic cuts smack us in the face with ‘travel’. A rolling suitcase’s wheel rolls, a hand spins luggage from one side to another in a dizzying locked off shot, and a rigged shot shows a passport in-hand when suddenly our talent stops. We go into their POV as they bring their passport up close to look at.
They then look to camera, purse their lips in a slight smirk, and toss their passport over their shoulder. We immediately whip into a fast blur of motion like The Flash as we follow our talent back to their trading setup. Kraken Pro is already loaded up on-screen waiting.
They spin around in their chair and lock into trading mode.
The following would be a similar action flow to ‘Spot Margin’ where we observe, in classic probe-lens-drama-fashion, Kraken’s UI in full force. We skim past charts, rise up towards numbers, and rotate over candlestick imagery.
We cut from here up high and wide to see our talent seated in a state of flow at their setup. Large numbers, skewed in the room so it looks like they exist in the space itself, flip from 09:37 to 16:29 to 21:52 in a split-flap style animation. Trading from home, any time of day. No more market limits.
Similar again to ‘Spot Margin’ we’re using many of the same high energy shots that crash in and spin around giving us that same sort of immersive spectacle turning trading into a f***ing Olympic sport. The camera rapidly does a barrel roll close to the keyboard as our trader locks in. The mouse flies side-to-side, with us along for the ride. And then again, the all powerful index finger drops down to smash that <enter> button.
The pressing of the <enter> button snaps a quick whip tilt down as our talent crosses their legs on the corner of the desk. We see a few generic, video-game style gold coins flying into the monitors. Growth, growth, growth.
The camera snaps towards the screens and spins around to face our talent as a couple more coins morph into our overlay. An icon in the Kraken UI signifies the growing account - despite the same wallet. Things are trending well for our friend.
Our talent, content with the deal on their perps, sips a Blue Hawaii with a curly straw - and of course, a small umbrella on the side. Or maybe it’s a Purple Hawaii?
WHAT WE HEAR
WHAT WE SEE
APPROACH
While my approach will essentially unfurl the further into this treatment we go, I can say succinctly that we are looking to weave a tapestry of moments to capture the right energy. This isn’t a ‘90s montage of getting ready to help set the stage or quickly pass time. This is careful, considered connection we’re talking about.
Seemingly benign actions become the defining backbone to our story beats. The textured inclusion of everything in between our story beats gives rise to something new and different — greater than the sum of its parts.
In tying moments together and finding fluidity in this cross hatch, jumping from past to present, and inadvertently even nodding ahead, we’ll pay respect to JW and Alice and the way of living that became both tradition and legacy. The tradition and legacy that’s now felt by all of those who stay with the Fairfield brand.
‘FROM A TAPESTRY OF MOMENTS’
CASTING
I’m completely aligned with the desire to move away from a catalogue aesthetic and into something more editorial. We want faces that draw us in; people we recognize throughout the film’s undulating timeline and remember long after it ends.
Rather than prescribing exactly who that is now, I’d prefer we cast a wide net, exploring a diverse range of non-union talent before refining our selection to a group that feels intriguing, authentic, and dynamic. While dialogue may not be the focus, self-tapes remain invaluable in understanding subtle performance qualities and screen presence.
I’d offer prompts that allow for expressive performances without the need for dialogue or pure action such as, “You’re decorating a Christmas tree.” Instead, we should prompt them emotionally for still moments to study. Moments like, “You’re at the altar watching your beloved walk towards you / you see your beloved standing at the altar as you walk closer and closer”. Prompts like these ask that the performance is carried out through the eyes — and the eyes are the most honest way to tell a story. From there, we can work together to find talent that succeeds both creatively and from a brand perspective.
Within the story itself, I’d like to see a broad mix of people represented, creating a world that feels welcoming, relatable, and reflective of the audiences Fairfield serves. That variety also helps reinforce the sense of growth throughout the film, ensuring each location feels populated by its own community rather than recycling familiar faces.
