Havas Chicago concepted, produced, shot, edited, composed music and sound design, audio mixed, colored and trafficked three spots in just two-and-a-half weeks for client Hefty–including this “Start Again” :30, with a voiceover by John Cena, which is a heartfelt thank you to the sanitation workers who continue to work during the pandemic.
For the commercial, Havas deployed local drone videographers in seven cities across the U.S. from Anchorage to Austin while Cena recorded the voiceover from his home (maintaining social distancing).
CreditsClient Hefty Agency Havas Chicago John Norman, chief creative officer; Brian Cooper, director of production; Shelby Georgis, group creative director; Michelle Underwood, creative director; Bryan Miguel, sr. copywriter; Cara Gigante, sr. art director; Zach Murman-Freer, copywriter; Kevin Bush, art director; Jonica Lister, jr. copywriter; Sarajane Gallagher, Rachel Steele, Bridget Danko, sr. producers; Todd Bernstein, sr. audio engineer; Mike Abrams, Kelsey Moher, editors; Michelle Gerstin, group strategy director; Jennifer Jasso, social coordinator.
Top Spot of the Week: EHRAC, Animation Studio NOMINT Depict Life “In Limbo” As Families Search For Loved Ones
This animated film titled In Limbo depicts the journey of a heroic woman protagonist representing the countless families in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe (where Chechnya is situated) searching for their forcibly disappeared loved ones. Utilizing theatrical elements, the film highlights the unnatural disruption caused by enforced disappearances and delves into the profound trauma these families endure. It emphasizes their long battles with the domestic authorities as they seek answers. The film also underscores the vital role of community support in helping these families cope and continue their fight for answers, serving as a compelling call to action for justice and human rights.
Through intimate storytelling, In Limbo raises awareness of the ongoing uncertainty that leaves families in a perpetual state of limbo, unable to find closure.
Directed by Afterman--the animation duo consisting of Tsvetelina Zdraveva and Jerred North--and created and produced by London-based animation studio NOMINT, In Limbo was commissioned by the European Human Rights Advocacy Centre (EHRAC).
In a joint statement, Zdraveva and North shared, “Our film takes place on a theater stage, highlighting how such tragedies are far removed from ordinary life,” they continued. “The stage is circular, resembling an artificial, perpetually spinning obstacle course, with a target—the red tail lights—just within sight yet never within reach, symbolizing the family’s never-ending quest for justice.”
“We used a limited primary color palette to contrast the two worlds all families are pulled between. Minimalist compositions of starkly silhouetted characters and environments create the ominous atmosphere of a deeply painful and... Read More