All journeys are different. In a new short promoting AICP Week 2024, the journey starts with news that doesn’t go over entirely well. An advertising creative comes home to tell his husband - a struggling fine artist/house husband - that his commercial for ‘cheesy bread’ is going to be in ‘that museum in New York you’re always talking about.’ Turns out he’s made it into the AICP Awards, and the news that his work will be on display at the legendary Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is met with a look of incredulity. His response is to proclaim that he thinks it’s worth making the trip to go see it. 

So starts “The Journey,” which humorously follows our hero in his quest to reach MoMA. Co-written by O Positive’s David Shane, Ian Reichenthal and Michael Clancy and directed by Shane, it was executive produced by Ralph Laucella (who is the 2024 AICP Show Chairperson) and Marc Grill. View the film below, which was edited by Gavin Cutler of MackCut, or click here.

Video source: Vimeo | Full credits list below

“Making a short film is different from making an ad or a branded content film,” says Shane. “It’s not just a collection of jokes. It has to have a story that sustains itself, and hopefully this does. We made ‘The Journey’ as both a parody of – and a little love letter to – creatives like us who aspire to make ads that are art adjacent.” Journeys, like the creative process, can be winding and treacherous, as our hero exemplifies. Adds Reichenthal, “We read a book that said you’re supposed to torture your main character, and with this piece we feel like we accomplished that.”

A metaphor for every creative’s struggle to get to MoMA, the AICP Awards and AICP Week, the pilgrimage ends with a message urging viewers to attend AICP Week – passes are available here – which includes the unveiling of this year’s winners and screenings of the 2024 AICP Awards. 

Base Camp Events Previewed
“The Journey” is part of AICP’s outreach to promote AICP Week, which includes activities at AICP Base Camp, a succession of panels and events promoting education and thought leadership. AICP has also released a preview of its 2024 series of panels, seminars and lunch and learn sessions for Base Camp. A full schedule, including speakers, can be found here. The venue will once again be Ease, the conference and event space located around the corner from The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). 

The premieres for The AICP Show: The Art & Technique of the Commercial, the AICP Next Awards and the AICP Post Awards will take place during the day at MoMA during AICP Week. The museum will also be the setting for the gala presentation that caps AICP Week events, where the Best of Show winners for each competition will be revealed and a special tribute to all winning work will be screened.

Base Camp kicks off on Tuesday, June 4 with a lineup titled “AI-CamP,” an overarching view of the growing impact and influence of generative artificial intelligence in the creation and production of brand content. First up is the always-popular “Lawyers on the Clock,” during which attorneys will discuss a range of pressing industry issues, including topics related to AI, in two-minute segments. The session is followed by a more in-depth look at the legal ramifications of working with AI technology, including current legal actions underway, and reviews what AI means for most standard advertising agreements and contracts.

Following this are two sessions examining just what AI is, one focusing on AI breakthroughs and challenges, featuring a key AI expert from Adobe, followed by a look at practical applications of how film and video craftspeople are working with AI today. The latter panel, moderated by Angus Kneale from preymaker, will feature such artists and producers as Vicky Osborn from Framestore, Wilson Brown from Antfood, Mike Wood from m ss ng p eces and Jay Nelson from Cut+Run. The “AI-CamP” sessions continue with  a review of AI project case studies presented by Dustin Callif of Tool, followed by a presentation on the impact of AI on media and entertainment, led by Ed Ulbrich of Metaphysic.ai. 

The day’s learning closes with “The AI Moshpit,” in which some of the day’s speakers return for a discussion about the many issues raised throughout the day and gives the audience the opportunity to ask in-depth questions. Taking part in this session will be Hannah E. Taylor, Partner and Co-Chair of the Advertising, Marketing & Public Relations and Emerging Technology Groups, Frankfurt Kurnit Klein + Selz.

On Wednesday, June 5, is being billed as “A Day of Creative Inspiration,” during which conversations with the most creative minds in the business will take place, as will the world premieres of the AICP Show: The Art & Technique of the Commercial and the AICP Next Awards at The Museum of Modern Art.

Leading off will be the first release of “The Future of Marketing in the Motion Image,” a sweeping report on the current state and future direction of advertising production. The study, commissioned by AICP, was conducted by The Nucleus Group, a well-regarded strategic and research consultancy with an expertise in brand growth and development. Its Founder and CEO, Elizabeth Talerman, will deliver highlights from the study. 

Later in the day, the popular “Curators in Conversation” session takes place. A number of curators from all three AICP Awards competitions will appear with invited guests, engaging in unstructured, seven-minute chats on a range of issues, as seen by some of the brightest, most celebrated talents in the industry. Day 2 closes with the premiere of The Next Awards, which takes place at MoMA. The presentation will include a live discussion of insights from the team behind the year’s Most Next Winner, which is the competition’s Best in Show.

