All the world’s a stage–and in this case a Bellawood wooden floor is the platform for a family’s life at home. There’s tapdancing, skateboarding, a toddler discovering peanut butter, an exploding watermelon and a glass that shatters. It’s a messy, joyful existence with beauty and durability under foot.
This brand spot was produced for Big River Advertising through a creative collaboration between Trademarky Films and director Ruben Latre of Hostage Films. Trademarky Films’ producer Mark Meyers sought out a directing partner who could capture the agency concept of a bombastic slice-of-life with a cinematic touch. Meyers, a longtime producer and proponent of a cooperative approach that includes sourcing talent, was inspired by Ruben Latre’s stylized, richly layered reel. Latre’s extensive treatment was the tipping point in the selection.
Latre directed and shot "A Bountiful Life," which was captured on three cameras; the Epic Dragon, the Phantom, and a Blackmagic.
CreditsClient Lumber Liquidators/Bellawood Agency Big River Advertising Fred Moore, president/CEO; Kai Fang, chief creative officer; Dee Briggs, broadcast producer; Geoff Stone, design director; Elizabeth Daniel, associate writer. Production Trademarky Films Mark Meyers, executive producer. Hostage Films Ruben Latre, director/DP/editor/sound designer; Melissa Beth, exec producer. Music Keith Kenniff
Top Spot of the Week: EHRAC, Animation Studio NOMINT Depict Life “In Limbo” As Families Search For Loved Ones
This animated film titled In Limbo depicts the journey of a heroic woman protagonist representing the countless families in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe (where Chechnya is situated) searching for their forcibly disappeared loved ones. Utilizing theatrical elements, the film highlights the unnatural disruption caused by enforced disappearances and delves into the profound trauma these families endure. It emphasizes their long battles with the domestic authorities as they seek answers. The film also underscores the vital role of community support in helping these families cope and continue their fight for answers, serving as a compelling call to action for justice and human rights.
Through intimate storytelling, In Limbo raises awareness of the ongoing uncertainty that leaves families in a perpetual state of limbo, unable to find closure.
Directed by Afterman--the animation duo consisting of Tsvetelina Zdraveva and Jerred North--and created and produced by London-based animation studio NOMINT, In Limbo was commissioned by the European Human Rights Advocacy Centre (EHRAC).
In a joint statement, Zdraveva and North shared, “Our film takes place on a theater stage, highlighting how such tragedies are far removed from ordinary life,” they continued. “The stage is circular, resembling an artificial, perpetually spinning obstacle course, with a target—the red tail lights—just within sight yet never within reach, symbolizing the family’s never-ending quest for justice.”
“We used a limited primary color palette to contrast the two worlds all families are pulled between. Minimalist compositions of starkly silhouetted characters and environments create the ominous atmosphere of a deeply painful and... Read More