“Finish the version we’re working on, and create another version with the same video but the lion roar added to the audio, and then create another version that changes the whole feel of the ad so that it’s a joke about lions,” Isabel listed. “By next Friday.”
“Probably not,” Diana sighed. “It would be nice, but I’m sure you’ll have to work the next two weekends. But that gives you more time—the meeting isn’t until Monday afternoon, so you can have all 96 hours of both Saturdays and Sundays, and we can still review to make tweaks on Monday morning if we have to.”
Mickey looked a little like a zombie and his voice sounded distant. “We can get some stock footage of lions today, I guess…”
“No, don’t do that,” Diane waved her hand dismissively. She was already packing her planner. “We did that whole piece on Africa a couple-three years ago. I want to use our own footage. We already have the footage and can hit the ground running—that’s part of what I love about this.” She stood up. “Well, I’m excited. This is going to be the best presentation we’ve had in a long time—I love being able to really wow the customer with options.”
“What if we can’t do it all?” Isabel asked. She sounded childlike and probably wouldn’t have been bold enough to say anything if she hadn’t been so overwhelmed. “I know we’ll finish the clients’ version and adding the audio won’t be too hard, but what if we can’t finish from scratch in just over a week?”
Diane smiled, but there was no joy in her eyes. “Oh, Isabel, you’re just having your usual deadline freakout. You’ve never failed me before and I know you won’t fail me now. Besides, it’s not from scratch, not entirely, and you already have the lion footage. And if clients only got exactly what they asked for then why should we exist at all? Bringing new ideas to the table…that’s why you’re here.” She paused for effect. “I’ll let you get to it. And next week’s Management Meeting is cancelled so you can work on this—all hands on this.”
She walked out before anyone else had stood up. The room was silent for a long moment.
Isabel broke the silence. “Does anyone remember where we saved the Africa footage?”