Thursday, June 6th features the premiere of the AICP Post Awards, honoring excellence in the post production crafts and the artists who create them, which takes place as MoMA. AICP Week culminates in the gala celebration at MoMA on the evening of June 6th.

Established in 1992, The AICP Show is the most important advertising showcase in the U.S. dedicated to excellence in craft. The AICP Post Awards, which debuted in 2001, honors excellence in a wide range of post production crafts and disciplines. And the AICP Next Awards, launched in 2007, highlights the winners of the Next categories, which honor innovative marketing communications . Each show in the AICP Awards Suite is housed in The Museum of Modern Art’s Department of Film’s state of the art archives for future generations to study and are available for use or exhibition by the museum’s curators. All individual works, and each year’s shows in their entirety, can be viewed exclusively at www.aicpawards.com, the AICP Awards Archive website. 

About AICP
AICP represents, exclusively, the interests of independent companies that specialize in the production and post production of commercials in various media—film, video, digital—for advertisers and agencies. The association, with national offices in New York and Los Angeles as well as regional chapters across the country, serves as a strong collective voice for this $5 billion-plus industry. Founded in 1972, AICP assists its members by: disseminating information; representing production and post production companies within the advertising community in business circles, in labor negotiations and dealing with employment issues; and before governmental officials; developing industry standards and tools; providing professional development; and marketing American production and post production via events and awards shows.

AICP “The Journey” Credits
Production Co: O Positive
Director: David Shane
Writers: Ian Reichenthal, Michael Clancy, David Shane
Director of Photography: Joaquin Baca-Asay
Executive Producers: Ralph Laucella; Marc Grill; Ken Licata
Head of Production: Devon Clark
Executive Producer/Producer: Jason Reda
Producer: Lalou Dammond
Production Supervisor: Luke Flegar
Production Coordinator: Alex Palmieri
1st A.D.: Jermaine Sumra
2nd A.D.: Cody Maher
Editorial: MackCut
Editor: Gavin Cutler
Asst Editor: Louisa Phillips
Post Producer: Gina Pagano
Co-Mix and Sound Design: Marc Healy
Visual Effects: Parliament
VFX Supervisor: James Mulholland; John McIntosh
Creative Leads: Nathan Kane; James Mulholland; and John McIntosh
Creative Team: Adam Deutsch; Andy Wheater; Carl Fong; Keith Sullivan; Myong Choi; Siro
Valente; Taner Besen
Production Team: Kate Matos; Sebastien Le Coz
Co-Mix and Sound Design: Fred Helm
Original Music Composer: Alan Wolpert
Vocalist: Janelle McDermoth
Vocalist: Alan Wolpert
Talent:
Adam - Greg Hildreth
Thomas - Will Dagger
Hoshi - Liora Shuf
Beda - Aaron Shuf
Eastern Euro Uber Driver- Zuzanna Szadkowski
Plane Man - Eric Elizaga
Plane Woman - Gameela Wright
Sailor - Danny WolohanSailor - Frank Harts
Gate House Guard - Ann Troup
Bus Rider - Blake Delong
MoMA Concierge - Aubie Merrylees
Josh - Demond Green
Additional Production Credits:
Camera Op: Rachel Levine
1st AC A Cam: Marcos Herrera
1st AC B Cam: Toshiro Yamaguchi
2nd AC: Babette Gibson
DIT: Artur Dzieweczynski
Gaffer: Bianca Moon
BB Electric: Joshua Batista
Electric: Ben Mead
Electric: Ben King
Electric: Ryan Mulholland
Key Grip: Justin Wilson
BB Grip: Brian Johnson
Grip: Gerard Glasgow
Grip: Chasen Allen
Grip: Jamaal Clarke
Production Designer: Walter Pluff
Prop Master: Eric Dixon
Prop: Nick Traina
Prop: Chris Kelly
Prop: Kevin Sosbe
Prop: Justin Camacho
SFX: Dave Biello
VTR: Shakai Coumabatch
Script Supervisor: Rachel Cole
Sound Mixer: David Tirolo
Boom Operator: Neil Danzinger
Wardrobe: Choo Choo Kim
Wardrobe Assistant: Sarah Frey
Wardrobe Assistant: Amber Keopke
HMU: Hubert Guy
HMU Assist: Dawn Campbell
SFX: Hinano Leung
Locations: Carey DePalma
Camera Truck: Salvatore Polito
G/E Truck: Robert Zarzuela
Quixote Moho: Igor BorisovCraft Service: Joe Voden
PAs: Yah-Marie; Daniel Sanabria; Angel Avery; Jeremey Berger; David Coward; Maria Villena;
Sandra Mhlongo; Kadeem Walters; Wayne Wu; Elkin Durham; Joe Jessamy; Lindsay Mabie;
Vivian Moss; Chloe Shane
Catering: Chef Ania