Tonight, nearly 53,200 people in LA live outside, in cars, or in shelters. The LA Homelessness Challenge offered $400,000 for the best service models and most impactful, game-changing solutions to end homelessness in greater Los Angeles.
From the moment the project took shape, I envisioned something that captured the raw, unfiltered essence of Los Angeles—a city known for its gritty reality and multifaceted culture. This vision demanded a bold approach, intertwining the city's inherent toughness with the project's subject matter. However, tackling such a visceral concept posed a significant challenge: confronting the less palatable aspects of life isn't always well-received. The vision carried a shock factor that required careful negotiation and client alignment to bring it to fruition successfully.
Client Buy-In: Convincing the client to embrace a concept that highlights the more challenging aspects of life was a major hurdle. The raw, unfiltered approach had inherent risks, and the client had to be fully on board with the vision for it to be effective.
Audience Reception: The project's unvarnished portrayal of reality had the potential to be polarizing. Balancing authenticity with sensitivity was crucial to ensure the message resonated positively rather than alienating the audience.
Execution: Translating a bold, abstract vision into tangible deliverables required meticulous planning and creativity. The challenge was to maintain the raw, edgy feel while ensuring that the final product was polished and professional.
Video and animation played a big role in this project. Without it the raw feel would stop at just that... a feeling. Visual movement gave us the opportunity to bring the raw gritty feel to life.
In order to get the right footage, we had to be on location in LA and drive through Skidd Row. As we drove around we took video and photos for use on the website and collateral. Part of the strategy around the Baldessari approach was to give the individuals in the photos their privacy.
