Melanoma Casts A Deathly Pall With Help From Northern Lights

"There's no such thing as a safe tan" is the jarring message of a new PSA by the Colette Coyne Melanoma Awareness Campaign (CCMAC). Shot by Bryan Litman and edited by David Gioiella of Northern Lights, the PSA reveals that one person dies from melanoma every hour.

The spot uses a simple, striking visual concept of a tanning bed morphing into a coffin. A teenage girl lies down to a session of sun bed tanning, hoping to give her skin a healthy glow. Motion graphics state that, "UV rays can cause melanoma no matter where they come from" - thus, shattering the notion that tanning salons are safer than outdoor tanning.

To raise awareness of the astonishing death-rate statistic, Northern Lights' editor David Gioiella used jump cuts and frame removals.

"David set the tone of the spot right away. The audience is watching something that seems pretty benign - but they're immediately uncomfortable, they can sense that something's not right," says director Bryan Litman.

"Melanoma doesn't discriminate," says Gioiella. "Many people, especially young women, are under the impression that they're saving themselves from the sun. I tried to make the edit feel a bit uncomfortable, and leave viewers unsettled."