We open on the output of a photocopier, first seeing it spit out a pie chart of annual expenditures and then something quite non-business and relaxing–a color photo of a beautiful mountainscape.
Two employees in the copier room chat about the pic, a scenario that seems rather mundane until you factor in that they are both reptile-like aliens from outer space. Heightening the humor is that their appearance is treated as nothing out of the ordinary as the two carry on a matter-of-fact conversation, with the female alien explaining that the photo is from a mountain retreat in New Mexico that her significant other took her to last week.
The male alien then asks, “Didn’t you call in sick last week?”
The woman alien retorts, “Do you really need to go there?” She advises her fellow employee to get a life.
He somewhat sheepishly yet sarcastically answers that maybe he will.
A tagline links in the extraterrestrial angle, billing New Mexico as “the best place in the universe.”
“Personal Day” is one of two offbeat spots in the campaign directed by Matt Aselton of bicoastal Epoch Films for M&C Saatchi, Los Angeles.
Jerry Solomon executive produced for Epoch, with John Duffin serving as producer. The DP was Tami Reiker.
The M&C Saatchi ensemble consisted of creative director Martin Dix, copywriter Craig Ghiglione, art director Jay Gundzik and producer Wendi Weger.
Visual effects house was Ring of Fire, Santa Monica. Editor was Adam Parker of Chrome, Santa Monica.
Michelle Satter To Be Honored At Sundance Film Festival Gala
The nonprofit Sundance Institute today announced details for the 2025 Sundance Film Festival’s gala fundraiser, Celebrating Sundance Institute, which will take place on Friday, January 24, 2025 at the Grand Hyatt Deer Valley in Utah. The event will be an evening in celebration of Michelle Satter, founding sr. director of artist programs at Sundance Institute, for her longstanding commitment to nurturing artists and cultivating independent film through the Sundance Labs, where visionary artists convene to develop groundbreaking projects through an in-depth creative process, for the past four decades. The annual Vanguard Awards will be presented during the evening to Sean Wang, writer and director of Dìdi, and Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie, co-directors of Sugarcane, who premiered their films at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.
The annual gala enables the nonprofit to raise funds to support independent artists year-round through labs, grants, and public programming that nurture artists from all over the world. The 2025 event is made possible with the generous support of Google TV. The Festival will take place from January 23–February 2, 2025, in person in Park City and Salt Lake City, with a selection of titles available online from January 30–February 2, 2025 for audiences across the country to discover bold independent storytelling.
“For over four decades Michelle has been devoted to truly championing independent storytellers,” said Amanda Kelso, acting CEO of Sundance Institute. “She has encouraged artists to own their voice, learn their craft, become fierce leaders, and develop their resilience in our changing ecosystem. Her life-long commitment to supporting artists, especially in underrepresented... Read More