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Ancestry “Railroad Ties” 2019

Ancestry “Railroad Ties” (2019) is an Ancestry commercial directed by Sacha Jenkins for Weber Shandwick, produced by The Content Collective. It won 2 awards, including One Show 2020 Bronze Pencil — Branded Entertainment and Epica 2019 Bronze Branded Content - Films & Series.

A group of strangers discovers their shared ancestry and connection to the Underground Railroad at Plymouth Church, revealing a powerful historical link.

Video: Ancestry on YouTube

Shot by shot

  1. A distinguished older Black man in a suit and tie sits in a chair, gesturing as he speaks in a library with large windows and bookshelves.© Ancestry0:00
  2. A distinguished older Black man in a suit and glasses speaks directly to the camera, gesturing with his finger in a dimly lit room.© Ancestry0:01
  3. A diverse group of people, including a man with a large afro, gather on concrete steps outdoors, greeting each other.© Ancestry0:04
  4. A diverse group of people gather outdoors, with a man in a dark coat shaking hands with a woman in a puffer jacket, all smiling.© Ancestry0:05
  5. A man with gray hair and glasses, wearing a black jacket, looks down and speaks in a church.© Ancestry0:08
  6. A close-up shot of the brick facade of Plymouth Church, with "PLYMOUTH CHURCH 1849" inscribed above a central window, and bare tree branches on the right.© Ancestry0:09
  7. A man with an afro and a woman in an orange cardigan walk through a brick archway in a dimly lit tunnel.© Ancestry0:13
  8. Two women walk through a dimly lit, narrow brick and stone basement with exposed pipes overhead, exploring the old structure.© Ancestry0:14
  9. A woman with brown hair and a floral top speaks directly to the camera in a dimly lit, ornate interior hallway.© Ancestry0:17
  10. A diverse group of people sit in church pews, listening intently as a woman reads from a document in a church decorated for Christmas.© Ancestry0:20
  11. A man with grey hair and a white shirt looks intently at another person, whose back is to the camera, in an indoor setting.© Ancestry0:22
  12. A young woman with glasses and a bun reads from a folder, while two other people are blurred in the background, in an old building.© Ancestry0:23

Stills © Ancestry. Made by Weber Shandwick, The Content Collective and Sacha Jenkins.

Every shot, full-quality frames and clips, and search across every commercial. Free account.

The idea

Uncovering shared history and family ties through a historical church and Ancestry.

historical revelationstrangers unitedancestral journeyhidden historyemotional discovery

The cut

Length
30 s
Shots
21
Average shot
1.4 s

What creatives use Ancestry “Railroad Ties” for

  1. 01Reference frames for your treatment

    Pitching something with the feel of Ancestry “Railroad Ties”? A screenshot from a video player won't hold up in a deck.

    Download any frame of this spot at full quality, with its credits, or search every spot for the same look.

    A distinguished older Black man in a suit and tie sits in a chair, gesturing as he speaks in a library with large windows and bookshelves.© AncestryA distinguished older Black man in a suit and glasses speaks directly to the camera, gesturing with his finger in a dimly lit room.© AncestryA diverse group of people, including a man with a large afro, gather on concrete steps outdoors, greeting each other.© AncestryA diverse group of people gather outdoors, with a man in a dark coat shaking hands with a woman in a puffer jacket, all smiling.© Ancestry
    Frames from Ancestry “Railroad Ties”

  2. 02Shot list example: how it was cut

    You need the structure of a great spot, shot by shot, for your storyboard.

    Every shot of Ancestry “Railroad Ties” in order, with its length, framing and what happens in it.

    A distinguished older Black man in a suit and tie sits in a chair, gesturing as he speaks in a library with large windows and bookshelves.© AncestryA distinguished older Black man in a suit and glasses speaks directly to the camera, gesturing with his finger in a dimly lit room.© AncestryA diverse group of people, including a man with a large afro, gather on concrete steps outdoors, greeting each other.© AncestryA diverse group of people gather outdoors, with a man in a dark coat shaking hands with a woman in a puffer jacket, all smiling.© AncestryA man with gray hair and glasses, wearing a black jacket, looks down and speaks in a church.© AncestryA close-up shot of the brick facade of Plymouth Church, with "PLYMOUTH CHURCH 1849" inscribed above a central window, and bare tree branches on the right.© Ancestry
    Length: 30 s · Shots: 21 · Average shot: 1.4 s

More from Weber Shandwick

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Questions

Who directed the Ancestry “Railroad Ties” commercial?

Sacha Jenkins directed it, produced by The Content Collective, for the agency Weber Shandwick.

Which agency made Ancestry “Railroad Ties”?

Weber Shandwick created it for Ancestry (2019).

What awards did Ancestry “Railroad Ties” win?

2 awards, including One Show 2020 Bronze Pencil — Branded Entertainment and Epica 2019 Bronze Branded Content - Films & Series.

Sources for the credits and awards

winners.epica-awards.comoneclub.orgoneclub.org