Culture

On Location With an 'Obama in 30 Seconds' Crew

MoveOn.org is offering television exposure, and $20,000 in video equipment, for the best user-contributed 30-second ad promoting Barack Obama. With the deadline nearing, Wired.com tags along as one team shoots their video on the streets of Oakland.
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Left:"The mom's working, harried, head down, keeping to business and the kid is being pulled along," producer Kegan Stedwell says. From left, talent Jane Mauchly and Hazel van Winkel, 7; director of photography Kev Robertson; director Andy Hill; and production assistant Sara Mizban.

Professional stunt driver Dave Smith drove the doomed sedan, which is about to be broadsided, spilling metaphor all over the pavement. "You stay as relaxed as possible and try to not even know when the impact will happen," Smith says. Indeed.

© 2008 Kat Wade

Production assistant Arden Fredman and extra Brook Bannister play concerned bystanders running to the scene of the accident. The crew dubbed the car the "Caddy McCain."

© 2008 Kat Wade

Mommy, mommy! Obama would rescue him! "The metaphor," says producer Kegan Stedwell, of GB Films, "is that this is not going to be pretty, not easy, but if we roll up our sleeves and dig in, well, this is Obama's message. It is uplifting, inspirational ... not fear mongering."

© 2008 Kat Wade

Young amateur actress Hazel van Winkel smiles and claps as producer Kegan Stedwell tells the girl that she is doing great and that her part will be complete after just a few more takes. "Kids don't understand why you need to do the same scene over and over again," Stedwell says. "They think they've done something wrong." From left: van Winkel, Marion Fredman, Kegan Stedwell, Siobhan van Winkel, Arden Fredman and Elliot Holland

© 2008 Kat Wade

"We're pretty fortunate. Today everything is coming out perfect," Henry Kim says while the production crew takes a final look at the day's digital take and decides to wrap the film production. "We're all Obama supporters in the office and this came about after his big speech on race," post-production supervisor Matt Moglia says. From left: director Andy Hill, Moglia, producer Kegan Stedwell, director of photography Kev Robertson and runner Henry Kim.

© 2008 Kat Wade

"Looking at the accident, (the mom) has a moment to decide what to do about this disaster and she decides to go on," producer Kegan Stedwell says. "The kids who are going to inherit this mess ... our future ... are the catalyst for waking up the mom." On the screen, mom is played by Jane Mauchly.

© 2008 Kat Wade

Director Andy Hill leaves his friend's shop after wrapping the production. "If you win the contest you get $20,000 dollars worth of editing equipment and your spot on TV," Hill says. "But, you need to do spec spots to keep your work sexy," he added.

© 2008 Kat Wade