About a year ago Mehdi Zollo, a.k.a. Zollo, of ONE at Optimus (the production arm of post house Optimus) earned distinction as one of SHOOT‘s Up-And-Coming Directors in its spring Directors Issue. As we prep for our eighth annual New Directors Showcase, we thought the timing was right to revisit Zollo as he wrapped a spot–the winning concept in the second annual Optimus “One Shot” contest–for the disaster relief nonprofit foundation ShelterBox. Also piquing our interest was the fact that the creative which won the first annual “One Shot” competition yielded an Optimus promo entitled “Done” which earned Zollo’s colleague at ONE, director Alex Anderson, inclusion in SHOOT‘s ’09 New Directors Showcase.
But as it turns out, for reasons transcending our Showcase and “One Shot,” the timing of the ShelterBox PSA, “Results,” is far more relevant than we originally thought in light of the devastating earthquake in Haiti. ShelterBox is among the organizations bringing necessities and comfort to people there. The ShelterBox aid comes in the form of a sturdy, green plastic box containing a 10-person tent and ancillary equipment enabling a family to survive for at least six months.
Copywriter Andrei Chahine and art director Ryan Stotts of Cramer-Krasselt, Chicago, developed the PSA script based on a “One Shot” contest brief prepared by Optimus and its brand communications partner Scott & Victor for ShelterBox. “When we found out about ShelterBox, we knew we wanted to do something to help get the word out about their amazing mission,” said Tom Duff, president of Optimus. “We thought the ‘One Shot’ contest was a perfect way to get creative ideas for a spot.”
The “One Shot” competition was designed to recognize and gain exposure for the work of promising Chicago advertising creative talent with five year or less experience. As winners of the competition, Chahine and Stotts were awarded with a spot that was fully produced, finished and aired by Optimus and ONE. Directed by Zollo and edited by Optimus’ Katherine Pryor, the ShelterBox spot begins airing on Comcast in Chicago on January 25.
“The spot is outstanding–even better than I imagined,” assessed Leslie Diefenbach Hall, communications manager for ShelterBox USA. “The resources contributed by the teams at Optimus, ONE and Cramer-Krasselt will give us the opportunity to reach audiences we wouldn’t have otherwise reached. The spot will help us raise the necessary funds to provide shelter, warmth, and dignity to countless numbers of people who have lost everything. The impact this will have for disaster survivors around the world is immeasurable.”
Since its inception in ’01, ShelterBox has provided aid to more than 800,000 people worldwide in response to earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis, wars, volcano eruptions and other critical emergency situations.
Zollo reflected on ShelterBox, the PSA and its appeal to him personally and professionally.
SHOOT: What attracted you to the PSA? How did you get the opportunity to direct it?
Zollo: The cause and the concept are what drew me in. What ShelterBox does is so worthwhile–and the weight of importance to what they do became even greater after we finished the spot with the world events in Haiti.
As for the concept, John Noble [ONE exec producer/managing director] came to me with the project to see if I was interested. The concept is different from the typical spot for this kind of organization–instead of dramatically showing what ShelterBox does, we show the aftermath where things have returned to normal and the green boxes have been reduced to everyday utilitarian items.
SHOOT: Yes, we see the box used as a makeshift soccer goal in a pick-up game in Brazil, as a perch for a guy in India to sit on, a storage box on a South American farm and in a Nigerian classroom. Ryan Stotts explained to me, “Once we started discussing the concept of getting back to normal, we knew we were onto something. The ShelterBox becomes just another box in our script, as places affected by disasters have returned to normalcy.” Andrei Chahine said the premise was based on the idea that most charity organizations wish they didn’t have to exist. What’s really rewarding for the people at ShelterBox is when they are no longer needed.
Zollo: That’s what makes the concept so insightful. Yet all the while we feature the box, which is an icon for the organization. And my understanding is that ShelterBox is considering getting additional airtime in other markets for the spot.
This work was particularly gratifying for me in that everyone knows organizations like the Red Cross. Even though it’s been around and successful for awhile, ShelterBox is new to a lot of people. Hopefully our work will promote further awareness of the good they do and that this is an organization worthy of charitable donations.
SHOOT: Where did you shoot the PSA?
Zollo: We had to recreate a classroom in Nigeria, a village in India, capture a South American farm, and a Brazilian field for the soccer game. We ultimately felt that Buenos Aires was the place for all the scenes in terms of both locations and casting. This was my first time shooting in Argentina. ONE produced the job with production support from a production services company there, Nube Pictures.
We shot 16mm film to give it a bit of a grainy documentary feel. Part of what I’ve become known for is a documentary, photojournalistic orientation to some of my work.
SHOOT: Give us a rundown of your other recent projects.
Zollo: I directed a couple of stylish spots for the Marc Ecko clothing line. I’m currently directing a music video for artist Talib Kweli which we’re shooting in Brooklyn. I love the mix of commercials and music videos.
I cannot say enough about how wonderful the ShelterBox experience has been. There’s a humanity to it, and hopefully it will help them help more people.
I should also mention that I was drawn to the [ShelterBox] job by the fact that it came out of the “One Shot” contest for new creative talent in Chicago. Though the contest is only two years old, it has a reputation to live up to as the first year’s spot, “Done,” was not only recognized in SHOOT [“The Best Work You May Never See” gallery and the aforementioned New Directors Showcase] but also won an Emmy [from the Chicago/Midwest chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences].
