The Works (found animated anti-drug PSA; 2002)
Screenshot of the 30-second The Works PSA.
Status: Found
Date found: 29 Sep 2022
Found by: BrandonTheEveryfan
The Works was a 30-second anti-drug PSA produced by Film Roman and directed by Eric Radomski[1] and animated by animator Tanya McClure[2] for the Partnership for a Drug-Free America. It began airing in January 2002 on TV stations, targeting 6-8-year-olds .[3][4][5]
Content
In the ad, a large, mechanical figure sits in an industrial-looking space, with his body cut away to reveal the mechanical components inside. A percussive, mechanical soundtrack is heard in the background. A conveyor belt carries food such as burgers, milk, bread, and fruit into its mouth. The figure paused and quickly blushes to the viewer, resuming followed by the next set of foods being delivered into it along and ending with a spike-covered ball labelled "drugs". When the drugs enter its system, it begins loudly breaking down, followed by a child's voiceover saying, "Drugs can really break your body down."[5]
Availability
In April 2019, director Eric Radomski had been contacted via LinkedIn. He had replied stating that he remembers the project and would look for it in his archive, but nothing further has come from it. A different version of the PSA can be found on McClure's animation reel from 2010[6] that can be found within the timestamps from 2:46 to 2:56. The difference having to do with the symbol for drugs which is completely different from the final cut of the PSAs. It is unclear if however if this is an earlier draft that was changed in the final cut of the PSA.
On April 12th, 2021, YouTube user GH32143 uploaded a commercial break with a 10-second version of the PSA.
On August 7th, 2021, YouTube user Fry Letterman uploaded a 20-second version of the PSA, which includes the scene of the mechanical belt delivering food to the robotic human's mouth, plus close-up shots of the body system. It also includes an alternative soundtrack compared to the 10-second version.
The 30-second version remained lost for a year until YouTube user BrandonTheEveryfan uploaded the full 30-second version of the PSA. He stated that he had found this unexpectedly in a compilation of Cartoon Network commercials from an upload by YouTuber CBZ VHS. The video in question was uploaded back on September 21st, 2018 and features Cartoon Network commercials dating back from April 21st, 2002, which was then originally taken from an upload by a username Ty0005/Thomas T. and remained unnoticed for four years until BrandonTheEveryfan stumbled upon it, bringing this search into a close.
Videos
References
- ↑ Director's Website Retrieved 24 Apr '21
- ↑ An article from Creative Mac mentioning McClure as the animator for this PSARetrieved 19 Sep '22
- ↑ Animation World Network article on the PSA. Retrieved 24 Apr '21
- ↑ Animation Magazine article on the PSA. Retrieved 24 Apr '21
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Adweek article on The Works. Retrieved 24 Apr '21
- ↑ A snippet of a different version of the PSA from Tanya McClure's animation reel (2:46 - 2:56). Retrieved 19 Sep '22