What opens both appearing and sounding very much like a National Geographic-esque nature film with hawks soaring majestically in formation over a breathtaking city turns into something quite different once the birds reach their destination.
A narrator introduces us to these hawks who migrate from Canada to Latin America for the warm weather. Once they arrive, though, their behavior deteriorates due to distractions all around in their new habitat. We see their formation fall into disarray. They fly haphazardly, careening into each other.
At night, a flock of hawks gathers around two battling insects in a seedy scene akin to folks watching and wagering on cock fighting.
While the voiceover continues in the same analytical deadpan nature documentary tone, we see further examples of the hawks acting like college kids on spring break–shirking responsibilities, carousing all day and night, and descending into varied forms of decadence, including promiscuity. Even the hawks’ diet takes a dramatic turn for the worse–from nutritious fruits and leaves to high doses of saturated fats in the form of fast food snacks such as chips.
A new undesirable ecosystem has emerged. For instance, with the birds’ mating rituals altered, the birth of baby hawks is on the exponential rise with nests everywhere. The overflowing hawk population also has little or no parental guidance as the adult Alpha Male hawks spend long nights away from the nests.
And the issuing of a caveat for cars is clearly needed as massive droppings plummet from above.
Many hawks ultimately decide to make their migration a one-way trip. Their staying in Latin America represents a social phenomenon which the narrator describes in scientific terms as “F-bleep” Canada.”
The tongue-in-cheek, offbeat, strangely witty yet raunchy humor in this story gives way to a super which reads, “Finally a TV channel as serious as we are. Comedy Central. Now in Latin America.”
“Comedy Continent” Directed by Bryan Buckley of Hungry Man, this satiric network promo titled “Hawks” is part of a “Comedy Continent” campaign from Wieden+Kennedy S�o Paulo, Brazil, reflecting the self-deprecating humor of the Latin American market. “Hawks” is the second film conceived by W+K for the “Comedy Continent” campaign. The first came last summer: the Buckley-directed “Siesta” which also earned inclusion into “The Best Work You May Never See” gallery.
Sean Saylor, Comedy Central’s VP Creative, said, “The concept of ‘Comedy Continent’ allows us to start a dialogue with our audience, by having a social commentary on the funny aspects of living in such a colorful region as Latin America and Brazil.”
