RSA Films' Jared Malik Royal Directs Ford's New Short 'Welcome to the Club' ft. the Mustang Mafia

Ford takes a look at what makes a car enthusiast. Is it being able to name all the Ford vehicles you’ve had in your life? Or a tattoo that says “Mustang”? For the New Orleans Mustang Mafia, it’s a full lifestyle. Ford’s newest short film centers around the Mustang Mafia, a New Orleans community of Ford Mustang fanatics who have created a community for "a bunch of good dudes with a bunch of bad cars.”

Ford Motor Company in partnership with Wieden+Kennedy New York have created Welcome To The Club, Ford’s flagship foray into human-first storytelling. Episode one of ‘Welcome To The Club is the first short film for the new narrative-led editorial platform for Ford Motor Company. It will specifically call out the stories of the people, the passion and the purpose that drives Ford enthusiasts. Launching Wednesday, October 25th Welcome To The Club introduces Bert Groves, a New Orleans community icon and leader of any Ford Mustang enthusiast’s dream club, Mustang Mafia.

The film showcases Bert’s inspirations when starting the club, which counts over 300 Mustang owners in its ranks, and his philanthropic desire to feed the homeless. While giving back and engaging with the community is a large aspect of the Mustang Mafia, the invisible string tying all of these members together is their love for the Ford Mustang.

RSA Films’ up-and-coming filmmaker Jared Malik Royal directed the film and brought to life a story focused around humanity and community, while also ensuring New Orleans was a central character of the film. Beautiful textural and meditative shots of the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway are placed between burnouts and high speed dyno shots. The film’s soundtrack is from New Orleans native Curren$y and his producer Black Metaphor.

The film culminates with a sweet gifting moment where Bert and Mustang Mafia donate an older Mustang to a local high school’s auto program. They not only provided the blank canvas, but money for the parts and resources it would require to fix the car up. The Mafia also surprised the high school and rolled up, fifty cars deep. Bert was also in for a surprise when the team behind the film surprised him with a limited-edition Settlemier’s Jackets made founder’s jacket.

The focus of Ford’s newest editorial franchise is to celebrate and recognize the people behind the wheel. The film will live on Ford’s U.S organic social media channels: YouTube, YTShorts, Meta (IG & FB), X, Threads, and TikTok.

Welcome To The Club shines a light on the beauty of the community amongst those who share a love of Ford’s vehicles and their community.

CLIENT Ford Motor Company
PROJECT NAME Welcome to the Club
FORMAT + TITLES Digital
Welcome to the Club - Episode 1 feat. Mustang Mafia
LAUNCH DATE 10/25
W+K NEW YORK
President Jiah Choi
Chief Creative Officers Brandon Henderson, Marques Gartrell
Executive Creative Directors Eric Helin, Stuart Jennings
Creative Directors Dan Peters, Reef Younis
Art Director Dylan Simel
Copywriter Nickolas Sugai
Head of Production Nick Setounski
Executive Producer Jessica Griffeth
Senior Producer Jake Freeman
Designer Zachary Winterton
Studio Artist Erica Remmele
Head of Project Management Yann Samuels
Project Manager Ash Hester
Group Strategy Director Alix Toothman
Group Social Strategy Director Caroline Tseng
Strategist Darren Wong
Group Brand Director Mike Welch
Brand Director Tenaya Ende
Brand Manager Abby Paige
Brand Executive Megan Hu
Head of Business Affairs, Global Amber Lavender
Head of Business Affairs, NY Anna Beth Nagel
Business Affairs Manager Chelsea Appleby Fugate
FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Social Media Content and Strategy Lead Jess Muir
PRODUCTION
Production Company RSA Films
Director Jared Malik Royal
Co-writer Rivers Cahee
President/Executive Producer Luke Ricci
Executive Producer Matilde Ramos Pinto
Line Producer Jeremy Blum
Production Coordinator Natalie Orsi
Production Assistant Camille Barnett
Director of Photography Danyal Niazi
1st AC Andreas Ballesteros
2nd AC / DIT Thristan “Pilgrim” Cecil
Sound Mixer Derek Rocque
Gaffer Tanner Short
Key Grip Patrick McGinley
Drone OP Daniel Waghorne
EDITORIAL
Editorial Company Final Cut
Editor Matt Carter
Assistant Editor Kaylin Smida
Post Producer Michael Wadsworth
Post Producer Laura Mirabella
Post Executive Producer Sarah Roebuck
COLOR
Company RareMedium
Senior Color Producer Heath Raymond
Colorist Mikey Rossiter
MUSIC
Music Company Jet Life Recordings
Title Stoned on Ocean
Artist/Writer Curren$y
Music Company Black Cloud Music Group
Titles EJ2, Motif
Artist/Writer Black Metaphor
SOUND DESIGN / MIX
Company Machine Sound
Engineer Alex Bingham
Assistant Engineer Chantelle Donovan
Assistant Engineer Nicole Watlington
Executive Producer Matej Oreskovic
Senior Producer Andi Lewis