Have you seen the A&E reality series Shipping Wars? The show, which debuted on January 10, follows “six independent shippers who have discovered that fortunes can be made transporting items that traditional carriers won’t touch.” (More here.)
To promote the series, the network commissioned Craig Cutler to shoot key art—in which a giant gnome features prominently—and Meghan Kirsch, senior director of brand creative for A&E, was kind enough to give us the backstory on how it came together:
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Photo by Craig Cutler for A&E.
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“We wanted to develop an unexpected visual for the show that would stop people in their tracks,” Kirsch explains. “Shipping Wars has a fun, quirky sensibility, so we decided that a giant gnome would work well to sell the show concept and get people talking. We commissioned a props company to build a 20-foot-tall, 10-foot-wide gnome sculpture.
In terms of the photographer, we wanted someone who has experience shooting large-scale objects in environment and who also has a whimsical style. When we saw Craig’s portfolio, we knew he was a perfect fit. He has tons of experience shooting random large objects—including a giant dinosaur and fake cheetah—and he has a playful, kitschy approach to his work.
Transporting a 20-foot gnome certainly had its challenges. Shifting his position from vertical to horizontal took a small village, and when the weather didn’t hold up, we had to quickly cover him with a tarp and get him under an overpass to stay dry. Despite the hiccups, this was a once-in-a-lifetime shoot, and everyone had a great time. Every car that passed us during the shoot slowed to a crawl and couldn’t stop rubbernecking.”
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Photo by Craig Cutler for A&E.
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