It's already received more than 2.5 million YouTube views and caused Kleenex's stock to rise; now, after a week of viral video status, the activists responsible for what many have called "the greatest marriage equality ad" are responding to the international popularity of "It's Time."
Paul Mackay, Marriage Equality Campaigner for GetUp!, tells MTV News, "To say we’re surprised [by the attention this video is getting] is an understatement. When we were working on scripting, we knew the idea was good, and when we finished production we knew the video was good, but you never know how a piece of work will be received."
Mackay goes on to explain the process that brought the "It's Time" video to life.
"The scripting process started quite simply, by identifying key moments in any relationship: a meeting, a first date, sharing time with friends, moving in, meeting parents, obstacles and hardship and eventually, a proposal," Mackay says. "We were then able to draw those moments out, and since we were shooting on such a tight schedule and budget, had to make up a lot of it as we went. The end result meant that many of the most powerful reactions and scenes were unplanned, but simply the hard work of our director of photography and leading man identifying casual moments that could be captured as they arose. We ended up shooting the entire thing over a weekend then spending a similar amount of time picking out the best moments. And we couldn’t be more proud of the result.
“It’s Time” has been in the works for over a year now and there were many ideas that were passed around. Initially, GetUp pursued a different video featuring twin brothers – one gay, one straight – who both shared their story of being raised together but only one could get married. The video and other campaigns had success but nothing close to what 'It’s Time' is bringing in. Mackay states, "What has been most surprising has been the overwhelmingly positive international attention we have received for the video. But really, the theme and appeal is universal. The fight for equality is happening all over the world and the story of a young couple growing together is one that most people can connect with. So although the video was designed to appeal to a wide audience, we never thought it would receive the attention it has."
What's next for GetUp!'s viral sensation? Mackay says the organization is hoping for a mention from Ellen or Lady Gaga, which, to us, doesn't seem so farfetched!
(Source: MTVNews)
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