Copywriter Andrei Chahine and art director Ryan Stotts of Cramer-Krasselt, Chicago, have won Optimus’ second annual One Shot contest. The up-and-coming agency team garners two major prizes. For starters, their winning concept designed to promote disaster relief nonprofit foundation ShelterBox will be produced from beginning to end by Optimus, Chicago, and its in-house production arm ONE. Furthermore, Optimus will then buy local airtime for the finished commercial, giving meaningful marketplace exposure to the work.
Though only in year two, One Shot already has a tradition to live up to based on the inaugural competition’s winning spot–an Optimus promo entitled “Done”–which went on to not only gain inclusion in SHOOT’s “The Best Work You May Never See” gallery but also a slot for its helmer, ONE’s Alex Anderson, in SHOOT’s 2009 New Directors Showcase.
Production/post house Optimus and its marketing agency Scott & Victor, Chicago, devised and developed “One Shot” which recognizes promising Chicago advertising creative talent with five years or less experience. A One Shot call went out again this year to up-and-coming, Chicago-based creatives to elicit their concepts based on a creative brief.
This time around the client is ShelterBox, an organization which since its inception in 2001 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. That 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.
Chahine and Stotts submitted a concept based on various other uses for the box after its initial deployment is wrapped and its purpose fulfilled.
“The concept for our script was based on the idea that most charity organizations wish that they didn’t have to exist,” related Chahine. “We thought that, for the people at ShelterBox, what’s really rewarding is when they are no longer needed. Also, we knew we wanted to use the actual ShelterBox in the script, as it is an icon for this organization.”
Stotts explained, “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.”
Chahine and Stotts’ entry was selected by judges from Optimus, Scott & Victor, and ShelterBox. The Cramer-Krasselt duo’s win is all the more impressive in light of One Shot receiving twice as many submissions in ’09 as compared to the prior year.
Tom Duff, president of Optimus, noted that the increase in entries was due to several factors, including momentum carrying over from year one, and a push to encourage ad agencies to seek out not just their own artisans, including junior staffers, but also freelancers they collaborate with. Duff noted that a conscious decision was made to reach out to freelance creatives in the Windy City.
“The quality of the submitted concepts was excellent,” said Duff, “and they came from a wide range of talent.” Ultimately, though, continued Duff, Chahine and Stotts’ well-crafted message won out. “The copy was excellent, describing the reach and volume of ShelterBox in so few words,” assessed Duff. “And the visuals to accompany it were ingenious, showcasing the resilience of people who are victims of disasters.”
ONE’s Mehdi Zollo is slated to direct the ShelterBox spot. Shooting should get underway sometime in October, with editorial and post the following month, and hopefully an on-air debut by the end of ’09.
Gene Hackman Tributes Pour In From Francis Ford Coppola, Viola Davis, Clint Eastwood and Paul Feig, Among Others
Director Francis Ford Coppola, actor Viola Davis, director Paul Feig and and actor-director Clint Eastwood are among those paying tribute to Gene Hackman after his death at age 95. Hackman, his wife Betsy Arakawa and their dog were found dead in their New Mexico home, authorities said Thursday.
"The loss of a great artist, always cause for both mourning and celebration: Gene Hackman a great actor, inspiring and magnificent in his work and complexity, I mourn his loss, and celebrate his existence and contribution." โ Francis Ford Coppola on Instagram.
"There was no finer actor than Gene. Intense and instinctive. Never a false note. He was also a dear friend whom I will miss very much." โ actor-director Clint Eastwood in a statement.
"He was a tough nut, Gene Hackman, but he was really good and he was really difficult. Like, we can say it now, but he was a tough guy because older great actors do not give young directors much of a chance. They're really rough on 'em." โ Bill Murray, recounting to The Associated Press Thursday how Hackman worked on the set of the "Royal Tenenbaums," including doing multiple takes flawlessly when other performers didn't nail the scene. "He was a great one. He was a great actor."
"We have lost a true legend. The magnificent Gene Hackman has passed away. A man whose breath of talent was immeasurable. Growing up on his movies was an absolute thrill for me. To observe his remarkable facility and humanity in every role was something to behold. Whatever film he was in, he made it better. A force of nature like no other and as such there will never be another like him." โ actor Cary Elwes.
"The greatest ... " โ director Edgar Wright on X.
"So awful. Gene was such an inspiration to so many of... Read More