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Michael "Micky" Coyne, also known as Mike Coyne, is an American Creative Director, Art Director and copywriter who has worked at multiple advertising agencies. Coyne worked as the Art Director at Goodby, Silverstein & Partners from 2005 to 2011. While there, he directed production of two commercials for Nintendo, "Fit Some Fit In" (for Wii Fit), and "Past is Prologue", the live-action commercial for Metroid: Other M.
Coyne gave an interview to Shinesparkers about his work on Past is Prologue in August 2022.
Early career[]
Before working in advertising, Coyne held a number of jobs. Having taught himself to program in high school, he found work as a Web Developer at TriTech Software Systems for two years, before earning a design degree and working as a designer for JumboShrimp and Mejia Design. His first role as an Art Director was at Euro RSCG. Coyne has also instructed at the California College of Arts and Miami Ad School.[1]
Past is Prologue[]
In his childhood, Coyne played Metroid, and like other players was shocked to learn that Samus Aran was a woman. During his third year at Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, the firm secured Nintendo as a client, and Coyne pushed to get onto their account despite being a junior employee at the time. He started with the Wii Fit commercial, which led to the game outselling the PlayStation 3 that year. While making the commercial, Coyne bonded with the marketing director Amit Singh and told him his interest in Metroid. Unbeknownst to Coyne, Goodby was preparing a campaign for Metroid: Other M, and Singh requested that he and his colleague Jesse Gazuolo be a part of it.[1]
The original script for Past is Prologue depicted the murders of Samus's mother and father, her training under Adam, before Yoshio Sakamoto asked that they be replaced with scenes of Ridley nearly killing Samus and her giving Adam a thumbs-down. Coyne later said he wished those scenes (particularly the one with Samus's family) had been retained, but trusted the judgment of Sakamoto.
In the commercial, Samus's voice actress in Other M, Jessica Erin Martin narrates as Samus and also reads the legal disclaimer "Rated T for teen". Coyne and his colleague Pete Harvey - who replaced Gazuolo - directed Martin's voiceover recording. Nintendo did not want Martin to read the ESRB rating as it would mean breaking character, and requested that it be recorded by another actor. Since time was running out, Coyne recorded the line and sent the finished version of Past is Prologue to Nintendo. In the end, they used Martin's recording of the disclaimer. On Vimeo, Coyne has a version of Past is Prologue uploaded with an alternate voiceover from Martin, and with his recording of the ESRB rating at the end. It represents his preferred cut of the commercial, and can be viewed here.
Coyne played Other M when it was released and enjoyed it. He particularly liked controlling Samus in first-person, and found it rewarding to know Samus's history prior to playing.
Subsequent career[]
In 2011, Coyne left Goodby, Silverstein & Partners and briefly worked for AKQA as a Freelance Art Director. He then worked for Droga5, 72andSunny and TBWA\Chiat\Day before joining Grand Hustle Records as the Creative Director for the musician T.I. As of 2016, Coyne works as an independent Creative Director, with his clients including Oculus, Airbnb, Uber, Google, GoPro and Apple. He also founded Picky, an advertising agency with his friend and colleague Pete Harvey, and is a consultant Creative Director for Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Inc.
External links[]
- ^ a b Interview: Micky Coyne. Shinesparkers. September 2, 2022. Retrieved September 2, 2022.