Behind the scenes with Rodgers/Gruber commercial producer
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Aaron Rodgers would rather be preparing to play in the Super Bowl, but instead, the Packers quarterback is in his off-season. Rodgers made good use of his time last off-season -- working with David Gruber and the MACC Fund.
It's ideas, it's execution, ItsAaron.com.
"We didn't make any of this stuff up. We set up the situation and trusted that something crazy would happen and something interesting would happen," said Greg Marshall of CI Design.
Marshall is part of the "We." He describes himself as a storyteller and he's the man Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Milwaukee attorney David Gruber partnered with to further their endorsement relationship.
"Aaron wants to be presented in a certain way. David wants to be presented in a certain way. As a creator, I want to create something in a certain way and create something that everyone's pleased with. It's challenging but that's also what makes it exciting," Marshall said.
The result is a series of visits or episodes, highlighting people who are changing the world. Three that are currently complete were shot on one long but uplifting day in Milwaukee.
"We had about 10 people on the crew. There's a camera with Maggie in her house and she thinks she's being filmed for an interview to benefit the MACC Fund. She has no idea that Aaron's coming. Her parents know. We have two or three people in the house setting up for an interview with her and then the doorbell rings while we're pulling up with two cameras in our car -- myself and an audio guy, so there's like four people in the car with Aaron and we're shooting him kind of processing before we get up to the door," Marshall said.
"The phenomenal thing about projects like this is your adrenaline level takes over in a different way than it would on a football field. Maybe similar -- you don't feel like you are getting that tired because you receive this level of excitement and gratitude and you're excited for what just happened. You go on the next one and that was really awesome, even though bags are starting to show under your eyes, and you're kind of wearing out. Your spirit is just ready to roll because you are being inspired throughout the day," Marshall said.
Marshall is widely respected in his field, Gruber is a leader in his and Rodgers just happens to have an NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP on his resume.
"What stands out about Aaron is a couple of things. Number one, he's super bright. He's very witty. He knows what's good and what's not. You talk about an idea, a production, music, video, whatever it is, he's got opinions and they're good. He also has this ability to just be present with people in a way that doesn't have a lot of airs to it. Like really, if you just ran into him and you didn't know who he was by some chance, you wouldn't feel like this person was stuck on themselves. He can be present with people in a really neat way," Marshall said.
Marshall says there are more stories to be told.
"It will continue to be what it is: it's a visit, a story and hopefully a better world as a result of it," Marshall said.