Past installments of this column have expressed how gratified we feel when projects recognized in SHOOT–particularly in “The Best Work You May Never See” gallery–go on to gain widespread exposure and acclaim.
But such gratification was taken to another level, going outside our “Best Work” coverage, with a piece we did in the summer of 2003. Titled “Work In Progress,” the story was published in SHOOT in the hope that it would help a worthwhile project become a reality–and now it has.
The project we wrote about was an initiative–consisting of two public service campaigns–designed to raise awareness among young people about the Holocaust. Arnold Worldwide, Boston, and Michael Franzini, then of Public Interest Productions (backed by bicoastal/international @radical.media), were seeking financial support for the project and had put together a pitch book containing storyboards and conceptual strategies.
Their presentation was most impressive and the creative premises compelling. We checked on the progress–or more accurately, the lack thereof–during the ensuing months. But eventually it didn’t seem worth keeping tabs on the initiative anymore in that it appeared to have fallen by the wayside.
However, Franzini was persistent, finally lining up sponsorship and recently directing one of the proposed campaigns on location in Prague with production support from Stillking.
The two spots just debuted on MTV (both on air and online) and are covered in a separate news story in this week’s issue. The campaign is work to be proud of–and Franzini gave SHOOT an extra measure of pride by crediting our initial story with helping to get the project off the ground.
“That coverage legitimized what we were doing,” he said. “It took a long time for us to get the sponsorship we needed but your article meant we didn’t have to start from square one. People read the piece and it made the project seem real to them. It meant a lot as we were pitching for support.”
SHOOT is honored to have had a small hand in bringing this campaign about in that the cause is so important. Franzini and Arnold embarked on the work in light of research findings showing that a large percentage of young Americans don’t even know what the Holocaust was, much less its place in history and its relevance to their lives today.
“We knew this was a vital message that we had to get out so that teenagers would understand the significance of the Holocaust and the lessons we must learn from it,” related Franzini who has formally embarked on a directorial career and is seeking a spot shop roost. “The Arnold team and I were very much inspired creatively by a visit we made in 2003 to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.”
Roger Baldacci, one of the campaign writers, who is an executive VP/creative director at Arnold, said that the campaign’s significance and relevance remain intact despite the long waiting period to get it made. “The creative has stood the test of time,” he assessed. “But more importantly, you could argue that the campaign is even more relevant today given what’s going on in the world.”
“Mufasa: The Lion King” and “Sonic 3” Rule Box Office For 1st Weekend Of 2025
The Walt Disney Co.'s "Mufasa: The Lion King" claimed the No. 1 spot on the North American box office charts over the first weekend of 2025.
The photorealistic "Lion King" prequel earned $23.8 million in its third weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday. Paramount's "Sonic the Hedgehog 3," which has dominated the past two weekends, wasn't far behind.
"Sonic 3" stayed close with a 3-day estimate of $21.2 million, bringing its total domestic earnings to $187.5 million and helping the overall franchise cross $1 billion worldwide. "Mufasa's" running total is slightly less, with $169.2 million.
In third place, Focus Features' "Nosferatu" remake defied the fate of so many of its genre predecessors and fell only 39% in its second weekend. Horror films typically fall sharply after the first weekend and anything less than a 50% decline is notable. "Nosferatu," which added 140 screens, claimed $13.2 million in ticket sales, bringing its running total to $69.4 million since its Christmas debut. The film, directed by Robert Eggers, already surpassed its reported production budget of $50 million, though that figure does not account for marketing and promotion expenses).
No new wide releases opened this weekend, leaving the box office top 10 once again to holdovers from previous weeks. Several have been in theaters since Thanksgiving. One of those, "Moana 2," claimed the No. 4 spot for Disney in its sixth weekend in theaters. The animated sequel earned another $12.4 million, bumping its global total to $960.5 million.
The Bob Dylan biopic "A Complete Unknown," dipped only slightly in its second weekend, bringing in $8.1 million. With $41.7 million total, it's Searchlight's highest grossing film since Disney acquired the company in... Read More