Students Get Their Feet Wet

With ‘Rock The Boat’ project

By Julie Baker
Art Institute Of Phoenix
Advertising Major

“Rock the Boat” set sail early fall of last year. Now, almost a year later, students are making final preparations for the production.

 “Rock the Boat” will be a documentary capturing the restoration of two classics, a 1952, 43-foot Chris-Craft and a 1984, 21-foot Chris-Craft Scorpion.

Once these boats are finished and refurbished, they have futures: The smaller boat will don the logos of project sponsors and go from Arizona lake to lake; the Scorpion will also be made available to various charitable groups.

The larger craft will be sold, probably at auction, and the proceeds will be donated to an Arizona charity.

The documentary will be filmed by students, advertised with their creative work, and coordinated by the students of the Art Institute of Phoenix.

Sergio Burke, an advertising senior at the Art Institute of Phoenix, is the account executive, serving both the client and the creative team.

Burke says, “I was asked by Keith Bennett (the Academic Director for Advertising at the Art Institute of Phoenix) to be involved with the `Rock the Boat’ project when the previous senior students were overseeing the final creative aspects of the advertising media.

“After seeing the final presentation of all the creative work, I was sure that this project would be a great opportunity.”

In Graphic Design Instructor Peter Halifax’s Advertising Concepts class, he directed his students to craft the pieces for advertising “Rock the Boat.” The filming of “Rock the Boat” will also be produced by a film class at the Art Institute of Phoenix.

Doug Wynn, academic director for Digital Media Production, Interactive Media Design, and Visual Effects and Motion Graphics, will be overseeing the filmmaking aspect of the project; the filming is expected to begin between late July and early August.

 Besides students, Burke said volunteers and sponsors will be involved in the project.  Volunteers will help revamp the boats and sponsors’ logos will decorate the 1984, 21’ Chris-Craft Scorpion as she cruises through Arizona’s lakes to publicize the project and the sponsors.

 At press time, the sponsors include ABC Marine, Arizona Boating & Watersports, Cabana Boy Canvas, CAM Group, Esmeralda Resorts, Hale’s Marine, Maritime Institute of San Diego, Nitro Chicken, “Outdoors In America” radio show, “Outdoors in Arizona” radio show, Seatow San Diego, “Shake, Rattle & Troll” radio show, Sun Valley Fiber-Glas, Swim Platforms, The Art Institute of Phoenix, and Tour Clare.com.

The project still needs more sponsors and volunteers. If you would like to be involved in the “Rock the Boat” project, please contact Jim Allen at (480) 947-6219 or by e-mail at publisher@azbw.com.