For Julian, finding the perfect location for the commercial was easy—his home location in Utah, with its cabins and mountains, fit the script perfectly. The real challenge came in casting a Latino grandfather and veteran for the lead—until the director’s own dad, a Latino veteran, stepped in to audition.
At first, the director wasn’t sure about casting his dad, as he worried about his lack of acting experience and the complexities of mixing family with work. But the experience turned out to be incredibly rewarding, with his kids even joining as extras, making it a true family affair.
For the director’s cut, Julian had his dad do the voiceover, sharing his own perspective. His father’s saying, “Love is a verb,” which once felt cliché as a teenager, took on new meaning for him. As Julian put it: “Love is action, not grand gestures—it’s about showing up, being there. And here he was, showing up for me, his son. It felt like a quiet, beautiful lesson between us—love in action.”
Client:
@jeep
Director:
@julianjacosta
Agency:
@migranteagency
Production Company:
@wildgiftcontent
DP:
@matthewpothier