By Kristin Wilcha

When tragedies exist in far-off lands, it can at times be difficult in day-to-day life to feel their full devastating impact. This spot brings the landmines issue much closer to home. As a result of constant conflict, there are an estimated 18 million landmines buried in countries through Africa, as well as Cambodia and Afghanistan, among others. The landmines cause thousands of injuries and deaths a year, and also have an economic impact, given that their presence makes it impossible to use land for farming.

“Kick Off,” for the United Nations Landmine Action Committee, effectively and shockingly brings the issue to the forefront. The spot, directed by Kevin Thomas of Thomas Thomas, London, via agency The Brooklyn Brothers, New York, opens on two girls’ soccer teams. The players–around 12 or 13 years old–are getting ready to play, and parents are gathering on the sidelines to cheer their daughters on. The game starts, and one fresh-faced girl scores a goal. As she smiles towards her parents, the idyllic scene, common on playing fields all over the U.S. and Europe, is interrupted by horror. The girl who scored the goal suddenly flies through the air, landing on the ground, presumably dead. Some of her teammates are injured. As the dead girl’s father cradles her body, her mother is held back at the sidelines, as she screams and sobs. A super follows the jarring, shocking imagery: “If there were landmines here, would you stand for them anywhere? Help the U.N. eradicate landmines everywhere.” A Web site address, www.stoplandmines.org, follows.

Guy Barnett, a partner in The Brooklyn Brothers, served as copywriter on the spot, as well as on two others, which use footage of farmers in Cambodia and Afghanistan talking about the inability to cultivate land studded with mines. Barnett’s partner in the agency, Callum MacGregor, served as art director. Barnett related that agency became involved in the project through Lisa Lesfebvre, who does freelance account work for The Brooklyn Brothers. She knew Richard College, a member of the mine action group at the U.N., which was searching for an agency to help publicize the issue.

Barnett related that using a soccer match as a backdrop was meant to bring the issue of landmines home to people who might otherwise be unaware of the devastation and tragedy caused by the weapons. “So much of these kinds of problems are always focused on faraway places, with people you don’t know, and don’t have that much in common with,” he said. “And we really wanted to make the issue come alive in the minds of people who live in very sophisticated Western countries, specifically the United States–which has yet to sign the treaty banning landmines. — That was one of core audiences, the U.S., so we thought by imagining a scenario where landmines were affecting children’s everyday lives, as they are in other countries. It would bring the importance and horror of having landmines buried in the ground [into people’s minds.]”

Oscar Thomas (no relation to the spot’s director, Kevin Thomas), a senior producer at freelance agency production shop Driver, New York, who initially met MacGregor and Barnett while producing a Xenadrine spot for The Brooklyn Brothers, produced “Kick Off,” and helped secure Kevin Thomas as director. “Kevin is very versatile,” noted Thomas. “I’ve worked with him before, — and he’s one of the most grounded and most intelligent visual storytellers, and I thought he could do the job.”

For his part, director Thomas is pleased with “Kick Off.” “I thought it was a great cause, and a great script,” related Thomas of why he chose to do the ad. Thomas said his biggest concern while shooting was making sure the landmine explosion was as realistic as possible.

Both a :60 and a :90 version of the spot were created, with the latter hopefully running in cinemas. Oscar Thomas noted that the team would like the work to air on a variety of U.S. outlets, including MSNBC, Lifetime and The History Channel. They also hope to gain airplay on the BBC and other international stations.

Additional credits for the project go to Thomas Thomas executive producer Philippa Thomas; DP Brendan Galvin; and producer Ira Brooks. The spots were cut at Crew Cuts, New York, by editor Sabrina Huffman; Kelly Erickner served as assistant editor, and Melanie Klein produced. Tom Poole of The Mill, New York, served as colorist; additional Mill credits go to executive producer Alistair Thompson and producers Wendy Garfinkle, Verity Grantham, and Elisha Levin.

    The online edit was done at FrameStore CFC, New York, by Murray Butler and Maryanne Lauric, under the aegis of managing director Jon Collins. Bill Chesley of bicoastal/international Amber Music created the spot’s sound design; Michelle Curran executive produced, while Kate Gibson produced. Audio post was done at Nutmeg Recording, New York. Chris Fina served as mixer, with Jon Adelman producing. Graphics were created by Loyalkaspar, New York. Credit there goes to creative directors Beat Baudenbacher and David Herbruck. Principal actors were Blair Sams, C.J. Wilson, Zena Gray, Sarah Hyland and Jenna Rae Gaertner.

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