Connor Story is giving a ‘Scream’ vibe in Verizon’s new movie campaign.
“Look Behind You,” a five-minute short directed by Nia DaCosta, follows the “Heated Rivalry” star’s arrival in a secluded location. What else? — A cottage in the woods. While preparing dinner and reading the script, the stereo in the house appears to turn on automatically, as do some of the lights and alarm systems. Stolly, who is walking around the cottage, seems worried that something sinister will happen. The horror movie-like soundtrack adds to the spookiness.
The camera always lingers behind Story’s denim-clad backside.
When you knock on the door, a man appears wearing rain-soaked clothes. Think, “I know what you did last summer.” He told Connor he was a rideshare driver. Confused, Storey looked at his cell phone and realized he had dialed a ride request and turned on the stereo and set off the alarm.
When he catches a glimpse of his back in the mirror, words pop up on the screen written in large red letters. First “The Best Butt,” followed by “The Best Network,” and ending with “There’s No Escape.”
Then Story says to the camera, “The service is so good it’s scary.”
“From concept to execution, this was an incredibly collaborative and creatively fulfilling experience,” Storey said in a statement Tuesday morning. “Verizon is a brand that really understands storytelling and culture, so they were totally invested in the idea. And working with our visionary director, Nia DaCosta, took everything to a new level.”
Story and DaCosta first got Hollywood observers whispering about what they were up to when they attended this year’s Vanity Fair Oscar Party together. “We had a great time working with Connor and creating this spot for Verizon,” DaCosta said. “The team was great and it was a lot of fun making this happen.”
Verizon is touting the project as Story’s “first branded film” and DaCosta’s “first branded project.”
“The collaboration and creative process was just magical,” said Leslie Berland, Verizon’s vice president and CMO. “We set out to bring Verizon’s network to life in a bold and unexpected way, and we’re thrilled with the results. Nia is an absolute artist and Connor is simply a phenomenon.”
Watch “Look Behind You” below.
