Common Sense Media: Attention

Credits & Description:

AGENCY: Goodby Silverstein & Partners / San Francisco
CLIENT: Common Sense Media
ART DIRECTOR: Hanna Wittmark
WRITER: Kate Baynham
CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER: Jeff Goodby / Rich Silverstein / Margaret Johnson
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Jonah Hall / Kevin Lau
DESIGNER: Jeff Higinbotham
PRODUCTION COMPANY:
Biscuit Filmworks / Los Angeles
Arcade Edit / Los Angeles
Timber / Santa Monica
Lime Studios / Santa Monica
Butter / New York
DIRECTOR: Clay Weiner / Shawn Lacy
PRODUCER:
Holly Vega
Lisa Stockdale
Mercedes Allen-Sarria
Rachel Glaub
Kirsten Thon-Webb
Crissy DeSimone
Adam Parker
Sabrina Elizondo
Melody Alexander
Emily Avoujageli
Thatcher Peterson
Diane Valera
Susie Boyajan
Annick Mayer
AGENCY PRODUCER: Tod Puckett / Olivia Baker
COMPOSER: Max Schad
DIGITAL ARTIST / MULTIMEDIA: Chris Homel / Brandon Harden / Gregory Reese
EDITOR: Sean LaGrange / Tessa Malsam
MUSIC & SOUND: Joel Waters / Stephen Fredericks
PHOTOGRAPHER: Doug Chamberlain
PRODUCT MANAGER: Melissa Buck / Judy Ybarra
TAGS: NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS / CHARITIES / EDUCATION / GOVERNMENT

Entry Summary
Showing kids at a dinner table on their phones would have been an effective way to grant this issue attention if we had wanted only parents to hear us. But we wanted kids to make that decision to be device-free for themselves. Tech addiction is a self-diagnosed problem. By making the “problem child” a parent and making that parent Will Ferrell, we knew we could reach everyone. We showed the dangers of technology overconsumption but made it family friendly. Think of it like Black Mirror for the Sesame Street set.

Brief Explanation
In each of these films, we see a family plagued by the habitual use of mobile devices at the dinner table. However, the offender is not so predictable. Rather than seeing kids being antisocial, we cast the parent in the role of rule breaker. In this case we have Will Ferrell as our father. Whether the family is talking like Will is dead or exploiting his poor attention span, we see just how antisocial a phone at the dinner table can be.

Script (English)
“Attention” :30
At a dinner table, a mother spoons out peas onto the plate of her youngest daughter. At the end of the table, the father mindlessly looks at his phone.
MOTHER: Aw, it’s so nice to be sitting down to dinner together. Who can tell me
something they did today?
CHILD: Um, I drew a horsey!
The dad, still distracted, speaks.
WILL: Good for you, son.
His family members look at him with looks of confusion. They begin to take turns testing his attention.
DAUGHTER: I started smoking.
WILL: I love you too, sweetheart.
SON: I’m selling bongs out of our minivan.
MOTHER: I got a tramp stamp.
DAUGHTER: I’m getting implants.
MOTHER: I’m dating your brother.
WILL: Uh-huh.
CHILD: I’m cooking meth in the basement.
The youngest has upped the ante. Her siblings raise their eyebrows in shock.
WILL: Great idea, kiddo. That’s why you’re so popular in school.
TITLE: #DeviceFreeDinner
LOGO: Common Sense Media
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