TRUSTY SOLES
Trusty Soles is a story about what matters — dependable gear, a loyal companion, and the experiences that shape us along the way.
Creative Agency - DNA PDX
Brand - Columbia Sportswear
Director / Producer – David Norman
Director / Writer – Johnny Michael
Director of Photography – Robert Martinez
Cast
Hiker – Chance Johannsen
Puppy – Jackie
6 Month-Old Dog – Lumen
Adult Dog – Van
Senior Dog – Brooks
Animal Wranglers
Animal Wrangler – Alina Blankenship
Animal Wrangler Assistant – Barbara Roehm
Animal Breeders – Whiskey Creek Goldens
Behind the Scenes
Behind-the-Scenes Photographer / Videographer – Cheng Lee
Crew
Production Coordinator – Morgan Raymond
1st Assistant Camera – Jared Rogers
Key Grip – Camrin Sanchez
Grip – Haley McCoy
Wardrobe – Sarah Meyer
Production Assistant – Vivian Vu
Production Assistant – Joe Herron
CASE STUDY
script
01
storyboards
02
location scout
Wardrobe
04
03
Shoot
05
POST-Production
06
SCRIPT
The idea for Trusty Soles started with a photo of my dog Jack and me sitting by the ocean. Jack passed away in 2021, and I’d been searching for a way to reconnect with the part of filmmaking that feels rooted in heart, purpose, and the moments that actually matter. I wanted to make something for myself—something that reignited my love for storytelling.
Around that time, I reconnected with Johnny Michael, a writer I had worked with on multiple Nike projects. Johnny has a gift for finding warmth and emotional clarity in simple moments, which felt perfect for this concept. I shared my idea: a spot that paralleled a man's hiking boots with the life stages of his dog—both aging together, both shaped by the miles they’ve traveled.
Johnny ran with it. Within a few days, he sent back a first draft that captured exactly what I had been imagining. It needed almost no revisions. The bones of the story were there from the very beginning. It set the tone for everything that followed: a piece grounded in quiet emotion, nature, and the companionship that shapes us.
TRUSTY SOLES :30
A guy opens his new pair of Columbia Newton Wander Hiking Boots, next to him there’s a small pair of Golden Retriever paws. The boot leather and dog fur match nicely.
He laces up the new Columbia Boots, then puts on and adjusts the collar of his pup.
The boots are now on the hiking trail, the puppy walking and bouncing alongside.
The man wipes dirt from his boots, the dog licks his paws.
Looking down at a stick by his boots, the man picks it up and throws it.
The dog — now a larger pup — comes right back by his boots with the stick in his mouth.
The dog runs into the water making a wake. Next, they’re in a canoe with the dog sitting between the man’s boots up front.
The dog shakes the water off, the man beats his Columbia boots against each other.
The man is grilling a steak and gives a piece to the dog on a small plate by his boots.
Standing by the tree, the man is about to pee, the dog comes right up by him, lifting his leg to pee, getting a little on the boots.
Resting in the tent with his socks on, the dog brings the boots to the man — ready to go again.
VO: Trusty, reliable, old faithful…
Back on the trail, they’re walking over a variety of terrain: Running on gravel, careful steps on a stream or navigating an unbeaten path.
VO: It’s the spirit we put in every pair of soles we make.
The boots now look a bit more worn, the dog a bit older — they’re walking up a steep trail.
Again he steps up on rock for a view, the boots looking weathered but still maintaining quality. The dog perches up on the rock too looking majestic — they enjoy the sunset together.
VO: Because the best things in life are with you every step of the way.
LOGO: COLUMBIA
STORYBOARDS
Once the script was locked, Johnny moved into sketching the first set of storyboards. In addition to being a talented writer, he’s also a better illustrator than he gives himself credit for. His boards helped us visualize the pacing, transitions, and emotional beats long before we ever stepped on location.
