This web spot is a dramatization that tells the real-life story of a child who witnessed the murder of his mother and how he came to deal with that loss and trauma. The boy, whom the spot identifies as Luther (not the real child’s name but one used for this dramatization), shuts himself off from the world but gradually over time re-enters society with the help of a therapist/counselor from Childsavers, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping children with developmental and emotional issues. Luther’s story is told through the eyes and voice of his Childsavers’ therapist.
This web piece is actually part two of a cross-platform campaign, the first component being a TV spot that sets up a story about a child facing a specific challenge. Then at the end of the spot, viewers are prompted to go to childsavers.org to see what has become of the child and how he or she is coping with adversity. “Luther” is one of four children whose individual stories are told in this two-pronged media campaign which was directed and edited by Jack Hartmann of Studio 108 in Richmond, Va., for Burford Advertising, Richmond.
Studio 108’s full-service approach to production, editing, audio mixing and music allowed its team to meet the challenge of a tight deadline and limited budget. Director/editor Hartmann, DP Graham Copeland, and producer Ula Wozniak worked as a unit, carefully planning the logistics of the production.
Hartmann directed a total of 33 scenes for the four spots in a single day. The interviews with the therapists were shot at Studio 108 in its in-house studio on the second day, and a third day was dedicated to shooting interior and exterior scenes with the kids at three locations in Richmond.
Studio 108 used two cameras to create a documentary-like feel. DP Graham Copeland lensed the wide shots with the Canon 5D and Anna Kolantis operated the B-camera, a Canon 7D, fitted with close-up lens.
Disney Pledges $15 million In L.A. Fire Aid As More Celebs Learn They’ve Lost Their Homes
The Pacific Palisades wildfires torched the home of "This Is Us" star Milo Ventimiglia, perhaps most poignantly destroying the father-to-be's newly installed crib.
CBS cameras caught the actor walking through his charred house for the first time, standing in what was once his kitchen and looking at a neighborhood in ruin. "Your heart just breaks."
He and his pregnant wife, Jarah Mariano, evacuated Tuesday with their dog and they watched on security cameras as the flames ripped through the house, destroying everything, including a new crib.
"There's a kind of shock moment where you're going, 'Oh, this is real. This is happening.' What good is it to continue watching?' And then at a certain point we just turned it off, like 'What good is it to continue watching?'"
Firefighters sought to make gains Friday during a respite in the heavy winds that fanned the flames as numerous groups pledged aid to help victims and rebuild, including a $15 million donation pledge from the Walt Disney Co.
More stars learn their homes are gone
While seeing the remains of his home, Ventimiglia was struck by a connection to his "This Is Us" character, Jack Pearson, who died after inhaling smoke in a house fire. "It's not lost on me life imitating art."
Mandy Moore, who played Ventimiglia's wife on "This Is Us," nearly lost her home in the Eaton fire, which scorched large areas of the Altadena neighborhood. She said Thursday that part of her house is standing but is unlivable, and her husband lost his music studio and all his instruments.
Mel Gibson's home is "completely gone," his publicist Alan Nierob confirmed Friday. The Oscar winner revealed the loss of his home earlier Friday while appearing on Joe Rogan's... Read More