David Findlay wrote and directed this music video for singer and professional skateboarder Austyn Gillette’s latest single “Leaning Into Your Palms.” Featuring acclaimed French actress, model, and journalist Agathe Rouselle, the video tells a tale of human connection as two siblings share a surreal moment out of time.
Findlay–an alum of SHOOT’s 2019 New Directors Showcase–shared that among the prime challenges was the long tracking shot at the end. “We had to be meticulous with the speed of it, how long it lasts and so on, so that it would perfectly fit in the song’s finale. So again, it was a matter of finding the perfect location, and once we had it, a question of rehearsing as best we could in advance. It was indeed all done in camera. A stabilized head was mounted to the front of a pick up truck. On the day I think we shot 6 or so takes. With the help of my 1st AD Brock Newman and the entire team we would review takes on the monitor and jot down precise notes to give to each performer and how to choreograph and time the whole thing. It was a real team effort but the hero here is [DP] Jeremy Cox who on top of framing and coordinating, mounted all these lights, assisted by his team, to create the beautiful silhouette effect.”
Findlay recently joined Farm League for U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded content.
Credits
Client Austyn Gillette Production David Findlay, writer-director; Rebecca Steel, producer, Kind Stranger Productions; Jeremy Cox, DP; Brendan Megannety, production designer; Amy J. Gardner, movement coach; Zauberberg Productions & Solap Pictures, exec producers; Section 80, Farm League & Tim Lynch, Genevieve Andre de la Porte, Ariel Ho Kjar, Miguel Angel de la Gampa, co-producers; Twin Brain Films, Motif LTD, Palm Film, Michael Kuna, associate producers; Owen Walstrom, stunt coordinator; Courtenay Mayes, stylist; Elan Fortin, stylist assistant; Maddy Hermans, hair & makeup artist; Melissa Neilson, additional hair & makeup artist; Anastasia Itkina, production manger; Brock Newman, 1st AD; Dide Su Bilgin, 2nd AD; Zenia Yim, production coordinator; Megan MacAulay, on set props; Michael Maruniak, Tarah Doheny, art assist; Scott Kinnon, set builder/art assist. Casting Vaka Street Casting Katrin Braga, casting; Hailey Poole, casting associate. Editorial Emmy Backman, editor; Sophie Reynolds, Camilla Strandskov & Bacon X, Aryane Fournelle, Camille Julien, Olivia Couchesne & Post-Moderne, Antoine Bourges, Bojan Bodruลพiฤ, Charles Philibert-Thiboutot, Tait Jordan, Dora Prieto & Farhad Ghaderi, Adam Maruniak, editing. Color Grade Sam Gilling, colorist. VFX Yacine Gueddari, Alexandre Frรฉchette. Cast Austyn Gillette, Agathe Rousselle, Rebecca Steele, Lincoln Cann, Aralyn Walker, Ben Stephenson, Suge Blanco, Cedric Cox
Stain remover Vanish presents this emotional short film--created by BETC Havas, Sao Paulo, and produced by LOBO--that explores the profound consequences of bullying and highlights the importance of open conversations between parents and children. Titled The Bully Monster, the animated film premiered at the Maquinaria Festival in Rio de Janeiro on February 15 in a special edition featuring family-focused programming.
The filmโs protagonist is a boy who experiences bullying at school but keeps silent about his suffering. Isolation turns sadness into insecurity, creating invisible emotional scars that only grow in the absence of dialogue. When his mother notices stains on his uniform, these marks become the starting point for a revealing conversation. As words find space to make themselves heard, the stains begin to fade.
This initiative aligns with the Vanish Saves Your Uniform campaign, which, for the past three years during the back-to-school season, has engaged with parents by positioning the brand as a trusted partner in preserving school uniforms. This year, Vanish decided to broaden the conversation, bringing bullying into the debate as the real stain that can impact a childโs life.
The Bully Monster is being screened as preshow material in movie theaters starting February 20 and will also be available on streaming platforms and digital channels. In addition to the film, the campaign will include out-of-home activations and school initiatives through a partnership with Abrace โ Preventive Programs, the founding organization of the โBullying-Free Schoolsโ program, which has been equipping institutions with resources to combat school violence for 12 years.
โResearch indicates that stains on a uniform can... Read More
