Treehouse editor John McStravick helped capture the spirit of team sport in editing a new campaign for sporting apparel innovator Russell Athletic®. Conceived by Dallas agency The Richards Group, the campaign includes broadcast and online ads and features high school football players discussing values that bind their teams and lead them to excel.nnEach of the ads weaves scenes of football games and practices with close-ups of young players describing what motivates them. “While we are all created equal, teams are not,” declares one young athlete. “Teams venture into uncharted waters, challenge the laws of physics…” Players in the practice footage wear uniforms embroidered with words that echo the copy: declaration…teammate…brothers. Online ads end with a hashtag that consumers can use to join the conversation through social media sites.nn
nnAll of the athletes are either current or recent high school football players and that gives the spots a sense of realism lacking in other sports advertising. “They’re not million dollar athletes, they’re just kids,” says McStravick. “That helps viewers identify with them.”nnMcStravick poured through more than eight hours of source material to produce six ads. (A seventh ad was edited by Treehouse‘s Peter Tarter.) “The stories were open to interpretation; there weren’t strict boards,” McStravick says. “We were able to go in whatever direction felt right. It came together very organically with the script.”nnThe campaign was McStravick’s first for Treehouse, which launched last month. “I am thrilled with how well the campaign has been received,” he says. “It was great working with the team from The Richards Group. They were very collaborative and open to ideas. The whole project flowed very well and that shows in the end product.”n nCreditsnTitles: Declaration, Rite of Passage, Promise, Sacrifice, Teammates, BrothersnClient: Russell AthleticnAgency: The Richards Group, DallasnRob Baker, group creative director; Jimmy Bonner, creative group head/art director; Bo McCord, creative group head/art director; Sheri Cartwright Agency producernnProduction: Harvest Pictures, Los AngelesnThe Hoffman Brothers, directors.nnEdit: Treehouse, DallasnJohn McStravick, editor/sound designer; Bryan Bayley, Finishing; JJ Wilmoth, executive producer. nnPost: Filmworkers, DallasnMatt McClain, colorist.nnMix: 3008, DallasnMatt Cimino, mixer (Declaration only). nnMusic: Dandelion MusicnScott Mann, composer. (Declaration, Rite of Passage, Promise, Sacrifice, Teammates, Brothers)nnTreehouse is located at 3400 Carlisle St., Ste. 105, Dallas, Texas 75204. For more information, call (214) 754-8004 or visit www.treehouseedit.com.Jeremy Besser Executive Producer TREEHOUSE 214-754-8004 Contact Jeremy via email
Contact:Media: Linda Rosner ArtisansPR 310.837.6008 Contact Linda via email
Who Needs Los Angeles? We Do.
One doesn't have to be a statistician to know that there are fewer commercials being shot in the U.S. today for the American market than ever before, and a dramatic decrease in L.A. in particular. In the last five years, as reported by FilmLA (the office tasked with issuing permits), L.A. commercial production has dipped 31 percent. But here’s the thing: This doesn’t mean that L.A. has lost its importance as the production center of the world. Production in L.A. is vital. It is the go-to. It’s where you can count on access to exemplary crews, a support infrastructure second to none, varied location and backlot options, a large population of on-screen talent and (fairly) predictable weather. The fact is, with overall decline and now the devastation of the fires, we’re on the brink of losing this mainstay resource. Without employment opportunities and now many without homes, talented and trained crew are bound to leave either the industry or the LA area for other opportunities, unless there are enough job opportunities to sustain a solid living. Now is the time when we ALL must support and bolster this community. Production is needed in L.A., now! Of course, advertising is a business, and marketers’ money should be spent as efficiently as possible, BUT we have to think beyond each production and know that if we lose the incredible resource of L.A. production as we know it, then marketers, agencies and the industry loses in the long run. Over the past several days, some agencies have issued directives to production companies that are unilaterally pushing upcoming production options out of L.A. The fact is L.A. is a large area, and many sections of the city and county are not directly impacted... Read More