Laurence Thrush, who is repped by Splendid & Co. in the U.S., directed, wrote and edited this spot for Blindsquare, a GPS navigation app for the blind. Shot in Finland, the :60 was shot in Finland and produced through Helsinki-based Directors Guild and Thrush’s own company, Growth Films.
The spot shows a blind lad on a lengthy commute to meet up with friends–a trip he is easily able to navigate thanks to Blindsquare.
The commercial came about due to a feature documentary Thrush has been working on for the past couple of years titled A Different Light which is based on the design and construction of a school for visually impaired and hearing impaired students in Finland.
“In the process of making this documentary I noticed just how many of the blind students relied on this iPhone app–Blindsquare–to navigate and get around. It was one of those products that I saw truly make a huge difference to these children’s lives. I was really impressed with the app and found out that, coincidentally, the designer of the app – Ilkka Pirttimaa, was also based in Finland. So I contacted the designer and wrote this commercial for Blindsquare, and one of the students that I met while shooting the documentary appears in the spot.”
The spot aired in Finland.
CreditsClient Blindsquare Production Growth Films, Directors Guild Laurence Thrush, director/writer/editor (represented as a director by Splendid & Co in the U.S.); Gary Young, DP. Postproduction Encore Video Rajiv Bedi, colorist. Music/Sound Design Samy Kramer
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