Screen Magazine + Runza

Have you seen the new Runza spots? Click here to see one of them… Runza Breakfast

The T2 + Back Alley team was thrilled to be a part of the production of the campaign. And recently, they were written up in Screen Magazine where you can watch them all! Here’s a little bit about how those spots came together…

If you’re not familiar with Runza, they are a regional restaurant group with a rabid cult following. They have no intention to compete in hundreds of markets across the country, nor to extend their hours into breakfast or late-night like the national chains. So, when it came to making these spots, they thought the best way to stand out would be to poke fun at the competition and talk about how they’re different.  And that’s exactly the approach they took with Swanson Russell, their Nebraska based agency, and us, their trusty production partner.

First order of business: find the perfect Runza Spokesman – someone who could be self-deprecating, but remain compelling to viewers while not being annoying. Back Alley Films’ very own Creative Director, Pete Meyer, turned to Chicago, a market well known for its strong improv talent, and cast Tim Ryder, part of the famed Second City ensemble.

“The scripts were pretty funny to begin with but we would have been fools not to utilize Tim’s improv skills to improve the spots,” said Meyer. “Once we knew we had the scripted versions in the can, we let him improvise on longer takes. Working in this looser structure made the shoot days and the editorial process a lot more fun for everyone.”

Once the spots were shot, Meyer donned his editor’s cap to cut them together while our Creative Director, Travis Schlitter, directed our design/animation team to create the motion graphics. “We really enjoyed developing the visual style for Tim’s stream of consciousness,” said Schlitter. “The loose pen and ink illustrations bring interest and energy to the spots with the right balance as to not overpower his performance.”

Together, along with the Swanson Russell team and, of course, Runza, we created a 5-spot campaign we are quite proud to show you.

Runza will run the spots in their regional markets, rolling them out in a series throughout the fall.

Credits for Brand Spots:
Pete Meyer – Director – Back Alley Films
Andy Romero – Director of Photography
Head of Production – Ethan Downing – Back Alley Films
Postproduction Executive Producer – Nicole Melton – T2
Director/DP (Food Spots) – Russ Hadley
Pete Meyer – Editor – T2
Alex Kane – Assistant Editor – T2
Animation & Motion Design – Travis Schlitter & The T2 Design Team
Smoke Finishing – Jen Paine – T2
Music – Matthew Thornton
Mix/Sound Design – Jim Schrader – Sky Recording
Copywriter – Charlie Stephan – Swanson Russell
Art Director – Greg Bousquet – Swanson Russell
Chief Creative Officer– Brian Boesche – Swanson Russell
Runza Marketing Creative Manager – Vizma Shaeffer