Time Life and RedMoonFilms announced M. Stewart Thorndike, a recent NYU Film School Graduate, as the winner of the 2008 Young Filmmakers Challenge.
The Young Filmmakers’ Challenge 2008 is an online skill-based competition that affords an opportunity for eligible student filmmakers and recent film school graduates to submit concepts for a proposed two-minute television commercial promoting a compact disc music product entitled “90s Rock”.
90s Rock features Edwyn Collins, “A Girl Like You,” Semisonic “Closing Time,” Counting Crows “Mr. Jones,” Sixpence None The Richer “Kiss Me,” Eagle- Eye-Cherry “Save Tonight,” Del Amitri “Roll To Me,” Toad The Wet Sprocket “Fall Down,” Natalie Imbruglia “Torn,” Barenaked Ladies “One Week,” and 10,000 Maniacs “These Are Days.”
M. Stewart Thorndike’s original commercial idea “LIBERATION” was chosen from a pool of concepts submitted by graduate film students and recent grads from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, Columbia University’s School of the Arts, City College of New York’s Media & Communications Department, and the Media Studies and Film Program of The New School.
Thorndike received a check for $5,000, and will direct her concept “LIBERATION” for the 90s Rock Time Life spot. “I was so excited to get the call that I’d won the Young Filmmakers Challenge. It’s awesome to be a recent graduate and have an opportunity to create and direct a commercial with Time Life. When I first thought of ideas for a 90s Rock commercial I immediately started thinking about the worst and most inappropriate setting to start singing and thought of a wedding.”
M. Stewart Thorndike is a native of the Seattle, Washington area, and has made several narrative films including a short for Converse Shoes, which aired on MTV stations, and is currently working on a feature film project.
Jon Goodman, of RedMoonFilms explains, “LIBERATION, Stewart’s 150-word commercial concept simply came to life on the page, and that’s what it’s all about. I was reading words but seeing images, and those images were imaginative, arresting, and compelling. The best filmmakers can communicate far more with pictures than words, and Stewart is clearly a master communicator. She just nailed it. Game over.”
Time Life is undeniably an industry leader in short-form, direct response commercials, and has generated millions in sales for its music and video catalogue. Their memorable music infomercials have changed the face of television. Michael Mitchell, the visionary behind the Young Filmmakers challenge and Vice President, Marketing and Strategic Alliances, New Product Development at Time Life states “Many 2 minute short-form direct response commercials can lack in visual creativity as compared to the sophisticated advertising world. Young Filmmakers Challenge provides M. Stewart and future winners of YFC the opportunity to make a substantial contribution towards innovative and creative change”.
“LIBERATION” will begin pre-production shortly and is scheduled to air in May/June 2008.
About Time Life
Time Life and the Time Life logo are registered trademarks of Time Warner Inc. and affiliated companies, used under license by Direct Holdings Americas Inc., which is not affiliated with Time Warner Inc. or Time Inc. Headquartered in Fairfax VA, Direct Holdings Americas Inc.’s history began in 1961 as Time Life a direct marketing division of Time Incorporated specializing in music and books. The business has been operated as a separate company since the mid-1970s when it relocated to Virginia, and has since grown to become one of the world’s largest direct marketers of audio and video products throughout North America, Europe and Australia. The Company has set the standard in the direct response industry by pioneering direct marketing techniques and building one of the most trusted and recognized brands in commerce. The Company now also sells its products through major traditional and non-traditional retailers around the world as well as via the Internet. The Company was sold in 2003 to private investors.
About Jon Goodman
RedMoonFilms (RMF) is a NYC-based, content-focused, writing and producing company owned by Jon Goodman. An Emmy Award-winning writer, director and producer with a wealth of experience in narrative as well as documentary film and television, Jon supplies writing, producing and directing services to a range of broadcast clients. Over the course of his career, he has written, produced, directed and/or supervised more than 300 hours of television for broadcast in the United States and abroad.
