The Salvation Army Haiti has been serving communities throughout the country for more than 60 years. To highlight The Salvation Army’s ongoing commitment to the country, made deeper and more strident since the devastating earthquake in 2010, The Richards Group and a production crew led by Lucky 21 director Jeff Bednarz, traveled to Haiti to film the Army’s operations and the people touched by the organization. The result is a documentary short that is illuminating and moving.
The Salvation Army’s Haiti Division is headquartered in Port-au-Prince, the country’s ravaged capital, which is where the project’s principal filming took place. Over eight days they traversed rough roads and documented the people and places across the country that are connected by and to the Salvation Army Haiti. The Army, part of the fabric of the nation, oversees 48 schools serving nearly 12,000 students, a primary healthcare and nutrition center, a children’s home, a hospital and dispensary, and HIV/AIDS programming.
“Everywhere we traveled beauty, pride in culture, and respect for community was abundant,” recalled director Bednarz. “We wanted to make a film that brought to light healing and empowerment inspired through their work. There are numerous challenges faced but the overarching feeling connected with The Salvation Army is one of hope. There are no shoulders slumped–they’ve been working and helping side-by-side with the Haitian people for over 50 years. I’ve worked on many projects for The Salvation Army and it was on this trip that the name Army resonated–they are fighting to heal, provide and protect.”
Danny Bryan, brand creative, The Richards Group noted, “We weren’t sure what to expect. But it wouldn’t have mattered. The reality of life in Haiti is more extreme than what you can ever imagine. Not just in the amount of poverty and hunger and need, but in the amount of resilience and fortitude and hope. And The Salvation Army is right in the thick of it all. What we found through our interviews and observations is that The Salvation Army isn’t there just fixing problems, they’re helping empower an entire country, one person at a time.”
As part of the project, Jeff Bednarz, DP Mark Thomas, and art director Ian Kasnoff took still photographs of the people they met on the trip. The portraits focus attention on the people they encountered on the unique trip, and will be on display at a gallery exhibition this spring. Proceeds from the sales of the prints will benefit Salvation Army Haiti.
CreditsClient The Salvation Army Agency The Richards Group Todd McArtor, Dan Case, art directors; Danny Bryan, writer; Diane Fannon, principal; Bridget Fontenot, producer. Production Lucky 21 Jeff Bednarz, director: Mike Patton, producer; Mark Thomas, DP; John Gilliland, exec producer; Ian Kasnoff, art director. Post FastCuts Editorial Jason Agnew, editor
Top Spot of the Week: Morrisons, Leo Burnett UK, Director Michael Gracey Present “The Greatest Show at Home” For Christmas
Morrisons, the U.K. supermarket and convenience store chain, has released its new Christmas ad, which presents “The Greatest Show at Home,” paying tribute to the hosts who put on the feasts which are the centerpiece of family get-togethers. Created by Leo Burnett UK and directed by Michael Gracey via production house Partizan, this :60 opens on a snowy evening, with a Morrisons delivery van arriving at a home. Inside, a lone oven glove catches a spotlight and springs to life, beginning to sing the opening line of “Give a Little Love.” As the ad progresses, we are taken on a journey through a series of festive kitchens, where the gloves provide moral support to hosts preparing for the big day.
The much-loved singing gloves, of course, have been a staple of Morrisons holiday cheer. And their new performance is set to the soundtrack of the aforementioned “Give a Little Love” from Bugsy Malone, recorded by a choir of 26 Morrisons colleagues at Abbey Road Studios--with talent spotted from across Morrisons stores, manufacturing sites and support office. The soundtrack sets the tone with the feel-good energy and celebratory warmth of a big “musical” production finale.
The gloves, now fully animated with distinct voices, sing their support for the nation’s family chefs--encouraging them as they prepare an array of indulgent Christmas dishes. From British turkeys and beautifully presented whole salmon, to party food from The Bestrange and indulgent desserts, the ad places Morrisons food front and center, offering a feast for the eyes as well as the table.
Gracey--who directed the feature The Greatest Showman--combines the playful charm of the oven gloves with a theatrical flair, giving the commercial a sense of... Read More