I collaborated on a 2007 pitch for Jet Black, an 11-minute short film for Schweppes Bitter Lemon, directed by Kezia Barnett, created by Publicis Mojo Auckland and produced by The Sweetshop. Faced with the challenge of positioning Schweppes as an “adult” soft drink without explicit content, the agency opted for a series of cinematic short films, driving viewers to a dedicated website for full viewing. Jet Black leveraged film noir aesthetics and featured actors Leighton Cardno and Marissa Stott within a time-travel plot that hinted at mature themes.
My contributions
- Conducted extensive visual research, providing the director with a wide range of references, including stills, short clips, movie excerpts, styling inspirations and lighting options.
- Collaborated with the director to refine her visual vision for the short film, ensuring the aesthetics were cohesive and impactful.
Project impact
The comprehensive visual research was fundamental to the pitch’s success, directly securing the director the project and leading to the film’s realisation.
Feedback
“Genista’s creative flair, combined with her strong communication and professionalism, made her an impressive collaborator over the two years we worked together.” – Kezia Barnett, director