John Pytka

On December 11, 2022, in Uncategorized, by Glenn Przyborski

Recently, I spent some time with my friend, director/cinematographer John Pytka at his farm in Western, Pennsylvania. John’s retired & just turned 80. We shot the bull about 35mm TV commercial production in the 70’s through 90’s. Back then, John & his older brother Joe, were Pytka Productions, one of the country’s top TV spot production companies. John directed & photographed network commercials for Alamo Car Rental, Gallo Wine, Budweiser, & many more. He was often used by San Francisco’s Hal Riney & Partners for iconic ad campaigns, including Ronald Reagan’s “Morning in America”.

His reel showcases a different style of production than what’s en vogue today. It’s slower paced, beautiful photographic images. Many of the scenes incorporate slow-motion that creates a bigger than life feel to the action. I describe them as “moving stills”.  This contrasts with today’s fast cuts, punchy graphics & rapid camera moves. 

From Youtube, here’s a link to John Pytka’s showreel from the days of 35mm, standard definition… (click here)

Excela Health Accolades 2022

On February 1, 2022, in Uncategorized, by Glenn Przyborski

Excela Health wanted the region to be aware of the many accolades they’ve received from providing excellent healthcare. For their new TV campaign, Tom Chakurda, Excela’s Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, decided to use black & white for the medical procedures, combined with color for the various accolades.

Director-cinematographer, Glenn Przyborski had the challenge of shooting every scene during an actual medical procedure. There were no actors, rehearsed action or retakes. All the featured on-camera talent are the real doctors, nurses and hospital personnel.

Latest Commercial Showreel

On January 15, 2013, in Uncategorized, by Glenn Przyborski

This fast-paced reel is a mix of varied concepts, visualized by Glenn Przyborski’s directorial style and production techniques. Some spots are new, others were produced over the past few years. All scenes are from actual on-air commercials created for ad agencies and clients from across the country.

From gritty to silky-smooth, Glenn’s years of experience allow him to create different visual “styles” using lighting & camera techniques to best convey an ad’s concept. Glenn’s at home shooting “guerrilla” style with a small crew of 4 or a 25 person, multi-day studio production.

Remembering Art Greenwald

On May 3, 2021, in Uncategorized, by Glenn Przyborski

Arthur Greenwald passed away April 30th, 2021. He was 68.

From ’85 to ’88, Art was the creative services director of KDKA-TV, the CBS affiliate in Pittsburgh. Back then, on-air TV was dominant. Cable channels were just starting. There was no internet, no social media, no X-Box, and no Netflix. It was Art’s job to successfully promote the station and its on-air talent.

From 1979 to 1996, Glenn was hired as the director/cinematographer for many of Greenwald’s major 35mm promotions for KDKA-TV. Art always created campaigns that were music driven and way beyond the station’s budget, but Glenn always made the impossible happen… Like staging the world’s longest chorus line after a Pirate’s baseball game, or a music video with 2,500 extras.

Art Greenwald eventually left KDKA and moved to the Los Angeles area. A few years ago, he was diagnosed with “end stage renal disease” and was unable to receive a kidney transplant, partially due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Excela Health “Accolades” TV Campaign

On January 9, 2020, in Uncategorized, by Glenn Przyborski

Excela Health is the largest medical system in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Excela has three major medical centers… Westmoreland Hospital, Frick Hospital, and Latrobe Hospital, plus smaller, specialized medical treatment facilities. They’re also the county’s largest employer.

Glenn Przyborski was chosen to direct & photograph Excela’s TV campaign titled, “Accolades” which showcases the system’s health services and areas of specialization… from complex orthopedics to open-heart surgery.

Using a crew with experience shooting inside busy hospitals, Glenn Przyborski directed and photographed the campaign in 4K Ultra High Definition. This allowed hi-res “frame grabs” from the video to be re-purposed for billboards, social media, and other marketing purposes.

Excela’s Tom Chakurda created the concept and Robert Firment handled the complex logistics that allowed all the scenes for “Accolades” to be shot at 3 separate hospitals, over 2 long days.

Stanley Steemer’s “That’s Gross” TV Campaign

On June 4, 2019, in Uncategorized, by Glenn Przyborski


Here’s a fun look at a crazy network ad campaign produced for Stanley Steemer, America’s largest residential and commercial cleaning service. 

Corporate creative director, Jim McCabe called with an unusual production request. In 2006, the company had marketing success with a funny commercial that featured “Toby” a Labrador Retriever scooting his butt across the living room carpet to the shock of the homeowner and her friend. Jim wanted to revisit the concept, only this time “Toby” would scoot over carpet, tile and hardwood floors. Plus, Jim also wanted a trained parrot who harasses Toby.

