AJ Bleyer of above + beyond films directed this spot featuring beatboxer/musician Reggie Watts musically demonstrating the benefits of Firefox’s new, faster browser.
The premise has two Reggies in the (split) picture–one a slow, bored Watts waiting for an even slower browser to do its thing. The other, a hyper-energetic Watts, is in the fast Firefox environ where there’s little wait time to load a file, Eventually slow Watts moves over to join his speedy counterpart and the fast responsive browser fun of crafting an improv song and message on the fly is thoroughly enjoyed by both.
Credits
Client Mozilla/Firefox Production above + beyond films, Playa Vista, Calif. AJ Bleyer, director/DP; Ashley Hydrick, Beth Aranda, co-founders/exec producers; Rebecca Donaghe, producer. Editorial Cut+Run, San Francisco Pete Koob, editor; Deanne Mehling, exec producer; Brady Fiero, producer. Color Mission Film & Design Chris Martin, colorist. Flame/Online Jogger Matt Trivan, Flame artist. Audio Post One Union, San Francisco Matt Wood, engineer.
Following World AIDS Day, which was celebrated on December 1, co-production companies Central Films and Freelance For track one man’s existential, and potentially career-altering, decision to “come out” as living with HIV in Spain in this public service spot titled “The HInVisible Celebrity.”
Out of agency Señora Rushmore for ViiV Healthcare Spain, in collaboration with GESIDA, SEISIDA, and Apoyo Positivo, the PSA--directed by Rodrigo García Sáiz via Central Films Spain--addresses the stigma against publicly living with HIV in Spanish society. In the more than 40 years since the first case of HIV appeared in Spain, no public figure in Spain has claimed to have HIV. Viiv Healthcare Spain asks, if there are 150,000 people with HIV in Spain (or approximately 1 in 300), why don’t we know anyone with HIV?
The central character, who dons a mask of television-pixelated anonymity, gives himself an introspective pep-talk ahead of announcing his status to the Spanish public. Along the way, he wonders what will become of his career, and reputation in general, even as he recognizes that his declaration could change Spain’s cultural landscape for the better and for all of those in Spain who live with HIV every day. As no public figure in Spain has ever announced living with HIV--due to fear of public rejection--this character realizes that such a role model could change that.
The character has already begun building social media awareness with his Instagram profile, @famosoinvihsible, which began cataloging his life as a public figure earlier this fall. Still, though, the figure either leaves himself out of the picture, faces away from the camera, or dons the pixelated mask associated with anonymous admission. “The HInVisible... Read More
