Not your average "season’s greeting", “Desperate Measures: A Holiday Story,” is a public service mini-drama that offers an unexpected twist on traditional holiday messaging to make its point. It was produced by Holmes Millet Advertising and HM4 Productions for the Volunteer Center of North Texas as part of an effort to boost volunteerism during the holidays. nnWritten by Jeff Millet and directed by Scott O’Reilly, the video features a dramatic and convincing delivery by actor Rodger Boyce and a cast of talent from the Mary Collins Agency in Dallas. The 2:16 spot was produced pro-bono by a group of creatives, talent, producers and crew who all volunteered their time and resources as part of the holiday effort.nnnn"In addition to the storyline, we also broke with traditional PSA run times by producing a longer spot" commented Scott O’Reilly, director, "It needed more time to build suspense and let the story unfold properly and since the distribution was email, online and viral, we had the latitude to do so as long as we could hold the viewer’s interest. And I think we accomplished that." nnInitially produced solely for the Volunteer Center of North Texas as part of an email and viral holiday campaign, the video later gained wider distribution when it was also distributed via the networks of HandsOn Volunteer Centers in Florida, Georgia, and Alabama, and by a number of other sponsoring businesses, churches and non-profit organizations in Texas and California. nnA strategy to customize HTML email and video web pages was developed by Sean Moubry of Holmes Millet so each distribution partner could display their logo and identity along with the video to their own audiences. Andrea Grimes, of the Dallas Observer tweeted, “That was both weird and heartwarming”. While most viewer response was overwhelmingly positive with comments such as: “occupy this if you want to make a difference”, “a holiday wake up call – dramatically gripping – and then – a jolly jolt in the end”, “gets your perspective right for the season”, and “a Christmas story that resonates with what’s really “going down” with the populace”, a few found it darkly controversial, including one potential distributor partner from the non-profit sector who shied away for fear of offending well-to-do benefactors. But no matter what the viewer’s perspective, the message clearly shines through in the end.nnCreditsnCreative Agency, Holmes Millet Advertising, Production Company, HM4 Productions; Director, Scott O’Reilly; Writer, Jeff Millet, Executive Producer, David Holmes; Camera, Nick Sherman; Gaffer, Jeff Hurst; Graphics, Tom Miller; Graphics, Philip Moore, Interactive, Sean Moubry; Production Assistant, Jackson Millet; Hair and Makeup, Velma Puente; Talent, Mary Collins Agency; Lead Role, Rodger Boyce; Actors courtesy of MCA, Claudia Barcelo, Catherine DuBord, Terrance Eason, Kimberly Fiddes, Justin Labosco, Doug Miller, Jessica Renee Russell, Montgomery Sutton, Eric Vale, Farah White; Other Actors, Tonja Millet, Kendra Wilson, Velma Puente; Sound consulting, James Neel Music House; Gear, MLD Equipment; Locations, DMC Properties, Sendera Title, Bataan Community Center; Prop Cars, Global Import Cars, Max Millet, Forrest & Helga Clarke; Distribution, Volunteer Center of North Texas, The Bataan Community Center, Mary Collins Agency, Hermes Sargent Bates, LLP, Volunteer Macon, HandsOn Jacksonville, HandsOn South AlabamannAbout Holmes Millet AdvertisingnHolmes Millet is a full service advertising agency with a history of helping clients succeed. Brand development is our focus. We believe that every marketing activity must serve the company’s brand.nnEvery member of our staff is a senior level advertising professional with a wealth of experience to bring to any marketing challenge. We love what we do and our enthusiasm shows in our work. We approach every project – ad campaigns, websites, sales brochures, trade show exhibits and more – as a new opportunity to put our creativity to work for our clients. www.holmesmillet.com
Jeff Millet Holmes Millet Advertising Contact Jeff via email 214 526 4885 ofc 214 766 8098 cell
Contact:Scott O'Reilly Holmes Millet Advertising Contact Scott via email 214 526 4885 ofc
The Light and BIEN Form Creative & Strategic Alliance
Production company The Light and motion design studio BIEN have forged a strategic alliance that nurtures inclusivity and sustainability throughout the life cycle of every project.
The Light Founder/CEO Becky Morrison and BIEN Co-Founder Ricardo Roberts were first introduced by a mutual client who recognized their parallel ethos. Both Morrison and Roberts are advocates for industry change, and have built successful companies that demonstrate the benefits of human-centered and sustainable production in live action and motion design, respectively.
“I admire the thoughtfulness, specificity, and artistry with which BIEN produces animation and design and their attention to representing the full spectrum of humanity,” notes Morrison. “Their work behind the scenes to foster a diverse creative community is equally impressive. It feels like the perfect moment to partner with another mission-driven company who cares so deeply about creative excellence and social change.”
“I immediately hit it off with Becky and love that she has so many ideas that are tactical, scalable and make a powerful difference,” adds Roberts. “She challenges the status quo while producing beautiful, world-class content. With this partnership, we can better serve our clients and carry our mission forward together.”
The Light is a production company guided by the principle that an emotionally healthy environment is paramount for creativity and high performance. From its inception in 2014, The Light has centered under-represented talent, with equity and sustainability as key pillars to delivering creative projects for... Read More