When The Weather Channel prepared to launch “Coast Guard Florida,” the latest installment in the successful “Coast Guard” franchise, they knew exactly where to turn. TWC collaborated with Miami-based 2C Media on a pulse-pounding two-spot campaign, knowing the creative production company had what it took to capture the series’ intensity.
And capture it, they did! The “Coast Guard Florida” premiere was not only the top-rated TWC program of the day, despite major competition, but it also paced +119% above the prior four-week time period average.
“2C Media was instrumental in the successful launch campaign for ‘Coast Guard Alaska,’ in both its first and second seasons, so they were our natural first choice,” said TWC VP Creative Solutions Bill Keith. “This time, they not only delivered killer concepts, but also pulled off a great shoot on and off the shores of Miami.”
To produce the two promo spots, the TWC and 2C Media teams faced dangers inherent to the open waters of Atlantic Ocean, where the epic shoot captured high seas drama featuring the Coast Guard in several nerve-wracking rescue scenarios and maneuvers. The production required Red Epic and a Canon 5D camera with underwater housing, both mounted on boats and shot by cameramen in the water for maximum effect. A 33-foot class Coast Guard Defender Boat and MH65C Dolphin helicopter provided authenticity.
“This was an extremely complicated and technical shoot with so many moving parts,” said 2C Media President & Co-Founder Chris Sloan. “The winds clocked at 80-90 miles an hour within a 75-foot radius under the helicopter, so our crews really worked for their shots. TWC, always a great partner, really gave us the freedom to run with this production, so we definitely took it to the limits.”
The resulting promos get to the heart of real-life scenarios played out often in the harrowing day-to-day work of the U.S. Coast Guard, from boats in distress and drowning swimmers to high-seas drug busts and insane weather conditions. “Without Them” conveys the dangers of a world without the Coast Guard and why we need them so much, and “Instant Heroes” captures the series’ exhilaration by building a dramatic narrative of the Coast Guard. Both spots blend footage from the live-action shoot with clips and custom graphics.
“As a network, we’re doubling down on our commitment to primetime originals, and the successful launch of our newest reality-rescue series, ‘Coast Guard Florida,’ was critical,” said Mark Fredo, TWC Creative Director. “Chris and the group at 2C Media more than met the creative and technical challenges this project posed…coordinating choppers and boats, special effects, navigating and shooting on open waters. They turned a complicated production into a turnkey solution and delivered great spots…again.”
Credits
Titles:”Without Them” and “Instant Heros”
The Weather Channel
VP, Creative Solutions: Bill Keith
Creative Director: Mark Fredo
Senior Writer/Producer: Stephen Clark
2C Media
Executive Producer: Chris Sloan
Writer/Producer: Ben Frank
Director: Kevin Layne
Design Director: Luis Martinez
Editor: Omar Chavez
Audio Engineer: Cesar Haliwa
About 2C MEDIA, INC.
Miami-based 2C Media is an award-winning creative agency and production company. The winner of 12 coveted PromaxBDA statues in the last three years alone, 2C Media features an extensive roster of broadcast promotion, marketing and design clients that reads like a who’s who of broadcast and cable networks. The company’s passionate creative team comprises some of the nation’s top talent from film, television, advertising and design, and 2C Media‘s state-of-the-art, all-HD facility features 12 edit suites, full audio and in-house graphics. Recent project highlights for 2C Media include, among many others, the promo campaigns for “Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Miami Dolphins” and “Eastbound & Down” (HBO), “River Monsters” (Animal Planet), “Destination Summer” (Travel Channel), “Small Town Security” (AMC), and Blockbuster Movie Pass (Dish Network), as well as syndication episodics for “Steve Harvey” and “Anderson Cooper.” For more information, please visit: www.2cmedia.com.
