Los Angeles 6/10
After an insanely busy August, LA production execs were psychologically and emotionally preparing themselves for an equally hectic September. But Labor Day came and went, the kids went back to school and their parents went back to work and... waited. And waited. And waited roughly three weeks for the board flow to pick up again.

"Everybody's shooting but bidding on very, very few things," said one exec, echoing the sentiments of several others. "Board flow has been OK," added another. "Not that crazy. Nothing juicy."

After the Labor Day slowdown, most companies were reporting a definite increase in board flow toward the end of September, but no one was spitting excitedly all over their headsets in describing the quality of the creative coming down the pipe. Even the scripts originating in London were dismissed as watered-down and "Europeanized."

When asked if there are any hot scripts in the mix this month, one EP wasted no time: "No. I haven't seen a great board in months." In terms of product categories, there was a little bit of everything in the mix, namely soft drinks, sneakers, packaged goods, beer, web content and Christmas stuff. Fortunately, the budget situation in September wasn't as dire.

"It's not bad," said one. "It's not stupid. Doable."

Toronto 6/10
If Torontonians were glued to the thermometer during a hotter-than-usual August, in September they were glued to the exchange rate. But although the Loonie occasionally hit parity with the sagging American dollar, no one seemed particularly alarmed, thanks to a rash of recent roadhouse gigs.

A more popular topic for fall was the brief board flow slowdown. "It was so quiet at the beginning of September, I set up a dry cleaning business because it's pure cash," joked one exec. Like their LA counterparts, Toronto EPs all recounted how they were anticipating a crazy back-to-school onslaught that never happened. Instead, the flow dried around Labor Day and picked up toward the end of the month. "It's not the bee's knees but I'm not going to complain too much," said another EP.

Another exec blamed the slow start on the fall television schedule, noting season premiere dates on both sides of the border are getting pushed deeper into the autumn and dragging big campaign boards with them.

Floating around the Toronto boardosphere in September were scripts for cars, packaged goods, retail, Christmas and even the Super Bowl. A few EPs noted a Canadian trend away from comedy toward visual spots, with some "half-decent" creative attached. Companies are also still feeling the fall-out from the cheaply-produced viral "Bridezilla". One EP likened the effect on budgets to The Blair Witch Project, when everyone thought they could score a Hollywood hit for only $30,000. "The account guys are still yakking about it," said one disgusted exec.

New York 8/10
Board flow over the last month seems to have taken a cue from the homework ethic adopted by the flurry of kids returning to school: a lull before Labor Day followed by a mad scramble to get work done before the holidays.

"It's been crazy and it's the fall too!" enthused one EP. "We didn't have a lull in August, but it seemed to have picked up in September...with tons of boards in different areas."

Those areas included an influx of PSAs, automotive, telecommunications and, of course, a lot of lottery scripts for consumers hoping that Santa drops a big pile of cash down the chimney this Christmas.

As for creative, most EPs reported that it has been "hit or miss" but there has been a demand for animation and an ever-increasing call for the in vogue, elaborate set aesthetic.

"Everyone wants to look like Target ['Brave New Dorm']," commented one EP.

While it may be true that everyone wants a specific look, not everyone is willing to pay for it.

"We've had nice budgets to no budgets," said one EP. "It's been like, 'Oh, here's $2 million', and then, 'Oh, here's $70,000.' It's been tough to work on the $70,000 stuff."

London 5/10
It was quiet on the board flow front for London last month, but the lull wasn't unexpected.

"The period over the past month has been shooting and post," explains one EP. "We usually don't sell through August because everyone's on holidays and they're not interested in looking at new work. September is a time where we start to sell again but not a lot is getting done yet."

That doesn't mean that a deluge isn't on the cards with new scripts on the horizon. "I was speaking with a couple of agency producers who've admitted to sitting there twiddling their thumbs," said one EP. "But they're enjoying it because they know there's going to be an onslaught." The work, exhibiting varying creative and budgets, ranged from retail and sports to financial and automotive with a few requests for branded content fueling some tactical planning.

"Everyone is running around trying to hire people to run a digital division or a branded-content division even though there isn't actually stuff to do yet," said one EP. "But they're getting their armies in place because it's going to be a case of when it comes, who is the best prepared."