TIPP CITY, OH – Every once and a while, a group of grassroots Mustang enthusiasts become so passionate about their beloved Ford Pony Car that they do something special to let the whole world know about it. That’s just what happened when a several Mustang owners, racers and fans in the Midwest decided to team up with some filmmaking creative types to put together their own promotional video tribute to honor the Ford Mustang as it celebrates its 61st year in the marketplace. This privately funded “spec commercial” video was not affiliated or sponsored by Ford, but rather was spearheaded by a group of Mustang loyalists in the Columbus, Ohio, area and a media production company called Cinelescence LLC. After nearly a year of working together on the project, the group recently shared their video tribute with the rest of the Mustang community in time to enjoy before National Mustang Day on April 17, 2025.
Last month, the group announced a premiere screening event for their “60th Anniversary Mustang Spec Commercial” at the Gale Halderman Museum in Tipp City, Ohio, about 20 minutes north of Dayton off Interstate 75. Halderman was the principal designer of the original Mustang, and his daughter Karen now manages the little barn museum that her late father had set up to pay tribute to the Mustang. About 70 Mustang enthusiasts had gathered back on March 9th to see the short film, meet the creators, attend a “Mustang 60 Years” presentation by Ford Performance Club Connect, tour the museum and get a commemorative Mustang 60 Years poster just for being there.
Purely a passion project, this 60th Anniversary Mustang Spec Commercial explores the Mustang’s rich heritage through the heartfelt story of a grandfather reflecting on his family’s four-generation connection to the iconic brand. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Freddie Connor and shot by international cinematographer Dan Buckley, this cinematic tribute captures the Mustang’s legacy through a storyline set across four eras – the 1940s, the 1960s, the 1990s, and modern day. “This is an unsponsored, community-driven project created as a tribute to the iconic Mustang,” says Connor. The racing scenes were filmed at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in collaboration with Team Blitz Racing, led by Norm Murdock. Separately, Mustang enthusiasts collaborated to bring the brand’s evolution to life, with each vehicle carefully selected to represent different eras in the story.
Renowned British composer Rupert Uzzell, known for his work on the BAFTA-nominated The Fabric of You, crafted an original score for this spec commercial. Karen (Halderman) Koenig made her Gale Halderman Mustang Museum available for the screening after Connor and Buckley told her it would be the perfect way to honor both the Mustang’s rich history and Gale Halderman’s incredible contribution to the brand. On-site support from Ford Performance Club Connect helped to amplify Mustang’s storied legacy and share this project within the Mustang enthusiast community. For the inside story behind this grassroots effort, check out the interview with Buckley and Connor on the Mustang Owners Podcast on Spotify or YouTube. You can see the Spec Commercial online at https://www.cinelescence.com/projects or by visiting the company’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@cinelescence. Feel free to share, and don’t forget to get out and celebrate National Mustang Day on April 17!
FORD PERFORMANCE PHOTOS / COURTESY THE HALDERMAN MUSEUM & CINELESCENCE
