Into the Library with Aaron Stoller
'The Creative Library' is LBB’s exciting new launch. It’s been months - years, probably - in the making and we reckon our re-tooled archive will change the way you work, whether you’re a company looking to store and share your work, or a marketer or creative looking for new partners or inspiration for your latest project.
Aaron Stoller cut his teeth as a director working in-house at MTV during the channel's heyday of plentiful budgets and unrestricted freedom for experimentation. He started out as an intern, eventually going on to helm hundreds of ads for the MTV brand over 10 years.
From MTV, Aaron jumped into the commercial filmmaking world, making a name for himself with deft comedic timing and a knack for working with - and making funny - all manner of big name celebrities. Aaron's ‘Dirty Dancing’-inspired 'Celebrations to Come' for the NFL is an LBB Super Bowl favourite. Which is all the more impressive considering Aaron has never even seen ‘Dirty Dancing’, as he reveals below.
Repped primarily by Biscuit Filmworks, Aaron is also on the roster of Canadian production company Feels Like Home and Tony Petersen Film in Germany.
Aaron's Into the Library - a trip down memory lane of the spots most important to him - is wall-to-wall good vibes. He takes LBB's Addison Capper through them all.
MTV - Meat Puppets
Oh the MTV days… Big budgets, huge names and zero time to even recognise that we all had no idea what we were doing. As the opening film for the movie awards that year, this was the first time I got to watch a live audience react to something I made. It played great in the venue but still, I was so nervous…
MTV - Pommel
Collaborating with the Lonely Island gang was as much fun as you would think. We had a blast pushing stupid as far as stupid could go. Cuba Gooding Jr. as Andy’s gymnastics coach father? Why not? I was Andy’s stunt double for the flip.
Stella Artois - Femme Fatale
I made this when I was still at MTV, but I think it was the first ‘commercial’ I ever shot. 16mm film, and a pure performance… wonderful simplicity. When the kid started crying, we kept rolling and the actor was able to play through the madness. Gotta love a chaotic little one.
Call of Duty - Faboom
This is the first spot I ever put my kids in. And the last. We had just had twin boys and I asked my wife if we could use them as machine guns in a video game commercial. She said, ‘sure’. Cinematography by the inimitable Bob Yeoman.
Grubhub - Burrito
This is one of the first spots I ever made with ECD Ian Reichenthal, who has more talent in his pinky than our entire industry combined. Pelting that woman in the back of her head with a burrito and having Ian smack the guy at his desk across the face with a burrito on a stick will be a memory I’ll cherish forever.
ESPN - Shake On It
This spot will never not make me smile. I remember showing a rough cut to [Biscuit founder] Noam Murro and he just looked at me and said, “Fuck You.” This was also the first time I worked with a new Swedish cinematographer in town named Linus Sandgren.
NFL - Celebration to Come
I almost passed on this job until my sister-in-law said I have to do it. Thank you Susan for talking some sense into me but in the spirit of full transparency, I’ve still never seen ‘Dirty Dancing’. A friend called me from the Super Bowl and said they played this in the stadium during a commercial break and people gave it a standing O. Wish I was there to see it.
J-B Weld - Chair
I truly love the opportunity to make something for a small brand no one has ever heard of. The super-handsome/super-fit Chris Beresford-Hill, [global CCO of BBDO] asked Ian and I to throw this gem together for a little glue brand in Texas. Watching Nick [Offerman] rock that chair in the tiny truck for the exact amount of uncomfortable is pretty special.
Chilly’s - Gift Responsibly
When I first read the script I was determined to make this job happen. I know we’ve all seen a million Christmas water bottle commercials with geriatric seduction and people that look like Thom Yorke being held against their will… but I still had to do it.
Bulk Powders - Dominate Life
Oh, David Kolbusz. You beautiful man. I wanted to cast someone else for the salesman but David wanted this guy. He was right.
Google Pixel - Real Talk
How do you make 60 seconds of product-speak entertaining? Put 2 Chainz and Awkwafina in a nail salon. I was so impressed by his comedic timing… he really brought it that day… .along with 47 joints. I’ve never seen a human smoke that much weed and still deliver lines like a total pro.
