We open outside of a tobacco company with two young adults setting jugs labeled “benzene,” “arsenic” and “cyanide” (among other dangerous chemicals) on a table; all are ingredients found in cigarettes. One teen suggests that “with so many poisons in cigarettes, it’s like these tobacco companies hate us or something.” The other youth shakes his head and responds that it could be something else; it could be that the tobacco companies “love us. It’s just, like… Tough Love.”
At that point the two youths, joined by tough-looking animated cupids, break into a song and dance routine sarcastically extolling the many ways Big Tobacco shows its “Tough Love” to smokers. The two original youths then strip away their clothes to reveal skeleton costumes. Joining in the musical interlude are people in wheelchairs, hooked up to respirators–symbolizing the toll tobacco use takes on people’s health. The song’s lyrics point out that there’s no better way to build character through tough love than to see loved ones die.
“Tough Love”–for which there are :60 and :30 versions–was directed by Tom Kuntz of bicoastal/international MJZ for agencies Arnold, Boston, and Crispin Porter+Bogusky, Miami.
Kate Sutherland produced for MJZ. The DP was Bryan Newman. Choreographer was John Carrafa.
Animation directors were Saul Blinkoff and Elliot Bour of Curious Pictures, New York.
Tom Scherma of bicoastal Cosmo Street edited “Tough Love.”
Flame artist/colorist was Dave Waller of Brickyard VFX, Boston.
Music producer/composer was independent artist David Yazbek. Co-music producers/arrangers were Peter Lurye and Bob Golden.
SUPERLATIVE Signs Director Claudia Abend For Spots and Branded Content
Latin American director/editor and documentary filmmaker Claudia Abend has joined SUPERLATIVE for her first U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded content.
Abend's empathetic docu-style POV has garnered several international awards for the documentary films Hit (2008) and The Flower of Life (2018). Her spotmaking credits include such brands as Procter & Gamble, Nestle and Blue Cross/Blue Shield. SUPERLATIVE has already worked with Abend, together producing a new ad campaign for digital agency Tinuiti and The Honest Company, a consumer goods corporation featuring eco-minded products.
“We found Claudia through her poignant documentaries on the festival circuit,” said SUPERLATIVE creative manager Stefan Dezil. “We are excited about her textured narratives, emotional storytelling, and her powerhouse long-form storytelling abilities, currently on her third feature film. As SUPERLATIVE continues to build our brand after premiering our latest films at Sundance and SXSW, Claudia is the kind of multidimensional artist we are excited to partner with on branded content and beyond. Fluent in English and Spanish, her reel shows real prowess with infants, food and skin products, families both young and old. Great visual storytelling and inspirational doc work.”
Abend began her career in her native Uruguay, studying film and editing in college. “My dad would show me films like Citizen Kane,” she said. “I love cinema and became an editor. It was here that I learned all about communicating human emotion.”
From the get-go, Abend hit it big as a documentary director, teaming with Adrianna Loeff on Hit, a movie chronicling pop artists of Uruguayan music. Abend took home a Best Editing... Read More