As for JW and Alice, I feel strongly that they should remain exclusively at the farmhouse. Keeping them rooted to this singular location reinforces Marriott’s origin story while helping establish a subtle but clear distinction between timelines.
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Cinematography is one of the film’s most important storytelling tools. Beyond capturing events, it should guide us through memory, place, emotion, and time.
A visual technique I’m particularly excited about is the use of practical in-camera distortions through glass, prisms, and other optical elements. Not in a gimmicky way, but as a subtle warping of reality that introduces organic light leaks, gentle bends in the frame, and a dreamlike quality. It elevates everyday moments beyond observation turning them into something more expressive; something more interpretive. By doing so we engage the audience to feel the moment rather than simply watch it.
This approach becomes especially valuable when we're challenged to make familiar subjects feel fresh. Whether it’s the orange juice machine at Stony Creek or the Marriott sign at the film’s conclusion, these techniques push a visual intrigue into the subject. Imagine the sign captured through a car reflection, softened by this optical style, before a rack focus reveals a child’s beaming smile beyond it. The location matters but we gently paint against the characters as the people remain the story.
Visually, I want the film to live in a space of warmth and brightness. Sun-soaked, inviting, and full of intentional light. One thing that stood out in your creative was a strong consideration of both light and shadow, and I’d love to continue that thinking throughout the film. Not being scared to add that slash of light in the background or a pooled sunbeam on the bed tells us where to look whilst keeping our film from a wet and rainy Pacific Northwest kind of feel.
Compositionally, I’m drawn to negative space and anti-framing techniques that allow moments room to breathe. Equally important is contrast in shot scale. We begin intimately: dew on a blade of grass, the texture of the farmhouse table, a hand on a cheek, water rippling across a stream. As the story grows, so too does the frame. Close-ups give way to rolling hills, sweeping vistas, and elevated perspectives. The resulting evolution of scale reflects the growth of JW and Alice’s vision.
…WE emotionally engage’
‘by elevating the everyday...
‘WARM TEXTURES AND THAT LIVED-IN FEEL’
PRODUCTION DESIGN
A critical component of our world is in the art seen in front of camera. Warm textures that bring about a cozy lived-in feel will be key to blanketing (pun intended) the film with that soft touch. Let’s look at sunlit sheers, woven throws, linen cloths, accent pillows, and comfortable wardrobe to bring that tactile component.
Our palette should be cognizant of Fairfield’s brand identity while offering variety within. Analogous blues are encouraged so we have a sense of depth across the color that’s complementary to skin tones. Additionally I’d like to expand from blues and greys by incorporating elements of earth tones. Creams, sage greens, and terracotta hues imbue a pleasant variety that continues our nod in connecting Fairfield to nature; a subliminal breath of fresh air in every frame.
Beyond the textures and colors, I’m adamant that our choices feel reflective of Fairfield’s brand and will work closely with the production designer in order to ensure that we’re putting ample thought into this so we can smoothly find alignment.
FOOD & BEVERAGE
While the farm table can be more loosely curated with crumbs around a baguette atop its wooden surface, Stony Creek should reflect the same feeling and variety but with more accurate dining wear, plating, and so on.
To execute this I imagine us juxtaposing the natural farmhouse setting directly with Stony Creek’s offerings. That way we can capture plainly the ingredients and dishes in a more raw way at the farmhouse - like an egg sizzling over a skillet in the morning light. We then would cut to a stylized frame of scrambled eggs and sausage atop a plate in Stony Creek. By intercutting the two timelines here we bring the authenticity and ‘homemade’ feel without saying anything too directly.
