PARALYMPICS ‘WE’RE THE SUPERHUMANS’ (DIR. DOUGAL WILSON)
Grand Prix
Title
PARALYMPICS ‘WE’RE THE SUPERHUMANS’ (DIR. DOUGAL WILSON)
Brand
CHANNEL 4
Product/Service
PARALYMPICS
Category
A01. Direction
Entrant
BLINK PRODUCTIONS London, UNITED KINGDOM
Idea Creation
4creative London, UNITED KINGDOM
Media Placement
4creative London, UNITED KINGDOM
Production
BLINK PRODUCTIONS London, UNITED KINGDOM
Additional Company
FACTORY London, UNITED KINGDOM
Credits
Name
Company
Position
Alice Tonge
4Creative
Creative Director
Dougal Wilson
Blink Productions
Director
Richard Biggs
4Creative
Creative
Jolyon White
4Creative
Creative
Dougal Wilson
Blink Productions
Creative
Alice Tonge
4Creative
Creative
Shananne Lane
4Creative
Agency Producer
Ewen Brown
Blink Productions
Producer
James Studholme
Blink Productions
Executive Producer
Daniel Landin
Director Of Photography
Andy Kelly
Production Designer
Lucy Jones
Blink Productions
Production Manager
Chris Bovill
4Creative
Executive Creative Director
John Allison
4Creative
Executive Creative Director
Brief Explanation
‘We’re The Superhumans’ features over 140 cast members, from all across the world. From a drummer with no arms, to a blind sprinter, to a woman flying a plane with her feet, this film captures the ability of disabled people, both on and off the track and field.
Set to the iconic Sammy Davis Jr track ‘Yes I Can’, it was was re-recorded by the specially assembled band of disabled musicians, featuring the lead vocalist Tony Dee. These superhumans are brought to life in a truly motivational film about real people overcoming real struggles with optimism and purpose.
Execution
Every part of the music from the campaign was played by the disabled band featured in the ad, who had never played together before. No session musicians were used at all. The ad is totally authentic - all stunts are in-camera and genuine.
Casting such a large and diverse group of people from across the globe was no mean feat for the production team. It involved many hours of research - searching online, following leads, doing Skype castings - followed by in-person auditions to find the perfect cast. The logistical challenges of dealing with so many people didn’t stop at the casting process; filming a 140 plus cast meant schedules had to be tight and vigorously planned.