LOS ANGELES, CA (Top40 Charts/ Terpin Communications) - Friday evening at the 35th Annual Creative Arts & Entertainment Daytime Emmy Awards ceremony in New York City, the "Yes We Can Song" was honored with the first-ever Emmy Award for Best New Approaches in Daytime Entertainment. The new category recognizes innovative production techniques and the use of media enhancement to support content. A collaborative video produced by artist will.i.am and Mike Jurkovac, and directed by
Jesse Dylan, "Yes We Can Song" has garnered over 25 million views and growing.
Originally posted on February 2, 2008 right before Super Tuesday, a pivotal time in the Presidential Primaries, the video has become a viral phenomenon on the Internet through YouTube, MySpace, and its official site www.YesWeCanSong.com. Its message elicited a movement for change and instilled a sense of urgency and hope that has swept across the nation.
The "Yes We Can Song" was inspired by Barack Obama's speech the night of the New Hampshire Primary, and the video features footage of Obama delivering the speech. Created in just two days, the music and the video were a product of passion and inspiration, pieced together with the help of many influential people in the entertainment industry who offered their time and talent both in front of and behind the camera. The video features a bevy of celebrities, including Common, John Legend, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Herbie Hancock, Kate Walsh, Kelly Hu, Nick Cannon, Scarlett Johansson, and many, many more.
Executive Producer Fred Goldring, who originally conceived the idea for the project, stated, "We are thrilled and honored to have received a prestigious Emmy Award, particularly in a brand new category which acknowledges the ever-increasing impact of the convergence of digital content and delivery. Most importantly, we hope our video continues to virally connect with people around the world and spread the inspirational messaging of our next President, Barack Obama."
During the Webby Awards earlier this week, where will.i.am was recognized as the Artist of the Year and acceptance speeches were limited to five words, he proclaimed, "Now we know we can."
A full list of credits for the "Yes We Can Song" video:
The Credits
CEO of Inspiration: Barack Obama
Song Produced By: will.i.am
Video Produced By: will.i.am and Mike Jurkovac
Director: Jesse Dylan for cYclops form
Executive Producers:
will.i.am
Mike Jurkovac
Fred Goldring
Jesse Dylan
Priscilla Cohen
Sheri Howell
Associate Producers:
Sean Larkin
Sarah Pantera
Carol Cohen
Steve Koskie
Wendi Morris
Scott Spanjich
THE "YES WE CAN SONG" WAS RECORDED AT ETHER AND RECORD PLANT IN LA ON JANUARY 30 & 31, 2008.
Talent:
Adam Rodriguez
Alfonso Ribeiro
Amaury Nolasco
Amber Valletta
Auden Mccaw
Anson Mount
Austin Nichols
Aisha Tyler
Bryan Greenberg
Cliff Collins
Common
Derek Watkins
Ed Kowalczyk
Enrique Murciano
Eric Balfour
Eric Olsen
Esthero
Fred Goldring
Harold Perrineau
Herbie Hancock
Hill Harper
John Legend
John Schaech
Kareem Abdul Jabbar
Kate Walsh
Kelly Hu
Maya Rubin
Nick Cannon
Nicole Scherzinger
Sam Page
Sarah Wright
Scarlett Johansson
Shoshannah Stern
Taryn Manning
Tatyana Ali
Tracee Ellis Ross
will.i.am
Crew:
Carol Cohen LINE PRODUCER
Matt Harrison PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR
Adam Martin 1ST AD
Kevin Oineil 2ND AD
Araeia Robinson PRODUCTION ASST.
Patrick McGovern PRODUCTION ASST.
Rolf Kestermann DP
Ryan Brown 1ST AC
Justin Rhoads DIT
Marek Kanievska 2ND UNIT DP
Torre Catalano 3RD UNIT DP
Jamie Banfield GAFFER
Kevin Shipley ELECTRIC
Braydon Baldwin GRIP
Joeseph SOUND
Damon Diamato TELEPROMPTER
Adam Kleinfield STILLS DIT
Brett Freedman HAIR AND MAKE-UP
Asia Geiger HAIR AND MAKE-UP
Terrence "biff" Butler EDITOR
Carold Lynn Weaver POST PRODUCER
Anton Capaldo-Smith ASSISTANT EDITOR
Vendors:
Rock Paper Scissors EDITORIAL
Indie Rentals CAMERA
Cinelease LIGHTING AND GRIP
Film This! PERMIT
Image Mechanics STILLS
Rushes TELECINE
Greenberg Teleprompting SCRIPTING
Line 204 WALKIES
Terpin Communications PR/COMMUNICATIONS