Another important thing I want to highlight is the fact that these are not just quick moments to cross off of our checklist. These are key aspects that need a considered approach so the experience is present. To do this I want to employ some considered cinematography choices depending on the shot. For instance, fresh oranges are plucked from a tree or sliced into halves on a wooden cutting board and then we see our orange juice cascade into an empty glass in super slow motion. The choice of employing slow motion here is so that we punctuate the moment as an answer so our viewer can feel the richness of its flavour. Similarly when we spread jam on toast, this isn’t a lacklustre moment to be captured like a documentary. Rather I want the knife to glint in a beam of sunlight, flaring the camera momentarily as the vibrant hue of marmalade is spread across the bread’s surface.
Lastly, and this is another point to be made later regarding international locations, but I want to make sure we capture a breakfast spread committed to another region. Whether it be Japan or Chile, I see us prepping a bespoke tabletop moment that features a menu or greeting card in the native tongue of our target location, indicative flora as decor, and unique and singular breakfast items that may be found on offer. We’ll bring the same style of cinematography in but dress it in a way that immerses our viewer in the global reach of the Fairfield brand; letting them know that no matter where they are, Fairfield is there too.
While every element of this treatment matters, the edit is where the film truly comes to life. Production gives us a collection of moments, emotions, and details; the edit is what shapes them into something meaningful. It’s where rhythm, flow, and narrative intention converge.
I want the edit to feel fluid and purposeful. No shot should overstay its welcome, but equally, there’s no interest in cutting purely for pace. Every moment should be held just long enough to be felt before carrying us forward. The balance between contemplative passages and more energetic sequences will be critical, ensuring the film always feels like it’s progressing—even when stepping back into memory.
One technique I’m keen to employ is step-printing. Unlike traditional slow motion, it introduces subtle stutters in time, creating a dreamlike disruption that blurs the line between past and present. Used sparingly at key transitions and within the climax, it allows us to question whether we’re witnessing memories, imagined futures, or something in between.
The edit also gives us the opportunity to create visual connections that reinforce the film’s themes without ever stating them outright. The texture of tree bark cutting to the grain of a farmhouse table, or the movement of water transitioning into the veining of stone. These associations quietly connect nature, heritage, craftsmanship, and place, helping us move freely between moments and timelines while maintaining a clear sense of direction.
EDIT
MUSIC
Music will be one of the primary drivers of tone throughout the film.
There’s something inherently grand about this story. Whether it’s the legacy of JW and Alice, the scale of their vision, or simply the emotional weight carried through generations, my mind immediately gravitates toward cinematic scores rather than contemporary commercial music. This isn’t a film that wants a trendy beat drop. It wants soul.
I’m drawn toward rich instrumentation, layered arrangements, and melodies that carry a sense of pleasant melancholy. Music that feels emotive without becoming too sentimental or overtly emotionally-charged. Reflective without becoming heavy.
I’ve assembled a playlist that begins exploring this territory, although I’d ultimately like the final score to lean slightly less sombre and slightly more timeless. There should always be a thread of hope running through it — an uplifting quality that quietly reassures us we’re heading somewhere meaningful.
The opening would emerge organically from the natural soundscape. The music shouldn’t arrive and suddenly demand attention. Instead, it should grow out of the environment itself, weaving into the sounds of nature before gradually lifting us toward the film’s emotional peak. At that climactic moment I envision the music having swelled to the top — not swallowing the sound design, but certainly lifting the experience to another level.
Then, as we move beyond that peak, we need to feel a sense of resolve. This story may not have a clear villain or oppressive force to overcome, but it still deserves that sense of resolution. We want the audience to feel the answer before they fully understand it.
‘IT NEEDS SOUL —
— AND RESOLVE’
SOUND DESIGN
If cinematography is what the audience sees, sound design is what they feel.
Someone once told me if a horror movie ever becomes too frightening, simply mute it. Suddenly, fear is stripped of its power. Sound has an extraordinary ability to shape emotion, often without us even noticing it. For this reason, sound design should play a significant role in bringing this world to life.
The film should begin with a sense of serenity. Natural ambience like crickets gently chirping in unison, a cow’s moo warped by the distance of rolling hills between, or the trickle of time as we hear the moving waters of a nearby creek. These subtle environmental details give way to a feeling of calmness. This mirrors the origins of JW and Alice’s vision — a simple, grounded beginning from which everything else grows.
