Title | THE LUCKY ONES |
Brand | PARKINSON'S NSW |
Product / Service | PARKINSON'S DISEASE |
Category | A12. Achievement in Production |
Entrant | J. WALTER THOMPSON Sydney, AUSTRALIA |
Idea Creation | J. WALTER THOMPSON Sydney, AUSTRALIA |
Production | WE ARE CONTENT Sydney, AUSTRALIA |
Name | Company | Position |
---|---|---|
Simon Langley | J.Walter Thompson Sydney | Executive Creative Director |
Angela Morris | J.Walter Thompson Sydney | Executive Planning Director |
Clare Audet | Parkinson's NSW | Marketing Director |
Paul Friedmann | J.Walter Thompson Sydney | Senior Producer |
Carly Yanco | J.Walter Thompson Sydney | Senior Planner |
Laurie Geddes | J.Walter Thompson Sydney | Copywriter |
John Lam | J.Walter Thompson Sydney | Art Director |
Matt Thorne | J.Walter Thompson Sydney | Writer |
Kel Gronow | J.Walter Thompson Sydney | Editor |
Milly Hall | J.Walter Thompson Sydney | Group Account Director |
David Jagoda | We Are Content | Director |
Rob Schrieber | We Are Content | Producer |
The film is set in an operating theatre in a hospital. First, the surgical team prepares the patient for surgery, locking his head into a frame. A male voice explains that this procedure is one of the best options for a victim of Parkinson’s Disease. Then the surgeon cuts circles into the patient’s scalp, drills holes into his skull, and inserts electrodes into his brain. As the surgeon adjusts the electrodes, the camera moves around to reveal the patient’s face. He is wide awake, completely conscious, and still talking – it’s his voice we’ve been hearing all along. A series of graphics explain that there is no cure for Parkinson’s Disease and calls for donations.
Filming a man speaking to camera while having holes drilled into his skull and electrodes inserted into his brain presents a unique set of challenges. For a start, filming an actual surgical procedure in a functioning hospital results in limited control over many aspects of production. The timing and date of the procedure, the lighting and ambient sound were all completely out of our control. In the operating theatre, there was space for only a tiny crew – director, producer, two camera operators, a sound recordist, and the creative team. And being a live operation, there were no second chances. The filming had to be carefully planned and choreographed in advance. On top of that, the budget was miniscule. The production relied heavily on the goodwill of suppliers, not least the fact that the director is also a Parkinson’s sufferer and was prepared to donate his time to the project.