LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - 15 February 2009 - During a commercial break at the 51st Grammy® Awards, nearly 20 million Americans enjoyed a 30 second spot showcasing award-winning Indie director Varda Hardy’s branded music video “Race to the Sky”. The video was one of five top winners selected by “Project Rising Stars: Lincoln Video Music Challenge” to air during the Grammys.

The high-octane work featured charismatic young newcomer Leo Lawrence, Max Wettstein, and driving by world class “drifter” car racer Samuel Hubinette, and was produced by Mingling Media in association with Livetribe Productions.

Lincoln and its creative agency, Young & Rubicam Team Detroit, created “Project Rising Stars” in collaboration with renowned DJ Gary Calamar and Filmaka.com, an online community for filmmakers.

Varda along with four other winners was selected from a over 300 hopeful writers and directors, to make a music video. Y&R provided a budget, the band Heavenly States’ song “The Race” and a pitch written by Italians Dario Stroppini and Dario Ingrami. The four-minute video was shot on digital HD and completed in less than a week to make the contest deadline.

“Project Rising Stars” showcases exciting new talent like director Varda Hardy.  Varda selected Director of Photography Andrew Waruszweski to shoot this demanding piece.  Mr. Waruszweski also shot her indie web series “Runaway Stars” (runawaystars.com) and her award winning-short film “Lisette”. 

Varda explains, “Andrew shares my aesthetic, works quickly and makes great use of natural light. As our budget did not allow for the amount of equipment needed to duplicate the heightened illumination I wanted to achieve, we timed our schedule according to where the sunlight hit.  It was quite a race as we had twelve locations and shot the whole video in two and a half days!”

“This was my first time working with editor John Irwin and it was a match made in heaven.  Again, our aesthetics were completely aligned.  All I would have to do is think of a cut and he would already be making it.  And we got lucky with “The Race.” It’s an awesome song—high energy and inspirational!  We delivered the piece one minute before midnight on the day it was due.”

“Co-producers Michel Bayan and Jamie Bullock, the crew and I ran around town much like the characters in the video with a dream to make something bigger than ourselves. Like the characters in the video, our dream came true.  We reached the sky with millions of viewers enjoying our work during the Grammy® Awards!” 

See the complete music video “Race to the Sky” at: www.cbs.com/lincoln

Article by Michel Bayan