This PSA imagines gun violence fear as part of our everyday routine

A woman praying in a church pew reveals, “I want to think about how completely vulnerable I am while I’m closing my eyes at my place of worship.”

A man at the cinema with his son notes, “I like going to the movies and making a mental note of every exit in the theater to plan my escape.”

A teacher crouched down in her classroom with a group of kids whispers, “I enjoy practicing semi-annual lockdown drills with six-year-olds who don’t fully understand what’s happening.”

These are among the scenes in a disturbing new PSA that puts into stark relief how the fear of rampant gun violence in the country can color the way we approach our basic routines. The ad comes from March Fourth, a non-partisan grassroots community organization that has organized “Pass the Ban,” a march on the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, Sept. 22,  to help convince the Senate to pass the federal assault weapons ban.

The spot lays bare the fears that likely have crept into the minds of average Americans while darkly imagining what will become reality if gun violence continues to plague the country. It suggests one way to help is to attend or support the “Pass the Ban” march. It was created by Chicago agency Quality Meats, with support from L.A.’s Zambezi. 

March Fourth was formed earlier this year in the wake of the shooting at Highland Park, IL. during a Fourth of July parade. March Fourth marched nine days after the tragedy, and weeks later, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the H.R. 1808 assault weapons ban. Now, the organization is rallying again to pass the bill (S. 736) in the Senate before those leaders go into recess so that it will reach President Biden to sign into law. 

“The significance of this group is staggering,” said Kitty Brandtner, founder of March Fourth, in a statement.  “We come from all corners of the country, representing more than a dozen mass shootings that have tragically become the background noise of America. Enough is enough—the time has come for the Senate to finally listen to the majority of Americans who want an assault weapons ban. We demand that they pass it now.

Chicago agency Quality Meats created the PSA with support from Zambezi L.A. The ad was created in a mere two weeks, with production split between L.A. and Chicago. Other companies that pitched in included Golden LA, the BMP Film Co,. Work Editorial, Carbon VFX and Fiddleleaf Sound. Jordan Bahat of Golden LA directed. 

March Fourth debuted the film on its social channels today. Those who want to join the march in person or virtually can register online. The organization is also accepting donations to help support the event and help victims and survivors attend.