Aspiring Filmmaker Celebrates Mothers in 'The Extra Mile'

DETROIT--May 10, 2014: – “The Extra Mile,” a film by Jake Viramontez of Los Angeles will air on television this weekend in honor of Mother’s Day. The 30-second film, featuring the 2014 Chevrolet Equinox, was one of 13 finalists for the Chevrolet and MOFILM film program announced last year.

“We chose ‘The Extra Mile’ because it’s a beautiful tribute to what Mothers’ Day is all about – a day to honor mothers and show appreciation for all of the special things they do every day,” said Paul Edwards, U.S. vice president, Chevrolet Marketing.

Viramontez was inspired by a perfect morning described by his sister, mother to his 18-month old niece, and cast his friends and their child in the spot.

“The father is a close friend of mine, and when I was going through the casting process, I was trying to find actors that looked like him, females that looked like his wife, and babies as cute as his,” said Viramontez. “Then I realized, I can just cast them.”

The spot, Viramontez’s first commercial, was shot in one 13-hour day. His prior work has focused on documentaries. He is a recent graduate of the Film department at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif.

Last June, Chevrolet announced the filmmaking contest and worked with MOFILM to call for submissions from its filmmakers throughout the world. Twenty-four early submissions received mentorship by a panel of celebrity experts and prominent professionals. “The Extra Mile” was one of 13 finalists chosen from nearly 200 scripts and 72 films from 34 countries.

As a part of this Chevrolet and MOFILM program, Viramontez received mentorship from Jon Landau, the Academy Award®-winning producer of "Titanic" and "Avatar."

“The Extra Mile” was a finalist in the same Chevrolet and MOFILM program that produced “Speed Chaser” that aired during the 2014 Oscars® broadcast on ABC.