Two-thirds of parents of children ages 6 and under say they have not had their child screened for autism. As we approach back-to-school season, Ad Council and Autism Speaks have released videos that serve as a reminder for parents to consider autism screening. The videos star Julia, a four-year-old Sesame Street Muppet with autism, and feature her adventures, showing audiences that the more her family and friends understand her world, the brighter she shines. Ultimately, the campaign helps parents understand the signs of autism and realize all the possibilities for children after a diagnosis.
BBDO New York and Sesame Street collaborated with Autism Speaks and the Ad Council on the campaign.
Credits
Client Autism Speaks/Ad Council Agency BBDO New York David Lubars, chief creative officer, worldwide; Greg Hahn, chief creative officer, NY; Matt MacDonald, executive creative director; Kevin Mulroy, Rob Danino, creative directors; David Rolfe, head of production; Julie Collins group executive producer; Becky Burkhard, executive producer; Sarah Knowlton, producer. Celebrity Talent Acquisition Sesame Street Studios Production Sesame Workshop, NY Melissa Dino, supervising producer; Sal Perez, sr. producer; Ashmou Younge, producer; Ken Diego, director; Amanda Young, sr. production manager; Jeff Turick, DP. Editorial NO6, NY Justin Quagliata, editor; Corina Denison, exec producer; Malia Rose, Laura Molinaro, producers; Jasmine McCullough, assistant editor. Color Company 3, NY Tim Masick, colorist; Kevin Breheny, sr. producer. Finishing NO6 Ed Rilli, confirm artist; Corina Denison, exec producer; Laura Molinaro, producer. VFX Magnetic Dreams, Nashville, Tenn. Mike Halsey, president; Rickey Boyd, creative director; Randall Saba, producer; Rhea Borzak, compositing. Music Beacon Street Studios, Venice, Calif. Leslie Dilullo, exec producer. Audio Post Sonic Union Steve Rosen, engineer; Pat Sullivan, producer. Stock Music Asche & Spencer
Dancer turned director Ezra Hurwitz collaborates with Ailey II artistic director Francesca Harper, featuring movement as museum pieces against the Whitney Museum of American Art’s striking architecture for this short film titled Echoes of Ailey. Commissioned to celebrate “Edges of Ailey” at the Whitney Museum, the film accompanies the first large-scale exhibition on the life and enduring legacy of visionary artist and choreographer Alvin Ailey. “Edges of Ailey” is currently on view at the Whitney until February 9.
Animating iconic images from Alvin Ailey’s 20th-century repertory, the film expands on the exhibition by constructing a visual narrative around his storytelling and influences. Set to Radiohead’s “Everything In Its Right Place,” dancers from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, and The Ailey School capture the emotional core of the company’s history--physically situating Ailey’s masterworks amongst the Whitney’s collection.
“As a child, my grandmother took me to Ailey’s Revelations once a year,” said Hurwitz. “No matter how often I saw it, the work captivated me. There isn’t one specific thing I hope viewers take away from the film--or one way to interpret its images. It’s meant to be an abstract work, like Ailey’s creations.”
Turning to his archive, Hurwitz and Harper illuminate key sequences symbolic of Ailey’s profound legacy, closing on an uninterrupted sequence from "I’ve Been Buked," the opening movement of Ailey’s legendary "Revelations." Carrying a watershed moment back to its own medium, Echoes of Ailey captures the multigenerational impact of Ailey’s work, continued by his organization. The short film first premiered on Nowness.