Starting from this place also gives us something we need: contrast.
As the story expands, so too should the soundscape. Layers can gradually build beneath the surface. Even sounds that may not exist literally within the scene can be included to help deepen its emotional impact. These additions should never feel obvious. The audience shouldn’t consciously notice them. Their job is to quietly pull viewers deeper into the experience.
Sound also becomes incredibly valuable in our international moments. It’s quite likely that we can only dedicate a handful of shots to this broader representation. It’s this very reason that where a single frame can suggest location visually, sound is what makes it understood: a church bell ringing across a European square. Pigeons scattering through a plaza. The distant murmur of another language. A local instrument drifting through the streets.
These details immediately transport us. They provide context, scale, and authenticity, helping the audience feel the place rather than hoping they quickly recognize architectural cues.
VIRGINIA
(AND ONE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND NINETY NINE OTHERS)
The international component presents an exciting opportunity to broaden the scale of the story while remaining efficient and intentional. As much as I’d love to direct Marriott’s first Bond film - and please let me know if the opportunity to pitch on that ever comes up - this approach keeps us grounded in what delivers the most value on screen.
Rather than manufacturing global reach through VFX, stock footage, or AI, my preference is to capture it authentically. Real locations bring a level of production value, ownership, and credibility that’s difficult to replicate. More importantly, Marriott retains a unique library of assets that belong entirely to them so that we’re not licensing footage available to a myriad of other brands.
Following principal photography, I see an opportunity for a minimal crew extension involving the cinematographer and myself. One option would take us from VA to New York City, leveraging a Fairfield location overlooking Midtown Manhattan. This offers immediate visual recognition and access to arguably one of the most iconic urban skylines in the world.
Alternatively, we could head west to Zion National Park. The landscape feels almost otherworldly, providing a dramatic contrast to properties around the world. It offers a sense of scale, wonder, and adventure that broadens the visual language of the piece.
Beyond the United States, but still thinking lean, I also see value in capturing select European moments. For myself, now based in London, most cities here in Europe can be accessed round-trip for approximately $200 USD or less.
Copenhagen’s Fairfield location situated in their Århusgadekvarteret district — say that ten times qui… ok anyways! — potentially offers the most distinctive European settings of any Fairfield location. Alternatively, and provided we’re okay basing this off of Marriott and not specifically a Fairfield location, Budapest would provide perhaps the single most unique skyline in the world. I have ideas and preferences but would look to you for help in navigating the value here because with a single day of shooting could come a catalogue of additional assets.
If we did want to expand continentally, we have direct lines of contacts to trusted cinematographers based in both Tokyo and Seoul — the latter of which I just worked with some months ago on a skincare campaign — if we wanted to capture the essence of either locale with a vetted filmmaker.
Ultimately, these moments don’t need extensive screen time. In fact, their power may lie in their brevity. Small glimpses that suggest a much larger world beyond the frame. By investing in genuine locations rather than manufacturing them digitally, we create imagery that feels authentic, memorable, and impossible to mistake for anything else and allows for a notable expansion in the assets for a relatively fractional portion of the budget.
THANK YOU
Unless I’ve poorly captured my tone above, I am quite excited by this project. The poetry of life — ethereal moments of human connection, our place in nature, and the experiences grounded in the walls of living; whether that be our home or one we find along the way.
I mean, come on!
And while I believe in every idea of this treatment, please note that nothing has to be set in stone. All aspects are up for discussion as I am a proponent of collaboration so that we can best shape this towards a harmonious balance together.
Looking forward to looking back with you,
Brock
ESTABLISHING LOCATION
Perp Futures
As it’s currently scripted, we don’t need to be as planetary as ‘Spot Margin’. For this reason, I see this intro much more simply. We open on a couple of dynamic, energetic ‘travel’ shots. A rolling wheel, a hand spinning the luggage to one side… and then an abrupt stop.
