Clearly, #PussyGrabsBack
Editor Eric Argiro of bicoastal Union began work on Pussy Riot’s "Make America Great Again" in June, before the Access Hollywood tape, before Russia crashed the election, and before the Facebook launch of "Trump Tower Live". Directed by Jonas Akerlund, the video depicts the early days of a Trump presidency as an autocracy where dissident women are objectified, branded and abused, not necessarily in that order.
Not surprisingly, the clip – which was released October 27 and has already been covered in Rolling Stone and Time – combines documentary and original footage, foreshadowing Trump TV in the form of TNN (Trump News Network). News reports highlight Trump’s strongarm style and incitements to violence, as the President’s thugs engage in torture with impunity.
The project marks a reunion between Akerlund and Argiro, who previously collaborated on a number of projects for CoverGirl (Argiro's other spot credits include Fiat, The North Face and Hershey’s). “When we finish a spot project, I always tell Jonas, ‘Hey, if you have a music video you’d like me to cut, I’m down’,” Argiro recalled. “This time, he took me up on it.” Naturally, the project differed greatly from a commercial campaign. “A Jonas Akerlund music video is a unique undertaking to begin with,” Argiro noted. “With this style of work, I try to make choices that are jarring or uncomfortable to the viewer. A commercial client may want a straightforward approach, but Jonas pushes you to break the boundaries. Then he comes back and says, ‘Let’s push it some more.’ We really went all out on this one.”
Argiro described the video as “Eerily prophetic,” adding that back in June, no one knew the Republican nominee would self-destruct to the degree he has. “We were troubled by the things he said and did at the time, and we really felt, maybe this is a way to change some minds,” he recalled. “People did warn me – ‘you know, this guy is vindictive,’” he said of Trump, concluding, “I really hope he doesn’t win the election, or I’ll be audited for the rest of my life.”
About Union
Union Editorial has offices in Los Angeles, New York, Austin, and London, where it maintains an alliance with Marshall Street Editors. The company also develops and produces original content, in partnership with Killer Content companies through its Union Entertainment Group banner. Other Union companies include Platform, a creative and advertising solution for the gaming industry; and Resolution, a visual effects boutique specializing in commercials, features and gaming. Union is presided over by Partner/Managing Director Michael Raimondi and Partner/Executive Producer Caryn Maclean. The Union roster is comprised of Partner/Editors Jim Haygood, Einar, Jay Friedkin, Sloane Klevin, Marco Perez, and editors Nico Alba, Jinx Godfrey, Nicholas Wayman-Harris, Rachael Waxler, Daniel Luna, Jason Lucas, Paul Plew, Ben Longland, Laura Milstein, Eric Argiro, Karen Kourtessis, Zach Kashkett and Andrew Doga, as well as select projects with Tim Thornton Allen, Patric Ryan and Phil Hignett. unioneditorial.com
Video Credits
Label: Big Deal Music / Nice Life Recording Co / Federal Prism
Artist: Pussy Riot
Music Video Title: "Make America Great Again"
Written passionately by: Ricky Reed, Nadya, Tom Peyton
Produced by: Ricky Reed
Director: Jonas Akerlund
Style: B Akerlund
Producer: Scott Pourroy
Editorial Company: Union NY
Editor: Eric Argiro
Assistant Editor: Nadine Mueller
Senior Producer: Susan Motamed
EP: Caryn Maclean
Caryn Maclean
Partner/Executive Producer
Union Editorial
Contact Caryn via email
212-863-3030
Media Inquiries:
Hersh Rephun
Contact Hesh via email
AICP’s Demographic Reporting Initiative Expands Categories To Reflect Client and Agency Requests
AICP has announced that an updated template for its Demographic Reporting Initiative is now available. Originally launched in October of 2021, the Demographic Reporting Initiative allows production companies to provide their advertiser and agency clients with insight into the demographic makeup of the people on the crews of their commercials and brand content. As with version 1.0, the 2.0 iteration was prepared in cooperation with a consortium of industry payroll companies. This updated version of the Demographic Reporting initiative has greatly expanded the listing of gender identity categories, and added the ability for production staff to include their veteran status in the U.S. Armed Forces. These reports will provide AICP member production companies with anonymous and voluntarily provided breakdowns on these demographic categories, which can in turn be shared with agencies and advertisers upon request. More information on the Demographic Reporting Initiative can be found on the AICP website here. The updated Demographic Reporting Initiative framework was revised as a result of a continued push from marketers for this information, noted Sheila R. Brown, AICP’s Vice President, Equity & Inclusion. “The demand for demographic information from marketers directly and their advertising agencies continues to grow,” Brown notes. “As our communities become more diverse, the yearning to know the make-up of the production crews increases. And in our continuing goal to be more inclusive, we also wanted to offer our production crews more options to self-identify. The addition of more gender identity options, and the option to indicate whether an individual is a veteran or... Read More