PAUL COSTELLO PROPOSAL
Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of this exciting project. For me, checking into the Windsor Court feels like coming home. The staff is welcoming and discreet. The service is impeccable. The experience is five star. I know first hand that discerning folks are choosing the Windsor Court over newer, trendy hotels precisely because of their devotion to excellence in customer service. My goal is to telegraph these attributes through a series of images that capture the essence of what it feels like to be part of the WC family.
NARRATIVE
The first step is defining the stories that we want to tell. I’d like to begin with a well thought out casting and then determine the situations we’ll put them in.
CASTING
Aspirational yet relatable, the viewer should identify and feel excited by these archetypes. After all, these are the people they will be bumping into in the lobby or sharing a cocktail with at the Polo bar. My recommendation is to cast from friends, family and Windsor Court staff. Real people, not models.
Sophisticated world class traveler archetype
Think Kircha Kachele. Female artist traveling alone or with her child, heaps of bags, perhaps a dog, equipment. She would only ever stay at the Windsor Court even though she looks like she would be staying at the Maison de la Luz.
Sports celebrity with family archetype
Think LeBron James or Drew Brees. Needs discretion and privacy but wants to have a good time with the kids. Taking meetings. Cocktails in the bar. Working out. Enjoying the spa.
Multi-generation family archetype
Think Cece + Trevor Colhoun. The Windsor Court experience being shared with the whole family. Small children and grandparents checked into a family suite and kids are discovering the nooks and crannies of the hotel.
STYLE
Authenticity and believability are key. I am interested in finding “in between” moments. This is the magic between poses. The little, or big moment, so credible that the viewer feels transported into the frame. We want to bring to life the attributes of the Windsor Court: old world, elegance, comfort, quintessential New Orleans.
APPROACH
Agility is required to bring home a library of images. This is where my team and I can deliver in a big way. We have been working together on stills and video shoots for years and share a fluid, nearly symbiotic, working relationship. My process is designed to capture extremely high quality imagery and do it quickly and efficiently. I both direct and shoot still images while my DP operates the Red Gemini. This type of smaller crew size and nimble approach keeps costs down but yields results that look like they come from a much bigger production.
STRATEGY
Three shoot days spread out over the next 10-12 months. My crew will work around the busy times in the hotel’s common areas.
