In last night’s Mad Men season premiere, Megan asked, “What’s wrong with you people? You’re all so cynical. You don’t smile, you smirk.” In the business of selling happiness, it’s easy to lose perspective.
Sunshine is a short documentary by commercial director Doug Nichol. It’s a portrait of John Benet, a veteran producer reflecting on his career and current place selling McDonald’s in Shanghai. There’s no motion graphics here, but there’s a lot to think about for those of us working in advertising.
“You go from job to job to job…years pass… I’ve been freelance for twenty-two years. There probably isn’t a month that’s gone by that I haven’t worried about the next job. I mean, we’re all just chasing our security, but then decades go by…”
“I’m doing two things… I enjoy the work, but I’m also doing something else. And sometimes I’m not completely aware of what that is.
Hat tip to Short of the Week.
Editors Note: The film is no longer on Vimeo as of 4/12/12. It is still embedded in a follow up article at AdAge.