Declare Your Love

Credits

Created and Directed by: Charlie Todd
Executive Producers: Charlie Todd, Andrew Soltys, Alan Aisenberg, Juan Cocuy, Justin Ayers
Produced by: Andrew Soltys, Aleks Arcabascio, Justin Ayers
Co-Producer: Isabel Lopez
Director of Photography: Justin Ayers
Camera Operators: Chloe Smolkin, Christian Mortensen, Jon Simmons, Spencer Thielmann
Hidden Camera Technician: Zach Rockenstyre
Camera Assistant: Kate Montgomery
Camera PA: Mark Satin
Still Photography: Andy Bisdale
Sound Mixer: Harris Karlin
A2: Nick Mastorakis
Wardrobe/Props: Zelda Vyssotsky
Production Assistant: Chris Kelly, Cameron Mitchell, Tyler Orr, Kenzie Woodrow, Nick Silva, Marquis Powell, Alex Tymchak, Jason Kasman
Editor: Carina Jollie
DIT: Ryan Connors
Music: Tyler Walker
Lectern designed by: Jason Eppink and Alex Young
Lectern fabricated by: Alex Young

For our latest mission, we constructed a custom wooden lectern with a megaphone holster and an attached sign that read, “Declare Your Love.” The lectern was placed at the corner of 6th Avenue and 42nd Street at the entrance to Bryant Park and then left alone. We wanted to see what would happen if New Yorkers were given the opportunity to amplify their voices and declare their love.

Enjoy the video first and then go behind the scenes with our mission report and photos.

This video is a sequel to our Say Something Nice project.

2016 has been a rough year. It felt like time to dust off our old podium (which has been taking up quite a bit of space in my son’s already tiny bedroom.)

We picked a very high traffic area for the podium this time around. Putting it near such a busy intersection would ensure a constant stream of people passing by.

As always, New Yorkers (and probably a few tourists mixed in) rose to the occasion, said yes to our offer, and surprised us with their words. It was a joy to watch people express themselves and to see their huge smiles.

A guy caught off guard by the stampede of press.

“¡Hola!”

“I love my family!”

“Hello New Yorkers. Can your hear me?
I love you. I’m crazy about you.
I hope you feel the same about me, but it doesn’t really matter. I love you.”

“I love the color red!”

The guy in the photo above was my favorite. Not for his original declaration that he loves the Texas Longhorns, but for his extended monologue to his very embarrassed daughter, hiding behind a planter!