A.J.Simmonds / Writer for Hire
COPY DECK — Teaser Campaign
BRIEF
Audience:
Adults 25–55, film enthusiasts, those who favour emotional depth, introspective tone, and strong performances.
Goal:
The goal is to evoke quiet power and emotional resonance, targeting viewers drawn to grounded human storytelling (audiences of Manchester by the Sea, The Lost Daughter, Past Lives).
Tone:
Subtle, restrained, lyrical — emotion comes through suggestion rather than declaration. Copy should feel cinematic and truthful, not “marketing-y.”
Deliverables:
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3 tagline options (short, evocative, awards-level tone)
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30s trailer supers (5–8 lines max, matching a slow-build emotional arc)
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1 paragraph creative rationale explaining tone and thematic intent
TAGLINES
1. You can’t bury a voice.
2. Truth plays on tape.
3. The past strikes a chord.
ROUTE 1 — You Can’t Bury A Voice
Supers / VO (30s)
[SUPER] THEY BURIED HIS BODY
[VO] “My Brother is dead.”
[SUPER] BUT NOT HIS STORY
[VO] “And we never talked.”
[SUPER] YOU CAN’T BURY A VOICE
[VO] “But now I can listen.”
[TITLE] THE STILL POINT
ROUTE 2 —
The Past Strikes a Chord
Supers / VO (30s)
​
​[SUPER] A VOICE THROUGH TIME
[VO] “Musicians need a good ear.”
[SUPER] THE PAST STRIKES A CHORD
[VO] “But I never listened.”
[TITLE] THE STILL POINT
[VO] “I’m listening now.”
ROUTE 3 — The Truth Plays On Tape
Supers / VO (30s)
​
[SUPER] REGRET BECOMES RECONNECTION
[VO] "I never really knew him. Not really."
[SUPER] SECRETS ARE UNCOVERED
[VO]”He was my brother”.
[SUPER] THE TRUTH PLAYS ON TAPE
[VO] “And he deserved better than this.”
[TITLE] THE STILL POINT
RATIONALE
Route 1:
In this route, the VOs are understated and confessional, weighted by the protagonist’s implied regret. The supers suggest that the protagonist will find redemption in listening to his late brother’s story and bearing witness. The interplay of VO and super gives the protagonist an emotional numbness, as well as an underlying vulnerability. The overall tone is curious and intimate.
Route 2:
This route reflects the regret carried in the other routes, but stages the protagonist’s life as a musician at the forefront. In the form of poignant contradiction, the VO suggests that his reluctance to listen is in conflict with the musician aspect of his identity. It presents a clear arc for the protagonist, whereby echoes of the past have nurtured a more open outlook.
Route 3:
This route suggests that the protagonist is refamiliarising himself with his estranged brother through the medium of the cassette tapes. However, the supers touch upon unspoken truths about their relationship and their past. The final VO is declarative but ambiguous, assigning blame both outwardly and internally.