11.14.11

OU Medicine Cancer Center "Hair" spot

TV/Radio Commercials, Consumer

LA-based Green Dot Films director Rafael Fernandez chronicles one woman’s fight with cancer in this poetic 60-second spot for BVK Chicago client, OU Medicine. Using hair growth as a device to mark the passing of time, the spot opens during the woman’s darkest hour and ends at a more hopeful, brighter time.

Director Rafael Fernandez had seen many cancer spots over the years that dealt with women and the emotion of losing their hair; he’d always felt emotionally manipulated. His goal was to find an actress capable of expressing authentic helplessness and eventual hopefulness but who was also willing to shave her head bald. The concept of having hair growth represent recovery is told without words in a private environment during private moments. The result is a hopeful, uplifting and emotionally powerful experience that respects the gravity of cancer and honors the true experience as best as possible, without being manipulative. The opening scene in front of the mirror was actually filmed at the end of the day; at the same time, the actress was coming to grips with seeing herself for the first time with no hair (it’s relatively easy to understand that she didn’t have to try too hard to look “devastated.”

Rich Kohnke, BVK/Mike Scalise, BVK, art directors; Mike Holicek, BVK, writer; Mike Holicek, BVK/Mike Scalise, BVK, creative directors; Rich Kohnke, BVK, executive creative director; Rafael Fernandez, Green Dot Films, director; Doug Chamberlain, Green Dot Films, director of photography; Allison Lockwood, BVK, agency producer; Jacquie Frisco, Green Dot Films, producer; Darren Foldes, Green Dot Films/Rich Pring, Green Dot Films, executive producers; Rick Fishbein, Green Dot Films, managing director; Tricia Lewis, BVK, account supervisor; Ali Dawe, BVK, account manager;

www.bvk.comwww.greendotfilms.com