Editors Chris Hafner and Jacob Kuehl from the global editorial company Cutters (http://cutters.com) are very proud to detail their artistry behind the sensational new GRAMMY Award promotional video from TBWAChiatDay Los Angeles and Tool of North America director Georgie Stephens.
On 14 Jan., The Hollywood Reporter provided the first look at “Macklemore and Ryan Lewis Unleash NYC,” a 2:23 video that’s a key component of the agency’s new “Music Unleashes Us” multiplatform ad campaign for the GRAMMYs. Now appearing on YouTube (http://youtu.be/jDUz82dBqTQ) where it has attracted over 2.6 million views, the video’s description states, “Watch what happens when Macklemore and Ryan Lewis surprise a bus full of New Yorkers. See them perform live on the GRAMMYs, Sunday January 26 at 8/7c on CBS.”
What happens is, when a NYC bus makes a routine stop, GRAMMY-nominated artists Macklemore and Ryan Lewis climb aboard, and soon surprise the commuters with an impromptu performance of their hit “Can’t Hold Us.” When the song ends, the bus stops, and they climb off and walk away.
In The Hollywood Reporter’s story, The Recording Academy’s chief marketing officer Evan Greene says, “This year’s campaign highlights the common bond between fans and artists – our visceral connection with music.”
For Hafner and Kuehl, who teamed-up to co-edit this first “Music Unleashes Us” campaign video, it was a phenomenal opportunity to work with Stephens, director of photography Stefan Czapsky, TBWAChiatDay’s stellar team and the star on-screen talents. According to Hafner, who took the lead on the project, the agency’s creative directors Bob Rayburn and Rick Utzinger, senior art director Jenn Tranbarger, senior copywriter Anna Sanguinetti and senior producer David Hoogenakker gave him the scoop on the unique production approach. “Essentially, they had hidden cameras in a NYC bus, and Macklemore and Ryan boarded the bus and took over,” he said.
“After the clients let me loose I started looking through the footage,” Hafner continued. “First I laid out the performance audio, and then I started plugging in shots as I saw them. I was smiling most of the time I was cutting. The bus riders were so fun to watch – their reactions were priceless. It was a blast to cut.”
By the time the agency came in, Hafner had assembled a rough cut that they loved. Over the course of a day they worked together to identify more “gem moments” and work them in. Jacob Kuehl then joined the effort to finesse and finish the final edit, completing a project that by all accounts was a true labor of love.
For TBWAChiatDay, credits also include chief creative officer John Norman, executive creative officer Fabio Costa, executive creative director Patrick O’Neill, executive director of integrated production Richard O’Neill, director of business affairs Linda Daubson, executive business affairs manager Lisa Lipman, senior business affairs manager Mimi Hirsch, group planning director Rad Tollett, and associate director of communications strategy Ian Carey. Tool’s credits also include executive producers Brian Latt, Oliver Fuselier, Danielle Peretz and Dustin Callif. Additional credits for Cutters include executive producer Josianne Côté, producer Sasha Grubor and assistant editor TJ Lasure. Post audio credit goes to mixer Ryan Sturup, producer Lauren Cascio and assistant Hermann Thumann at Play Sound.
To learn more about The GRAMMYs and the continuing “Music Unleashes Us” campaign, please visit http://grammy.com.
