Drugstore launches hard-hitting Amnesty ad

by Staff, Campaign 22-Apr-08, 09:00

LONDON - Drugstore today launched an uncompromising new ad in its "unsubscribe" campaign for Amnesty International.

The new 90-second spot recreates the waterboarding of a prisoner, a technique which has been used by the USA against combat prisoners.

It was directed by Marc Hawker & Ishbel Whitaker of Dark Fibre Films, the Oscar-shortlisted producers of Rize.

Drugstore Managing Partner Marc Cave said: "Imagine sitting in a darkened cinema and seeing this film. "It'll lull you, then unnerve you, then gobsmack you."

Extreme performance artist Jiva Parthipan underwent a short period of waterboarding to create the ad.

The Stuff of Life opens in 50 Picturehouse cinema screens nationwide from 9 May. It was filmed at 1,000 frames per second using one of only two Phantom HD cameras available in Europe.

Credits

Project: UNSUBSCRIBE 2008
Client: Sara MacNeice - Campaign Manager, Terrorism, Security & Human Rights
Brief: Encourage people to unsubscribe from the CIA ‘enhanced interrogation technique' of waterboarding
Creative Agency: Drugstore
Writer: Marc Hawker
Art director: Marc Hawker
Producer: Jennifer Jackson
Directors: Marc Hawker, Ishbel Whitaker
Production Company: Dark Fibre Films
Water Effects: Pennicott Payne
Music: Adam Freeland
Post Production: James Maclachlan at Prime Focus
Website design: Sam Collett, Russell Schaller