Two Hollywood stars, six NBA players and a hip hop sound track combine to communicate a strong message about AIDS testing in a PSA produced by HBO in association with the NBA, the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDs and the Kaiser Family Foundation. The PSA runs at www.testing411.org and YouTube and is playing on air at NBA TV, BET and MTV.
The :60 “AIDS Testing PSA” is narrated by Jamie Foxx with Queen Latifah and the NBA stars providing remarks about how important it is to get tested for AIDS. The NBA stars include Richard Jefferson, Lamar Odom, Luke Walton, Samuel Dalembert, Kyle Korver and Marcus Williams.
Testing a microphone provided the theme for the spot. “Testing, testing 1-2, we took it across into AIDS testing,” said Chris Spencer, HBO’s senior vice president/general manager of creative services, who directed the spot.
The spot begins with a shot of a microphone and Jamie Foxx and Queen Latifah saying, “Testing, testing.” Then it moves to the basketball courts, with the NBA stars in action, offering comments on AIDS testing as they take it to the hoop.
The spot was shot in locations around the country to accommodate the cast, from New Jersey, Philadelphia and Los Angeles, where the NBA stars play, to Shreveport, LA, where Queen Latifah was located.
The spot was shot with a wide frame Super 16 mm camera, Spencer said.
“We had really good people and cool shots, but we needed a unifying force to pull it together,” he said. The answer — a hip hop track from Rhythm Cafe/Chicago, the music production company, that was produced by Jim Olen, composed by Stevie Butler, starring hip hop legend Doug E. Fresh as the lead vocalist. The lyrics include, “Get on the ball, get tested,” which unifies the basketball theme with the AIDS message. “We’re doing all we can to get the word out, we wanted something energetic and non-stop to bring home the fact that there’s no fear and no shame in getting tested,” Olen said. “When I heard the track, I knew it would be good,” Spencer said.
The spot began playing on June 13 and was timed to lead up to National HIV Testing Day, June 27. The website provides information on testing options and a database on HIV testing centers.
Director Hans Emanuel Joins Caviar For Commercials and Music Videos
Production company Caviar has signed director Hans Emanuel for U.S. commercial and music video representation. The film and advertising director fuses his keen--and Berlinale Film Festival Award-winning--eye for cinematic storytelling with a commercial background across multiple genres including beauty, automotive, dance, and visual effects-heavy projects, to produce creative for clients like Kia, Nivea, Nissan, L’Oreal, BMW and more.
Caviar executive producer Salim El Arja noted, “Hans has a unique ability to blend stunning visuals with heart and humor, rooted in his confidence as a craftsman. This allows him to focus on drawing exceptional performances from actors--including celebrities--and crafting films that are not only visually striking but also deeply engaging and often hilariously comedic. His sensibilities align perfectly with Caviar’s vision, and we’re excited to collaborate with him on work that pushes creative boundaries.”
Emanuel added, “Caviar is a renowned name, certainly since I began my career. They have a solid reputation for quality work, and I’ve always respected them as a company. Life is about where destiny makes you flow with the people you need; thanks to a series of projects, I was introduced to Florence Jacob with Caviar Paris first, and the rest is history. I feel they can support my career growth with their comedic expertise and filmmaking prowess.”
Prior to joining Caviar, Emanuel had been repped by production house Stadium. He was born and raised in Santa Monica, Calif., to a Mexican-German mother, benefiting from a culturally diversified upbringing that carried through his education interests. Knowing he wanted to be a filmmaker from the start, he began his career in the luxury and beauty field,... Read More