Fake French Campaign for Alliance Francaise

Launched at the 2014 Alliance Française French Film Festival, a Fake French series of 30 sec cinema and viral ads were developed for Alliance Française Australia by Andrew Ashton, Earl Carter and Alec McCloskey, with a cast of Aussies from the street – so to speak.

The idea

In day-to-day conversation, everyone has an accent, or version of a new, or foreign, language they draw upon. In the spirit of comic great Peter Sellers, creative director Andrew Ashton and photographer Earl Carter unearthed this conversation space via a series of 30 seconds ads inviting everyday Australians to share “their” version of French, to recruit new French students for the Alliance Française.

On a modest budget, two ads were made for launch. However, there are more ads in waiting for ideas in motion and also radio, if we can get some more budget.

Across the 2014 New Year period Earl, Alec and I pulled together a day of footage from a castor 15+ people to form a snapshot of Aussies of all ages doing their best to take the piss.

Merci to the Australian Directors of Alliance Française for seeing the funny side and owning the speaking fake French cliche. Cheers to cast for giving us your best, even if you didn’t make this cut.

The crew
Concept / direction / Writing by Andrew Ashton, Work Art Life
Photography and direction by Earl Carter Photographer
Editing and sound by Alec McCloskey
Casting by Andrew and Earl