In this spot for Undeniably Dairy, Oskar Bård shows how, when it comes to US dairy, a farmer is more than just a farmer. They’re also embracing eco-conscious practices that are helping save the planet.
The creative from agency Mischief focuses on how most US dairy farms recycle their water four times, reusing it for everything from chilling milk to irrigating the land. The film puts this into perspective, imagining how far an individual would have to go to recycle their own water that many times. It follows one woman’s painstakingly elaborate system to preserve water around her home, finding ingenious ways to channel water from her shower to wash her car, and then water her garden and house plants.
“This being my fifth cow film, I’ve truly found my calling,” said Bård. “I love working on farms and directing cows; it feels like a meeting of the minds. Or rather, a meeting of the moos. It’s as if the cows and I are operating on the same intellectual level, and I couldn’t be happier about it! And it was such a pleasure to spend time with the farmers. They work incredibly hard but always with a smile on their face. They welcomed me to the herd and made me feel very much at home on the farm.”
Shooting the farm scenes on a real dairy farm three hours outside of LA, the crew got to see the farmers’ eco-friendly efforts first-hand. The mercury rose to a sweltering 107 degrees Fahrenheit, making the team more than a little envious of the sprinkler system cooling the cattle, with recycled water, of course. “It was great to see the cows enjoyed even better working conditions than us!” joked HOBBY Producer John Gerard.
DOP Nick Bupp used his talent for capturing natural light to give the film a richly organic feel, both around the hero’s home and on the farm. Camera Operator Connor O’Brien drew on his background as a pro skater to keep the shots flowing as smoothly as the water, effortlessly riding a hoverboard while wielding his Ronin. The hero’s home recycling system was created by Production Designer Elmi Badenhorst. She worked with a machine shop to custom build a system that worked for real, while giving it an endearingly homemade look.
“The shoot was an absolute joy,” said Bård. “The agency team was brilliant, smart and as friendly as they come. And the farmers? They were the real stars, warmer than a summer day in the pasture.”