Glenn Przyborski directed and photographed the campaign using 2 cameras on each shot for more editorial options. 2 cameras also gave an “insurance factor” just in case the trained animals “lost interest” after several takes. Everything was shot and edited in 4K UHD, then downsampled to 1080 for final release. 

SmithFoods “The Children’s Table”

On November 5, 2018, in Uncategorized, by Glenn Przyborski

SmithFoods of Orrville, Ohio is a family owned company, founded in 1909. They supply premium dairy and other food products throughout Ohio, Indiana and Missouri.

The Innis Maggiore Agency of Canton, OH chose Przyborski Productions to produce SmithFoods’ latest TV campaign. The concept called for casting 5 children and 5 adults who could be those same kids, only now in their 40’s.

Glenn Przyborski directed and photographed the commercial in 4K digital. Props and wardrobe stylists selected kid’s clothes and table props that were popular in the mid-to-late 80’s. Back then, all TV was standard definition, so we rendered the opening sequence in the 4 x 3 ratio of older TV sets. After several visual tests, we decided not to alter the color or contrast of the opening sequence.

The commercial runs throughout Ohio and selected portions of the Mid-West.

YES & the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

On April 3, 2017, in Uncategorized, by Glenn Przyborski

This Friday, April 7th, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will induct England’s popular 70’s & 80’s rock group, YES. Cheering in the audience will be John Brabender, one of the country’s best known political media experts, ad agency owner, frequent contributor on MSNBC and CNN and long-time super-fan of YES. Brabender also led a crusade to get his favorite band inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Every once in a while, a project comes along that’s completely different and fun to shoot. With hits like “Roundabout”, “Owner of a Lonely Heart”, “Long Distance Runaround” and many more, YES, is truly a major group from the 70’s & 80’s. Yet they still have a huge, cult-like, devoted following that sells out every performance.

For the group’s U.S. tour, Brabender asked Glenn Przyborski to direct and photograph several short videos that would play on YES’ concert video screens. They were tied to late 70’s nostalgia, including an homage to a scene from the movie “Almost Famous”. The videos were played before the band’s performance and to signal the end of intermission.

The videos were edited at Phenomenon by Thad Christian. Michael Goodis created the original sound design. John Brabender created and wrote the original concepts.

Przyborski Productions & Stanley Steemer 2017

On March 15, 2017, in Uncategorized, by Glenn Przyborski

Stanley Steemer is America’s largest and best know cleaning service.

Przyborski Productions produced their new 5 spot TV campaign which currently airs on both network and cable stations. The week long production was shot in Tampa, FL which historically has some of the country’s best winter weather. The most difficult production challenge was staging a parade, complete with an original Stanley Steemer float, marching bands and a hundred extras.

The campaign was created by Jim McCabe, Stanley Steemer’s Creative Director and produced by New York based, Frank DiSalvo. Glenn Przyborski directed, photographed and edited the spots… “It was great working with old friends from the past. James and Frank were the agency creative team behind dozens of successful Giant Eagle, Autozone and Alliance Capital commercials that we previously produced.” Glenn adds, “This campaign is traditional, solid marketing… In an easy to understand way, each spot shows that Stanley Steemer is the best solution to household cleaning problems.”

Space Junk and Mills-James shared the visual effects work. Rob Deaner of Contagious Music created the original music tracks and mixed the spots.

4 Different Hospitals… 4 Unique TV Spots

On February 11, 2015, in Uncategorized, by Glenn Przyborski

Here’s a look at 4 distinctively different ad campaigns, all directed, photographed and edited by Glenn Przyborski.

First, Sharon Regional Health System… This ad features Debbie Lewis, who’s alive today thanks to Sharon’s Cardiac team. We meet Debbie in her home which she shares with 54 unusual pets. The agency is Scoppechio from Louisville, KY.

Curing cancer of the lungs or esophagus requires specialists. Dr. Rodney Landreneau and Dr. Blair Jobe co-chair Allegheny Health Network’s Esophageal & Lung Institute. Produced for Mullen Advertising, this new spot introduces their team of patient-focused doctors.

If you live in the Akron-Canton area, there’s a good chance your medical provider is Aultman Healthcare. This ad is part of a multi-spot campaign from the Innis-Maggiore agency to showcase the healthcare system’s total capabilities…everything from preemies to hospice care.

The Marcus Neuroscience Institute is the latest addition to Boca Raton Regional Hospital. This commercial introduces their new 52 million dollar facility and its talented team of doctors. The spot also credits the philanthropic donors who made the Institute possible. Tom Chakurda created the campaign’s concept and wrote the copy.