The film was written with a keen eye for observation and detail around modern advertising's grueling approval process, deftly capturing the dozens of subtle and not-so-subtle ways that creative work is made worse or outright killed. The casting, costuming, art direction, makeup and hair-styling were all pain-stakingly researched to be perfectly accurate to the 1880’s and 1930’s.

People have been decrying the “death of creativity” for decades, but that call has only gotten louder as the barriers to producing great work seem to be getting larger every year. “Museum-Worthy” captures an unspoken frustration many people in the creative industry have been feeling.

Work that wins at the AICP Awards enters the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC, alongside legendary artists like Van Gogh, Frida Kahlo, Picasso, etc.

Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” and Frida Kahlo’s “Fulang-Chang and I” are renowned works that are considered artistic masterpieces.

“Museum-Worthy” is a short film that imagines historical scenes of Van Gogh & Kahlo attempting to get their masterpieces - “Starry Night” & “Fulang–Chang & I” - through modern-day advertising’s grueling & frustrating approval process, ultimately resolving with a super:

It’s hard to create museum worthy art.

It’s harder to create museum worthy ads.

We were tasked with driving entries to AICP Awards. In a sea of awards shows, AICP stands out because winning work earns entry to the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC, alongside artists like Van Gogh, Frida Kahlo, Picasso, etc.

All actors were cast for their ability to deliver understated performances that were grounded in reality as a juxtaposition to the absurd concept/script. They are all frequent collaborators with the director and improvised a great deal in casting sessions and on set. The look of the actors playing Van Gogh and Frida Kahlo played a big role in their casting as well. Wigs, beards and fairly extensive make-up aided this process. The vernacular and performances were kept understated in juxtaposition to the absurd script.