A silly joke calls our attention to a serious health issue in this PSA directed by Tim Abshire of Backyard, Venice, Calif.
We open on two dorky guys, both a bit overweight, standing in a residential driveway. One is holding a large oddly shaped hunk of concrete. He asks his cohort, “Do you know what this is?”
“No” is the response.
The first guy then proceeds to clunk the other man in the head with the concrete.
The impact elicits a relatively quiet “Ow” from the bewildered victim, who rubs his head.
A supered message relates the simple truth, “What you don’t know can hurt you.”
This is followed by a serious super, which reads, “Learn more about the link between obesity and heart disease.”
An end tag logo for the American Obesity Task Force (AOTF) then appears on screen, accompanied by a Web site address, obesityrisk.org. The Web site takes visitors to links about diet, scientific research and other info that can help reduce weight and cholesterol.
The PSA’s creative silliness is heightened by a live-action approach akin to cartoon-like violence. Getting clocked by a hunk of concrete that hard and big should normally have resulted in considerable pain, if not an outright concussion and/or the victim being knocked unconscious. Instead the guy lets out a rather subdued, matter-of-fact “Ow,” and tends to the “injury” by merely rubbing the side of his head.
Freelancer Lisa Leone served as creative director on “Ow.”
Director Abshire was backed by a Backyard support team that included executive producer Kris Mathur and producer Kyra Shelgren. The DP was Peter Selesnick.
Editor was John Dingfield of Cutters, Chicago. Colorist was Craig Leffel of Optimus, Chicago. Audio post mixer was Ben Keller of Another Country, Chicago.
The End of The “Rust” Criminal Case Against Alec Baldwin May Unlock A Civil Lawsuit
The conclusion of a criminal case against Alec Baldwin in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer clears the way for a related civil lawsuit by relatives of the deceased woman and efforts to depose the actor under oath, attorneys for plaintiffs in the civil suit said Tuesday.
At a news conference in Los Angeles, victims' rights attorney Gloria Allred said that the parents and younger sister of deceased cinematographer Halyna Hutchins were disappointed that prosecutors won't appeal the dismissal of an involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin. The criminal charge against Baldwin was dismissed halfway through trial in July on allegations that police and prosecutors withheld evidence from the defense.
Hutchins died shortly after being wounded during a rehearsal in the movie "Rust" in October 2021 at a film-set ranch on the outskirts of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Baldwin, the lead actor and coproducer, was pointing a pistol at Hutchins when it discharged, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has said he pulled back the hammer — but not the trigger — and the revolver fired.
Allred said Hutchins' relatives are determined to pursue damages and compensation from Baldwin and "Rust" producers in New Mexico civil court, and want Baldwin to answer questions under oath in the proceedings. Hutchins' widower and son previously reached a separate legal settlement.
"With the withdrawal that was made public yesterday, we are now able to proceed with our civil case," Allred said. "Clearly, the rights of Alec Baldwin were protected, but the due process rights of the victims — Halyna Hutchins and her parents and her sister — were violated."
Allred said she's ready to prove that Hutchins had a close relationship... Read More