Los Angeles-based Green Dot Films director Luc Schurgers and West LA editorial shop Therapy soar beyond the call of Olympic athleticism in the inspirational new :30 “Words – Own Your Life” for the U.S. Paralympics out of Ignited, bicoastal. The spot features U.S. Paralympics athlete and U.S. Navy reservist Mike Johnston taking a nighttime sprint on an abandoned track, fiercely pushing his own pace, despite the obstacle of his prosthetic leg.

Therapy editor Doobie White edited the spot, which was directed by Luc Schurgers of Green Dot Films. Schurger’s digital & post production studio MiniVegas handled the visual effects for this project. Working closely with Ignited, Schurgers was able to evolve the concept as the project moved forward. Shooting high-speed movement in low lighting conditions, he chose to shoot on 35mm for the spot, giving him greater latitude for his work on the VFX. He notes, “Working with Mike Johnston was very inspiring. It was amazing to see how fast he could actually run. Every crew member who was challenged to a race quickly fell behind!” White adds, “Luc had a grasp of what he wanted the spot to be, so the process was relatively easy. We worked carefully to maintain the intensity of the spot, while still giving the viewer enough time to read the words.”

“Words – Own Your Life” opens on shots of Mike Johnston stepping out on the track, warming up and preparing for his evening training session. He gathers his focus, takes a breath and adjusts his foot into the starter block. He turns his gaze up in determination and begins his sprint with the utmost focus. We see that Johnston is no ordinary athlete as we cut to a shot of his amputated leg supported by the word “Passion” in place of where his prosthetic leg normally exists. We see him careen forward at full speed, treading evenly on both real and false limb alike as we see his leg morph to read, “Power.” The shot of his moving legs slows along with the super, “Strength,” which suddenly shatters, revealing his real-life prosthetic leg. Johnston moves out of the screen as we see the super, “Own your life, “ along with the voiceover, “You already have everything it takes to own your life.” The spot closes with the USA Paralympics and Department of Veteran Affairs logos followed by the super, “Find your sport. USParalympics.org.”

About Green Dot Films

Green Dot Films consistently produces exceptional commercial work and has been building trusted agency relationships since its inception in 1996. With a focus on cultivating the talent of their directors, the team has won over even the most top tier of repeat agency clients. Hosting a diverse roster combining veterans with fresh new faces, Green Dot brings top industry talent in spots, features, stills and animation. Green Dot Films is readily able to handle any sized project with the utmost care and creativity. Green Dot’s core executive team is lead by owners Jane & Brent Thomas, CFO Beth Clark, Executive Producers Darren Foldes & Rich Pring. Green Dot Films 2011 directing roster: Rebecca Baehler, Omri Cohen, Mark Coppos, Richard Farmer (formerly of the directing team HAPPY), Rafael Fernandez, Jacobsbriere, Robert Jitzmark, Luc Schurgers (founder of MiniVegas), Brent Thomas and Claire Thomas.

http://www.greendotfilms.com/

About Therapy

Amidst the anxiety and occasional insanity of commercial, feature, music video, and interactive projects, Therapy Studios offers refuge. Led by founders Joe DiSanto, John Ramsey, Wren Waters and Doobie White, the award-winning team is constantly achieving breakthroughs in creative editorial and post-production for clients like Playstation, Chrysler, Sony, Wells Fargo, Activision, PBS, and KIA. Housed in a calming, state-of-the-art West LA space, Therapy features custom-built editorial, finishing, design, audio, and color grading suites. www.youneedtherapy.tv

Credits:

Client: U.S. Paralympics
Title: “Words – Own Your Life”
Agency: Ignited
VP/Group Creative Director: Troy Scarlott
Creative Director: Karin Djelaj
Art Director: Brian Engleman
Copywriter: Marcela Angeles-Macedo
Executive Producer: Diego Espana
Production Coordinator: Mike Dobbs
Account Director: John Carlisle

Production Company: Green Dot Films
Director: Luc Schurgers
DP: Tom Camarda
Executive Producer: Darren Foldes
Executive Producer: Rich Pring
Producer: Joe Mandarino

Visual Effects: MiniVegas
Creative Director: Luc Schurgers
Managing Director: Maarten Boon
3D Artist/Animator: Roben Schlikker
3D Artist/Animator: Klaas-Harm de Boer
Compositor/Online Operator: David Zaretti

Editorial: Therapy
Editor: Doobie White
Executive Producer: Joe DiSanto
Executive Producer: John Ramsay

Music & Sound Design: Massive Music
Composer / Sound Design: Jon DeStefano
Creative Director: Chris Campanaro
Head of Production: Jessica Entner
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