Breathe Editing’s Michael Schwartz, Andy Jennison, and Kenny Pedini have opened a new non-profit corporation called Platformbreathe whose sole purpose is to create, produce, and air public service announcements.

“The idea came to us about a year ago,” remembers Pedini, “when Michael (Schwartz) created a PSA with some outtakes from a hip hop music video he was working on.  I immediately fell in love with the piece, as did the director of the music video, Phil Roc from LBM Films.  We tried to sell it to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America but they had no use for it.  We decided to re-tool the PSA a bit and put it on the air ourselves.  That was when we had this great idea.  Why not open a company solely devoted to creating PSAs where we can be our own client.  We work in an industry with tremendously talented and creative people and we have all these technical resources at our fingertips.”

“Collaboration is what it’s all about,” continues Pedini.  “We work all the time with directors, writers, art directors, producers, composers who all get together for the common goal of making a TV commercial to sell something.  Why not get together with these same talented individuals and devise wonderful creative messages for the good of our community and society?  It’s such a simple concept.  We make money creating advertising.  Now let’s give something back.”

The goal of Platformbreathe is not to be political, religious or controversial, but rather to send messages to the viewers that will hopefully entice them to react in a positive way.  The first PSA they created was for a cause they conceived themselves.  “The cause is called ‘Enjoy Your Kid.  Now.’, “ says Pedini.  “It is designed to remind parents to take time out of their busy schedules and spend time with their kids.  It was dreamed up by Michael (Schwartz) and it really hit home.  All three of us at Breathe (Schwartz, Jennison and Pedini) have young kids and we all run an editing company.  It’s really easy to get caught up in the business and neglect the people at home.  This PSA is our way of reminding ourselves and the people who see it to make time for what’s important.”

The buck stops here.  Since Platformbreathe is the client there are no outside forces to water down ideas.  Collaboration with ad industry creatives and directors is key, but Platformbreathe doesn’t have to answer to any client.  “Here’s what people don’t understand,” explains Pedini.  “We are not producing PSAs for any specific client.  Partnership for a Drug-Free America is not knocking at our door.  We are creating the ideas that we think will touch peoples’ lives.  Therefore we don’t need to answer to anyone else but ourselves.  There are no levels of approval here.  Just the people who worked together to create the idea.  This way we have these wonderful creative experiences with everyone involved and that’s the way it stays.”

Platformbreathe is a non-profit corporation recognized by the federal government.  “We did not do this for money,” explains Pedini.  “Being non-profit, we can’t make money doing this.  Breathe Editing has funded the cost of production of Platformbreathe’s first four PSAs.  We donate the editorial.  We’ve had directors donate their time.  We’ve had crew people donate their time or work at dramatically reduced rates.  We’ve had facilities donate services.  All the people involved in what we’ve produced so far have really been on board with this. “

Platformbreathe also handles the media placement of the PSAs.  “I thought we were going to have to buy media time when we first started doing this”, says Pedini,  “but I was wrong.  The stations run our PSAs for free.  God bless America.  Since Platformbreathe is recognized nationally as what we call a 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation, the stations are required by law to run our PSAs for free.  We took the money we thought we were going to use for media and put it back into production.  And our stuff is running on air a lot.”

Platformbreathe currently has completed four public service announcements.  They plan to do several more this year. 

“Bottom line,” Pedini says, “is that we created this company to work with really talented people to bring really great ideas to life and hopefully touch the lives of some people in a really positive way.  Really. And a lot of people have been pitching us ideas.   We’ve been getting calls from a lot of directors who want to shoot things with us.  We all want to make the world a better place and we have the means to do so.  Can you feel the love?  I can.”

For more information about Platformbreathe please contact executive producer Kenny Pedini at 212-947-1748.  To see Platformbreathe’s four PSAs please go to: http://www.platformbreathe.org