The storyboards became our north star. They guided our location scouting, helped us understand which life-stage dogs we’d need, and acted as a blueprint for the blocking and movement in each scene. What’s most rewarding is how closely the final film aligns with those early drawings. The boards weren’t just planning tools—they were the first real glimpse at the film’s soul.
LOcation scout
Finding the right locations for Trusty Soles was one of the biggest challenges. We needed places that looked cinematic but were also accessible by vehicle so we could film the entire spot in a single day. With multiple dogs, a lean crew, and a full load of gear, everything had to be logistically realistic.
After several scouts, we ultimately built the shoot around three key spots: a trailhead for the morning setup, a rugged area on the east side of Mount Hood, and a scenic campsite overlooking the mountain. Each offered a different environment but still allowed us to move efficiently throughout the day.
Weather was another major factor. Late September in the Pacific Northwest is unpredictable, and we ended up shooting a few days before a major shift to rain and clouds. Thanks to extensive prep, clear communication, and a detailed technical scout, we were able to hit all three locations and stay on schedule from start to finish.
WARDROBE
Our wardrobe designer, Sarah, added an extra layer of storytelling through the evolution of the character’s clothing. She developed the idea of not only showing age progression, but also charting his journey from a novice hiker to someone much more experienced and technical by the end of the spot. The changes are subtle, but they add depth and reinforce the narrative progression in a way we really love. They help visually mirror the same sense of growth and mileage that we see in the boots and the dog.
SHOOT
After months of preparation, planning, preproduction, scouting, wardrobe fittings, and dog training, we were finally ready to shoot. This was the most prepared I have ever been for a project, and that preparation made all the difference. We stayed on schedule to the minute, which was essential because there was absolutely no margin for error. Any delay could have pushed us into overtime and put us over budget, so efficiency was everything.
Having our storyboards on set was critical. They served as our board of accomplishment and kept the entire crew aligned on the shots, the sequence, and the emotional beats we needed to capture. Because we were filming with four dogs and shooting out of order for efficiency, there was a lot to manage. We tracked wardrobe changes, which dog belonged in each scene, and exactly where we were in the story at all times.
Working with animals turned out to be a highlight of the entire project. You always hear the phrase to never work with kids or animals, but Alina and her team proved that with the right training and preparation, you can achieve incredible results. The dogs brought a lightness to the day. They would wander over between takes to say hello, and it created a warm and positive energy on set.
We were racing the sun for our final scene. One of the most important shots in the spot was the moment at sunset, where the hiker and dog sit together on the rock looking out at Mount Hood. Staying on schedule was the only way to capture that moment, and thanks to the preparation and teamwork, we captured it exactly the way we had imagined.
POST-PRODUCTION
Once we started editing, we realized it was sometimes difficult to see the age progression of the dog. Since everything was filmed in a single day, the lighting and foliage looked almost identical across each scene, which made it harder to convey the passage of time. To solve this, we decided to enhance the transitions by shifting the seasons using AI as a visual effects tool. We used it to adjust the environment while keeping the camera angle, performances, and lighting identical, preserving all the human-made elements while subtly modifying the weather and atmosphere.
The results were exactly what we hoped for. The transitions became clearer and more expressive, and the emotional progression of the story felt stronger. Using AI in this way changed my perspective on the technology. I see it not as a threat to filmmakers, but as another creative tool that can help bring a vision to life while saving time and budget.
Final Thoughts
Thank you for taking the time to follow our process on Trusty Soles. This project became so much more than a commercial spot. It grew out of months of planning, collaboration, problem-solving, and a crew of people who believed in the idea and brought their talent to it.
In many ways, this spot reignited something in me that I had been missing for a long time. It reminded me why I love storytelling and why I chose this path in the first place. I am proud of what we created together, and I am grateful for the spark it brought back into my creative life.
I made this project to reconnect with what I love about filmmaking, the ability to transform a personal memory into a universal feeling. There are small tributes to Jack throughout the film, his tag, his name, the final shot, but the bigger tribute is the creative spark he helped me rediscover.
