Talk about wracking up yardage on the gridiron. This Nike tour de force follows two star players as they do their thing in what appears to be one sequence–but traversing multiple playing fields against different teams, in different weather and during different times of the day.
The first featured performer is San Diego Chargers defender Shawne Merriman who we see sack a quarterback but he doesn’t stop there. He keeps on pursuing to then stop a running back–from a different team in another game at another stadium–in his tracks, and then yet another runner and so on. His continuous relentless action takes us from one game to the next, from day to night.
Then the focus shifts to St. Louis Rams’ running back Steven Jackson, who bounces off an offensive teammate hit by Merriman. We then see Jackson strut his stuff, making incredible moves to elude defenders from different teams, from one field and one game to the next, in sunny and inclement weather, day and night. Finally he’s confronted by a group of big burly Pittsburgh Steeler defenders who gang tackle him but can’t bring the back down. Jackson keeps pumping his legs and eventually breaks through to reach out and put the football over the goal line for a touchdown.
Then supered against a dark backdrop is a simple message: “Leave Nothing,” followed by the Nikefootball.com website address.
The :60 was directed by feature filmmaker Michael Mann via Alturas Redfish Films, Venice, Calif., for Wieden+Kennedy, Portland, Ore.
Marshall Rawlings exec produced for Alturas with Leslie Vaughn serving as producer.
The Wieden team included executive creative directors Steve Luker and Jelly Helm, creative director/copywriter Alberto Ponte, creative director Jeff Williams, copywriter Ari Weiss, art director Ryan O’Rourke, executive producer Ben Grylewicz and producer Kevin Diller.
Visual effects house was Asylum, Santa Monica.
Editor was Haines Hall of bicoastal Spot Welders.
Review: Director Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked”
It's the ultimate celebrity redemption tour, two decades in the making. In the annals of pop culture, few characters have undergone an image makeover quite like the Wicked Witch of the West.
Oh, she may have been vengeful and scary in "The Wizard of Oz." But something changed — like, REALLY changed — on the way from the yellow brick road to the Great White Way. Since 2003, crowds have packed nightly into "Wicked" at Broadway's Gershwin Theatre to cheer as the green-skinned, misunderstood Elphaba rises up on her broomstick to belt "Defying Gravity," that enduring girl-power anthem.
How many people have seen "Wicked"? Rudimentary math suggests more than 15 million on Broadway alone. And now we have "Wicked" the movie, director Jon M. Chu's lavish, faithful, impeccably crafted (and nearly three-hour) ode to this origin story of Elphaba and her (eventual) bestie — Glinda, the very good and very blonde. Welcome to Hollywood, ladies.
Before we get to what this movie does well (Those big numbers! Those costumes!), just a couple thornier issues to ponder. Will this "Wicked," powered by a soulful Cynthia Erivo (owner of one of the best singing voices on the planet) and a sprightly, comedic, hair-tossing Ariana Grande, turn even musical theater haters into lovers?
Tricky question. Some people just don't buy into the musical thing, and they should be allowed to live freely amongst us. But if people breaking into song delights rather than flummoxes you, if elaborate dance numbers in village squares and fantastical nightclubs and emerald-hued cities make perfect sense to you, and especially if you already love "Wicked," well then, you will likely love this film. If it feels like they made the best "Wicked" movie money could buy — well, it's... Read More