Spot Welders’ Mischa Meyer and Director Samuel Bayer create COVID-19 PSA for Sean Penn’s CORE

As the status surrounding Coronavirus changes by the day and restrictions gradually lift in cities, states, and countries worldwide, Oscar-winning actor and philanthropist Sean Penn continues his crusade in saving lives with free COVID-19 testing via his new PSA Guardians.  

Released by Penn’s nonprofit CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort), the emergency relief organization he co-founded with Ann Lee, CORE praises Los Angeles’ guardian angels in the short film - namely those putting their lives at risk and helping those in need everyday of the pandemic. The 90 second piece pays homage to those on the ground administering COVID-19 tests as well as all the many other frontline volunteers, the City of Los Angeles, and the L.A. Fire Department (LAFD) tirelessly working to protect and save lives. With increasingly more parts of the nation beginning to resume business activities and operations, Penn reiterates that testing is now more critical than ever to help keep people safe.  Underserved populations are a significant part of the workforce, and they will have greater potential exposure to carriers of COVID-19.

Produced by SAVAGE Content Ltd. and Untethered Content, the film was created by award-winning creatives, Oliver Frank, director Samuel Bayer, and editor/director Mischa Meyer at Spot Welders. It features an emotionally touching script narrated by Edward James Olmos set to poignant music composed by Matthias Biermann & Sebastian Pille.  

As the film moves from image to image of an almost-desolate Los Angeles where only essential workers and CORE volunteers remain on the streets, Olmos’ voiceover reads, “Angels come in many ways. You might not recognize their faces, don’t know who they are. From downtown to LAX, from South Central to PCH, watching over us. Protecting us. Let them know that we see them.” 

Asked on what his vision was for the PSA, director Samuel Bayer explains, “I witnessed firsthand the brave and selfless work of CORE and its volunteers and thought perhaps by documenting the anguish that Los Angeles feels right now and the hope that I saw at those testing facilities, maybe a film could touch people and help give back to CORE.  I wanted to create something real and honest. A snapshot, a small piece of the story. It sure isn’t about me, there’s nothing heroic in making a film about this pandemic. I saw real heroes. That’s the story I tried to tell.”