Jasper Gray of Futuristic Films directed this PSA for ad agency TDA_Boulder which opens on model rocket materials laid out across a table. As the spot progresses, the gentle, soothing voice of a man can be heard discussing how much he enjoys sharing the hobby with a young person.
Moments later, the camera jumps back, showing that the table is clearly within a prison environment–and the speaker, whose face is distorted by pixelation, is sitting behind it in a jumpsuit. He tells viewers, “It’s not easy to identify a pedophile. You just spent 20 seconds with one.”
A female voiceover intervenes, relating that to learn more about how to protect your children from sexual abuse, visit blueskybridge.com. Blue Sky Bridge is the only victim assistance agency in Boulder County, Colorado, that provides forensic services to children for whom abuse or neglect is reported, as well as counseling and other support services for non-offending family members.
The organization notes that child abuse remains a serious problem in Boulder County and throughout the state of Colorado. Research indicates that as many as 1 of every 4 girls and 1 of every 6 boys are sexually abused before age 18. In Boulder County, it is estimated that two new children are sexually abused every day.
Creation of the spot took about a year, and required assistance by Boulder County District Attorney Stan Garnett and cooperation from the Colorado Department of Corrections. Correctional staff helped identify potential offenders to appear in the spot, who were interviewed to determine suitability. TDA_Boulder filmed the ad during a single day at the correctional facility in Caรฑon City where the offender is housed. Assisting on the spot were agency producer Alli Gerrish and account executive Stephanie Hearon.
The ad is airing now on cable television through Comcast Colorado, after which it will be rolled out to other interested child advocacy centers around the state and across the country.
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.
โWe found Claudia through her poignant documentaries on the festival circuit,โ said SUPERLATIVE creative manager Stefan Dezil. โWe 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.โ
Abend began her career in her native Uruguay, studying film and editing in college. โMy dad would show me films like Citizen Kane,โ she said. โI love cinema and became an editor. It was here that I learned all about communicating human emotion.โ
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