David Findlay wrote and directed this music video for singer and professional skateboarder Austyn Gillette’s latest single “Leaning Into Your Palms.” Featuring acclaimed French actress, model, and journalist Agathe Rouselle, the video tells a tale of human connection as two siblings share a surreal moment out of time.
Findlay–an alum of SHOOT’s 2019 New Directors Showcase–shared that among the prime challenges was the long tracking shot at the end. “We had to be meticulous with the speed of it, how long it lasts and so on, so that it would perfectly fit in the song’s finale. So again, it was a matter of finding the perfect location, and once we had it, a question of rehearsing as best we could in advance. It was indeed all done in camera. A stabilized head was mounted to the front of a pick up truck. On the day I think we shot 6 or so takes. With the help of my 1st AD Brock Newman and the entire team we would review takes on the monitor and jot down precise notes to give to each performer and how to choreograph and time the whole thing. It was a real team effort but the hero here is [DP] Jeremy Cox who on top of framing and coordinating, mounted all these lights, assisted by his team, to create the beautiful silhouette effect.”
Findlay recently joined Farm League for U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded content.
CreditsClient Austyn Gillette Production David Findlay, writer-director; Rebecca Steel, producer, Kind Stranger Productions; Jeremy Cox, DP; Brendan Megannety, production designer; Amy J. Gardner, movement coach; Zauberberg Productions & Solap Pictures, exec producers; Section 80, Farm League & Tim Lynch, Genevieve Andre de la Porte, Ariel Ho Kjar, Miguel Angel de la Gampa, co-producers; Twin Brain Films, Motif LTD, Palm Film, Michael Kuna, associate producers; Owen Walstrom, stunt coordinator; Courtenay Mayes, stylist; Elan Fortin, stylist assistant; Maddy Hermans, hair & makeup artist; Melissa Neilson, additional hair & makeup artist; Anastasia Itkina, production manger; Brock Newman, 1st AD; Dide Su Bilgin, 2nd AD; Zenia Yim, production coordinator; Megan MacAulay, on set props; Michael Maruniak, Tarah Doheny, art assist; Scott Kinnon, set builder/art assist. Casting Vaka Street Casting Katrin Braga, casting; Hailey Poole, casting associate. Editorial Emmy Backman, editor; Sophie Reynolds, Camilla Strandskov & Bacon X, Aryane Fournelle, Camille Julien, Olivia Couchesne & Post-Moderne, Antoine Bourges, Bojan Bodružić, Charles Philibert-Thiboutot, Tait Jordan, Dora Prieto & Farhad Ghaderi, Adam Maruniak, editing. Color Grade Sam Gilling, colorist. VFX Yacine Gueddari, Alexandre Fréchette. Cast Austyn Gillette, Agathe Rousselle, Rebecca Steele, Lincoln Cann, Aralyn Walker, Ben Stephenson, Suge Blanco, Cedric Cox
Top Spot of the Week: Nike, W+K Portland, Megaforce Take Us On A “Sunshine” Run
“Winning isn’t Comfortable” is the second chapter of Nike’s “Winning isn’t for Everyone,” extended through the lens of running. It is based on true insights and the realities that runner experience when they lace up their shoes.
It adds the perspective of how hard it can be to just get out the door and go for a run. The idea that if you don’t hate running a little, you don’t love running enough. It celebrates the need and opportunity to push outside a person’s comfort zone to discover what they can accomplish, emphasizing that true victory often requires pushing through uncomfortable moments.
Each film of the series builds on the tension that every runner faces--pushing through the morning dread, the elements outside, the pain of hitting a wall, or even walking down the stairs after a run or race--juxtaposed with the feeling of elation only runners know as they push themselves beyond what they thought possible.
The irreverence of the films--directed by Megaforce via production company Iconoclast for Wieden+Kennedy Portland--is in pairing visuals showing the mundanity of everyday struggles with music that brings to life a contradictory tension. This film, the first to be released, is titled “Sunshine” and shows the inclement weather and obstacles that runners encounter to the tune of “You Are My Sunshine.”
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