New York production company, Highway Sixty One, recently completed a campaign of three :30 spots for G.H.I., one of New York largest health insurers, via agency Munn Rab?¬¨‚Ä¢t, New York. The spots, ‘Eddie,’ ‘Mikaela,’ and ‘Dave,’ were helmed by acclaimed director, Rupert Wainwright and began airing April 10. They will continue to air on a variety of outlets throughout the summer.

Perhaps best known for his controversial and visually striking 1999 hit film, Stigmata, Wainwright other credits include features The Fog, Blank Check, and The Sadness of Sex, music videos for artists such as Mos Def and MC Hammer, and numerous commercials. Wainwright is also the recipient of several MTV Video Music Awards, Adweek Effie, and a Grammy Award.

For Highway Sixty One G.H.I assignment, Wainwright teamed with noted cinematographer Robert Gantz (Assault on Precinct 13, Sleeping Dogs Lie) to capture the performance driven spots. Shot in various locations throughout New York City, the spots feature actual G.H.I. physicians as well as professional actors. A reassuring voice accompanied by a gentle music track explains how G.H.I. physicians, like guardian angels, are there for people should the need arise. Wainwright artfully combines the cinematic and the symbolic to draw out the honest emotion portrayed in the spots. The campaign is designed to elevate perceptions of G.H.I.

‘Collaborating with clients to find the right director for their project is always an exciting process,’ explains Highway executive producer Marc Rosenberg. ‘Leveraging existing relationships, we are able to combine our full-service production approach with the visionary talent of a director like Rupert.’

G.H.I. ‘is a really great brand,’ says Orson Munn, chief executive at Munn Rab?¬¨‚Ä¢t, ‘but people associate it with lower-quality health-care coverage because it known to be affordable, which does not gibe with having good doctors.’

‘We needed to say, ?‚àö√ë‚àö‚â§This is a company that committed to having the best doctors of any health plan,’s ‘ Mr. Munn says, and counter the belief that ‘the only way to get good doctors is if a health plan is expensive.’

Working on spots like these is always a creative challenge,’ notes Wainwright. ‘We’sre not selling a beverage, car or a shoe?‚àö√ë‚àö¬®it a sense of safety, security, and trust that is being expressed. Juxtaposing warm and beautiful images with stark urban landscapes can be tricky after all, there’s no safety net of dialogue or humor. I enjoyed working closely with everyone at Highway Sixty One and Munn Rab?¬¨‚Ä¢t to come up with the most interesting and captivating concepts to express these specific ideas and themes. They really got what I was going for and helped make it work.’

Wainwright vision and aptitude for creating beautifully cinematic footage is proving to be a terrific draw for the veteran spot director. After taking a break from commercial work to direct a series of feature films, Wainwright returns to his roots in music video and commercial work.

About Highway Sixty One:
Highway Sixty One is a production company specializing in all areas of live action production. Additionally, the company represents directors Eddy Chu, Tracey Rowe, and Tom Cartier.

For more information or to request a reel, please contact Jennifer Hertslet at (212) 450-7900 or visit Highway Sixty One online at www.hwy61.net.