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    O Positive’s David Shane and AICP Take Us On “The Journey”

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments2601 Views

    In this short promoting AICP Week 2024, our journey starts with news that doesn’t go over entirely well. An advertising creative comes home to tell his husband–a struggling fine artist/house husband–that his commercial for “cheesy bread” is going to be in “that museum in New York you’re always talking about.” Turns out he’s made it into the AICP Awards, and the news that his work will be on display at the legendary Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is met with a look of incredulity. His response is to proclaim that he thinks it’s worth making the trip to go see it. 

    The Journey humorously follows our hero in his quest to reach MoMA. Co-written by O Positive’s David Shane, Ian Reichenthal and Michael Clancy and directed by Shane, it was executive produced by Ralph Laucella (who is the 2024 AICP Show chairperson) and Marc Grill. 

    “Making a short film is different from making an ad or a branded content film,” said Shane. “It’s not just a collection of jokes. It has to have a story that sustains itself, and hopefully this does. We made The Journey as both a parody of–and a little love letter to–creatives like us who aspire to make ads that are art adjacent.” Journeys, like the creative process, can be winding and treacherous, as our hero exemplifies. Added Reichenthal, “We read a book that said you’re supposed to torture your main character, and with this piece we feel like we accomplished that.”

    A metaphor for every creative’s struggle to get to MoMA, the AICP Awards and AICP Week, the pilgrimage ends with a message urging viewers to attend the upcoming AICP Week.

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    Credits

    Production Company & Creative O Positive David Shane, director/ writer; Ian Reichenthal, Michael Clancy, writers; Joaquin Baca-Asay, DP; Ralph Laucella, Marc Grill, Ken Licata, exec producers; Devon Clark, producer; Jason Reda, exec producer/producer. Lalou Diamond, producer; Luke Flegar, production supervisor; Alex Palmieri, production coordinator; Jermaine Sumra, 1st AD; Cody Maher, 2nd AD; Walter Pluff, production designer. Editorial MackCut Gavin Cutler, editor; Louisa Phillips, assistant editor; Gina Pagano, post producer; Marc Healy, co-mix & sound design. VFX Parliament James Mulholland, John McIntosh, VFX supervisors; Nathan Kane; James Mulholland, John McIntosh, creative leads; Adam Deutsch, Andy Wheater, Carl Fong, Keith Sullivan, Myong Choi, Siro Valente, Taner Besen, creative team; Kate Matos, Sebastien Le Coz, production team; Fred Helm, co-mix & sound design. Music Alan Wolpert, original music composer & vocalist; Janelle McDermoth, vocalist. Cast Greg Hildreth, Will Dagger, Liora Shuf, Aaron Shuf, Zuzanna Szadkowski, Eric Elizaga, Gameela Wright, Danny Wolohan, Frank Harts, Ann Troup, Blake Delong, Aubie Merryless, Demond Green.

    Genre:Comedy
    Media Type:Film: Short
    ScreenWork Categories:Short film
    Video Tags:AICP WeekDavid ShaneO Positive



    The Best Work You May Never See: Diamond, Director James Michael Chiang Ask “Who’s Saving Who?” In Hero Film For Canadian Blood Services

    Tuesday, May 13, 2025

    In a striking departure from traditional blood donation campaigns, the not-for-profit charitable organization Canadian Blood Services has launched a new national brand platform that shifts the spotlight from patients to the people who make donation possible: the donors themselves.

    Developed by Toronto-based independent agency Diamond, “Who’s Saving Who?” reimagines the donation experience by flipping the script to show how it can be deeply personal and rewarding, not only for those whose lives are saved, but also for those who give. At the heart of the campaign is a powerful insight: “What you get when you give” can be just as meaningful as what you receive.

    Canadian Blood Services has set its most ambitious recruitment goal ever: one million new donors by 2030. This campaign represents a strategic evolution for the organization, designed to inspire participation by tapping into a more emotionally resonant narrative that speaks to purpose, identity, and human connection.

    Directed by James Michael Chiang via production company Scouts Honour, this campaign hero film, “I Am Here to Save You,” flips the familiar narrative by giving patients a voice, not in a plea for help but in a heartfelt acknowledgment of those who donate. The campaign captures the emotional intensity of the donor experience and positions donation as a meaningful act of self-discovery and connection.

    The new platform’s creative strategy is rooted in research into long-time donors--individuals who see donation as part of their identity. Some view it as a way to give back to Canada’s national healthcare system, while others view it as a ritual that contributes to their overall well-being. These insights informed a shift in tone and approach.

    The... Read More

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