This PSA titled “Mentors” juxtaposes two scenarios involving the game of chess: one stark and foreboding, in which black pieces knock one another off the board, and a brighter, more hopeful vision of a Black mentor and mentee playing the game in the light of day. Produced by Commercial Directing Film School and directed by alumnus Devin Jordan, “Mentors” was created for Holistic Evolution, serving young men of color aged 16-24 in Northwest Indiana. Creative director Dan Councilor of Leo Burnett Detroit lent his services to the project, as did DP Ben Brady, editor Susan Munro of Hybrid Collective, Aurastan Music Design, and Nice Shoes.
“As a Black father and director born and raised in Atlanta, I’ve seen first hand how not having a positive male role model can affect younger Black men,” said Jordan. “When I found out about Holistic Evolution, I was immediately on board to help my community, because our kids are the future leaders of tomorrow.”
Jordan Brady, whose Filmmaker’s Diversity program has awarded Commercial Directing Bootcamp scholarships to 15 filmmakers from underserved communities since 2015, said, “I met (Holistic Evolution founder) Esther Lewis on the web while just trying to be an ally supporting Black-owned businesses. When Devin told me he was cutting his teeth helping Black businesses hurt by the pandemic, this project was a no-brainer. So I produced with Devin at the helm. I’m so grateful to be able to help a non-profit that’s making change in young men’s lives on a local level.”
For Councilor, the PSA was a chance to honor the mentorship he had received in the past. “Holistic Evolution is an organization I felt good about working with, because I know in my own life there were a few people who helped set me on the right path and helped me set and achieve goals,” he said. “I still think about those people today. It’s very important to give back and I saw this as a small opportunity to do that.” Creatively, Councilor embraced the challenge of “talking about violence without actually showing it,” which led to the evolution of the chess analogy.
Starr Session, exec producer of Hybrid Collective, added, “As a women-owned and diversely staffed editorial company, we are proud to stand behind Holistic Evolution in their efforts to support our young Black men in America.”
For Jordan Brady, the project served as a guiding light for his own efforts mentoring commercial filmmakers. His Commercial Directing Film School alumni have variously gone on to secure commercial representation, garner trade press for their spot work, and receive nominations for the Cannes Young Director Award and other honors. Commercial Directing Film School is now curating an Alumni Showcase, and Brady is proud that the school produced a spot for a new director in support of a good cause.
“Helping a noble nonprofit that mentors at-risk young men, while creating an opportunity for an emerging director? That’s a win-win-win!” he said.
