TV and film director Seth Gordon directed via Community Films this short created pro bono by Saatchi & Saatchi New York for gun responsibility organization EVOLVE. The satiric short depicts Thomas Jefferson and other political leaders and statesmen of the time debating the language of the Second Amendment. After much debate, the group decides to remove a crucial “as long as you’re not a dumbass about it” caveat to the amendment. The video–based on the line “It’s the right to bear arms, not the right to be a dumbass”–highlights a number of outrageous examples of careless gun use, again taking place during the time of our country’s founding fathers.
“When we researched the gun debate in America, we saw that it’s become almost impossible to have a thoughtful discussion about gun safety,” said Claudine Cheever, chief strategy officer at Saatchi & Saatchi NY. “What I love about Evolve is that they’re not about taking a side in that debate – they’re squarely focused on promoting personal decisions about gun safety. We believe the work will make people laugh and think.”
“Safety is not a side. Gun owners and non-gun owners live with guns in this country, and we should all be able to have a collaborative conversation about how to think about gun safety,” says Rebecca Bond, co-founder of Evolve. “Humor can be a gateway to taking away the defensiveness that is the legacy of these discussions. We hope to put this conversation on the kitchen table and start talking about it.”
Evolve co-founder Jon Bonds added, “ We want the ‘Dumbass’ concept to catch on in popular culture the way ‘friends don’t let friends drive drunk’ did for safe driving.”
The call to action is for American gun owners to sign the Code of Gun Responsibility.
CreditsClient EVOLVE. Agency Saatchi & Saatchi New York. Claudine Cheever, chief strategy officer; Con Williamson, chief creative officer; Peter Moore Smith, executive creative director; Vlad Ivangorodsky, creative director/art director; James Maravetz creative director/copywriter; Andre De Castro, designer; Mete Erdogan, illustrator; Tanya Lesieur, chief production officer; John Doris, director of content production; Radu Olievschi, producer; Danielle Von Scheiner, strategy. Production Community Films. Seth Gordon, dierctor; Lizze Schwartz, Carl Swan, exec producers; Drew Mardis, head of production; Elena Halvorson, producer; Jim Frohna, DP; Shepherd Frankel, production designer; Calla Klessig, art coordinator; Mychael Shandra, costumer; Sally Craven, makeup; Martin Samuel, hair; Wick Irwin, 1st assistant director; Tim Biggins, production supervisor; Ari Schneiderman, assistant production supervisor; Anthony Enns, sound mixer; Alexa Alden, script supervisor; Francene Selkirk, casting. Editorial Arcade Editorial Jeff Ferruzzo, editor; Dave Madden, Healy Snow, assistant editors; Sila Soyer, exec producer; Fanny Cruz, producer. Post Company 3 Stefan Sonnenfeld, colorist; Rhubie Jovanov, exec producer; Damian Pelphrey, assistant. Finishing & Compositing Method Studios Claus Hansen, lead Flame compositor; Robert Owens, exec producer; Colin Clarry, producer. Audio Beacon Street Studios, music. Adrea Lavezzoli, exec producer; Caitlin Rocklen, mix producer.
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