Our talent thinks about where they’re headed. They look down to their passport — we cut to a POV shot as they do this — then a super close up macro focusing on the emblem as that same Kraken purple light that once outlined those great states now outlines the Great Seal (yes, that’s what it’s called). It shines, reminding them that Kraken is here. They look to camera, and with a coy smile, and throw the passport over their shoulder…
… to close out ‘Perp Futures’, again, staying a bit closer to home as opposed to rocket launching out of this spot, I think it’d be a bit of fun to really sell not only the triumphant trading our hero has been doing with the perp future feature, but also the idea that you don’t need to go offshore. So, they kick back, feet up on the desk, as they slurp a Blue Hawaii from a curly straw. Small umbrella and pineapple wedge included of course.
CAPTURING KRAKEN
Yes, we can comp later—but there are huge advantages to getting this right on set and thus it’s always my preference to get it in-camera:
Performance — talent has something real to react to
Reflections — especially in the eyes; we want Kraken to literally light them up because I want to get clooooose
Clarity — everyone including us understands the moment and frames accordingly so our actions and choices can be vetted in realtime and not compromised later
We’ll use a mix of techniques including probe lenses; which these spots deserve (and I love that you recently used). They allow us to get incredibly close, making small actions feel massive and cinematic. And that’s the goal: elevate trading into spectacle.
Pair that with dynamic camera movement and intentional choreography, and suddenly this “static” activity becomes something powerful.
Because ultimately, anyone using Kraken should feel like a hero. Confident. In control. Fearless.
‘ELEVATE TRADING INTO SPECTACLE’
WHAT WE HEAR
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SPOT MARGIN
WHAT WE SEE
We open on the turquoise waters of Miami. A jet-ski is out cruising solo (could replace with yacht — big yacht culture in Miami). Our camera rushes past, skimming the water’s surface before curving upward towards a high-rise apartment (location may encourage this to be a ground level villa). We slip through the glass of a sliding door and fly through the room towards our hero and their trading setup, rapidly settling right next to them so that we see both talent and monitors.
Our talent smiles. Things are about to get interesting. The camera flies in front of our talent, now looking head on at the Kraken UI on-screen. It then curves in towards the monitors, swinging on a fulcrum, as our view rotates back around to talent. We submerge into Kraken’s UI. The 10x toggle, now mirrored backwards, sits front and center elevated from the screen on a translucent plain between camera and talent. Our hero clicks it on.
Our probe lens scrapes along the monitors in a flurry of directions as we see various telltale signs of trading. Candlestick imagery emerges and grows in realtime as our camera pushes forward, booms up, and even travels sideways turning the monitors into a dance floor for our camera.
The camera pushes along the UI as the background, a swath of black, suddenly turns into the back of our monitors as we’re launched into our epic 360 moment spinning around our talent as they dial into the zone. Candlestick imagery and crypto tickers (in text form) are flying out from the monitors and swirling all around our talent. The moment suddenly slows to a brief crawl — everything suspended in our spot’s most energetic moment — before we release and speed ramp out spinning back to realtime. The shot wipes behind a computer monitor; another brief natural fade —
— the next shot quickly blends in from behind our hero as we wrap around to their side. We snap forward to their eye studying the market with this new found 10x power.
The probe lens does a barrel roll as it skims the keyboard while our hero types. A rigged shot flies back and forth with the mouse. In another probe lens shot we’re locked onto their finger as it moves towards <enter> (or any most relevant button). It’s an overt moment of drama where the finger feels massive, and the moment, important.
Music is growing. Sound is building with this tension of energy rising. And. One. More. Time… ‘click’.
We can either cut straight to end card here emphasizing the power of this singular gesture with 10x applied or we can try an alt where our talent looking down to the keyboard, looks up straight into camera and cracks a smile. Game on.