There’s joy in watching world-class athletes compete, no matter what the sport. They run the fastest, jump the highest and continually push the envelope of physical conditioning.
But in the tradition of what comedian George Carlin calls "a mental hotfoot," did you ever wonder how out-of-shape, middle-age referees keep up with young stud players who are going full speed on the court or field—or in this case, the track?
Taking that incongruity to a different, decidedly offbeat level is "Cool New Camera," a :30 in which we see Olympian-caliber track runners sprinting down the stretch, heading for the finish line. A sports announcer describes the action. "One hundred fifty [meters] to go," he says, noting that the lead runner is "holding on" with two men right on his tail in hot pursuit.
"It’s anybody’s race," says the announcer as the suspense of the race builds. "Can anyone catch [him]?"
The announcer then answers his own question with a resounding yet surprising, "Oh, maybe somebody can. Is that our cameraman?"
Running step for step with the athletes on the grass turf alongside the inner portion of the track is a man carrying a heavy, cumbersome TV camera and filming the race.
The announcer says of the cameraman, "He’s matching [the lead runner] stride for stride! He’s running the whole race with a camera on his shoulder!"
We then see from the running cameraman’s point of view: a shot of the lead runner, looking bewildered in light of the DP’s foot speed.
As the race hits the finish line, the announcer proclaims that while the lead runner has the gold, "the cameraman has the glory."
So what’s the cameraman’s secret? A tag reveals how he gets his edge: "Powerade," as a voiceover relates, "Fuels and re-hydrates to help you get going."
The slogan "Get up, stay up, Powerade" then appears on screen, accompanied by a super that identifies Powerade as the official sports drink of the Olympic Games.
This European spot was helmed by the directorial duo of Jake & Jim—Jake-Sebastian Wynne and James Canty—via Exposure Films, London, for Wieden+Kennedy (W+K), Amsterdam. Jake & Jim are repped stateside by bicoastal HSI Productions. Exposure Films is affiliated with HSI.
The W+K creative team consisted of creative director/art director Frank Hahn, copywriter Tim Wolfe and producer Annabelle Meyer.
Juliette Larthe produced for Exposure Films, with Gay Lombard serving as production manager. The spot was filmed on location at Greenpoint Stadium, Cape Town, by DP Mel Griffiths. Facilitating the shoot was production services company McKenzie Rudolphe Film Services, Cape Town. Mark Upton was the line producer for McKenzie Rudolphe.
Editor was Suzy Davis of Final Cut, London. Online editor/colorist was Simon Huhtala at Clear Post Production, London. Audio post mixer was Alex Nicholls-Lee of Scramble Sound, London.
