WIND TURBINE STUDENTS FROM IOWA LAKES FEATURED IN NATIONAL DURACELL COMMERCIAL

When Adam Literski and Greg Frates started classes this past fall at Iowa Lakes Community College they had no idea they’d be featured in a national television commercial.

It all began last summer when Al Zeitz, the director of the Wind Energy and Turbine Technology program at that time, was contacted by a creative consulting company.  That led to a meeting with a Duracell company representative followed by the development of a script and setting of dates to record the commercial.

Then there was a casting call and a second meeting with the top candidates being considered for the commercial.  On Sept. 23 and 24, 2009, more than two dozen crew members, camera operators,  hair stylists and costume/wardrobe designers descended on northwest Iowa and southwest Minnesota as they began to film the 30-second ad.

Literski and Frates are the two Iowa Lakes students who are seen the most in the Duracell “Smart Power” commercial.  Literski is seen with Zeitz on the top of the turbine as well as using the Duracell rechargeable battery in testing equipment.  Frates is featured climbing to the top of the turbine – at breakneck speed – thanks to video ‘magic.’

“When they had me doing it…they had me go slow and I thought ‘Who would ever climb a turbine ladder like that?’”  Frates recalled.  “I felt awkward – not like on a normal basis when I’m climbing.”

But the scene in the commercial came out beautifully – as did the other scenes.

Literski said he had “no idea what was going to happen” during the taping.

“Those guys knew what they were doing,” Literski said.  “I’m small town.  My graduating class had 84 students.  All this pampering – including makeup – was really something.”

He expects he’ll have to take a lot of ‘grief’ for being a ‘star’ in the commercial.

“I expect I’ll get text (messages) and calls from my family and friends,” he said.

But he wouldn’t trade it for anything.

“I really, really feel fortunate to be in this commercial.  It was the chance of a lifetime,” Literski said.

Frates agrees.

“It was a good experience overall,” he said.  “It was … a long day, but it was fun.”

But he did think the makeup and hairstyling was different and wasn’t something he would have done on his own. 

“… the beautician braided up my hair,”  Frates said. 

While waiting between scenes, Frates volunteered to help move equipment.

“I don’t think I’d want to (produce commercials) for a job.  I think I’d rather stay in the blue collar world.”

He even volunteered to help them the next day when they were taping general shots of wind turbines. 

“I got to know the crew that way,” Frates said.

Both men got to keep a souvenir:  the hard hats and the coveralls which they wore during the recording of the commercial.

Literski also stated that he was very pleased that safety was stressed throughout the production of the commercial.

While the images of the students at the wind turbine were all taped in Estherville at the college’s wind turbine, the other scenes were taped in southwest Minnesota. 

The TV ad will be run nationally and feature the newest Duracell rechargeable battery, a part of their “Smart Power” initiative.

PROFILE OF ADAM LITERSKI
Adam Literski is a second-year student with plans to transfer to the University of Iowa in the Engineering program through an agreement Iowa Lakes has with the Engineering Department at the U of I.  He completed one year of college at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, but wasn’t sure of his academic direction.  He learned of the wind program through his mother who had heard about it from a friend.  During the summer of 2009 he had an internship with a wind turbine company in Oregon.  “It was a great experience.  I know what it feels like to work 80 hours in a week,” Literski said.  This summer he hopes to get an internship which will focus more on the engineering aspects of wind turbines.  He is from Arcadia, Wisc. 

PROFILE OF GREG FRATES
Greg Frates is a first-year student.  He has worked in a coal mine and served in the military previous to coming to Iowa Lakes. 

“I was researching jobs and with wind energy being the big thing, I figured out which schools were the best at it.  Then, I had a chance to meet Al (Zeitz) at the AWEA Conference in Chicago.”  That clinched the deal and he arrived at Iowa Lakes in August of 2009 to begin classes.  Frates is from Brule, Neb.