A West Vancouver raised actor - a top ten finalist in a $1-million Doritos' Super Bowl ad competition - has already seen a pig fly, so he knows anything is possible.
Brendan Taylor stars in the When Pigs Fly ad entry for Doritos' Crash the Super Bowl campaign. He plays a Doritos-munching ranch hand who is being pestered for some chips by a smart-aleck neighbourhood kid.
After employing a little ingenuity, the young boy figures out a way to make a pig fly - by strapping a rocket to its back.
The comedic spot, shot on an Aldergrove farm in October, has garnered 200,000 online views, and is a contender for the top prize: $1-million US and a one-year contract to work on-site at Universal Pictures in Hollywood.
"To be totally honest, I do think our ad is really, really good. It has an element that appeals to all ages, and there is nothing negative about it," Taylor told the News on Wednesday.
Determined by online votes, the contest winner will be announced live during the Super Bowl on Feb. 1. As he waits with bated breath, Taylor reveals some behind-thescenes moments from the shoot.
Computer-generated imagery (CGI) was, of course, used to pull off the flying pig scene. Seasoned actor Taylor talked about acting opposite an inanimate object.
"They gave us an eyeline to look at, and someone tied a fishing line to my hat, to make it fly off my head. It's all about timing," explains Taylor.
But he did perform his own snacking stunts.
"I eventually sort of, kind of, had to spit (the chips) aside, cause it was getting close to lunch and I was getting full on them," chuckles Taylor.
When Pigs Fly, which beat out more than 4,900 submissions, was created by twin brothers from Maple Ridge, Graham and Nelson Talbot.
After meeting Taylor through a mutual friend, the Talbots were so impressed by his comedic style they decided to cast him in another commercial project. However, Taylor admits he was a late bloomer in the acting arena. He got his first taste for performing at Sentinel secondary.
"I acted through most of (high school), but I was a pretty shy kid who didn't think I could do it," recalls Taylor.
Since then, he has taken acting classes at UBC, hired an agent, and been pursuing his craft pretty hard for the last four years.
When Taylor is not landing speaking roles in locally shot TV shows, he works in another area of the film industry - set decoration. Most of his handiwork can be seen in the North Van-shot sci-fi TV series Falling Skies.
Taylor, who also has some commercial credits, is typically cast as a young dad. And while the 32-year-old has not stepped into that role in real life yet, he certainly knows his way around a change table.
During a callback for a Huggies commercial, Taylor was asked to change a diaper on cue. Lucky for him, a bewildered firsttime dad vibe was exactly what the casting directors were looking for.
On Super Bowl Sunday, Taylor will be glued to the screen at a party with some friends and family. Should When Pigs Fly soar to victory, Taylor will claim some of the $1-million cheddar.
Asked what he would do with his winnings, Taylor has some prudent plans in mind.
"I wouldn't do anything hugely drastic, other then set myself up to continue to do what I love - acting - and pay off some debts; maybe take a trip," says Taylor.
Voting for the Doritos ad competition ends on Jan. 28. To cast your ballot you can go online at Doritos.com.
