From charity : water, the nonprofit organization bringing clean water to hundreds of thousands:
Imagine drinking this. Tonight, 29 million Americans will.
It was a simple idea we had about a year ago.
We wanted to bring the harsh reality we saw in Africa home to our friends. The reality that millions of women and children walk miles each day to collect murky green water from swamps. Water that kills kids. We wanted to help put an end to it.
Two days before one of my trips to Africa, I met Hotel Rwanda director Terry George at an NYC restaurant and we talked about the idea. I imagined a Public Service Announcement where hundreds of New Yorkers walked miles to Central Park Pond, then waited in line to collect murky water. He loved the idea, and had seen the great need for water in Rwanda while shooting his film. He agreed to help.
Months later, we had an all-star team. Oscar-winner Jennifer Connelly (A Beautiful Mind) generously donated her time to star in the piece; award-winning cinemetographer Ellen Kuras (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) shot it.
Last June, we produced the 60-second spot with a team of more than 75 people that all donated their time and talent. Michael Rothman of Mudbutter put his amazing editing skills to work, Rumor Mill composed the music and Gary Breece produced the PSA.
We’d love for you to see it first.
Please rate it on YouTube, link to it, email your friends about it. And please reach out if you have contacts that can help us get it played on television, in churches and schools.
Tonight, American Idol Gives Back will air it for the first time. Creator Nigel Lythgoe generously donated more than $1 million of airtime. Today, youtube.com also generously offered us a spot on the homepage. We’re up. Check it out.
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