Reely hard to feature...

Sometimes here at The Reel we get really excited about new Directors and new work that we sadly can't feature for various reasons (copyright, clearance, they just hate us, etc etc - the list goes on but we wont bore you). However... We at The Reel always believe that there is a solution to a problem - and that good work should always be raved about. So we decided to dedicate this weeks feature to new Directors whose work is awesome, but we couldnt feature properly (for whatever reason).... So here we go:

DR SMOOVE

Comedic genius from the man named Dr Smoov. Mashing up old 80’s cartoons and re-dubbing the audio is the order of the day for the Doc, who on more than on occasion had the office in fits of uncontrollable laughter. Authenticity, brilliant humour and sharp editing skills make this guy a one to keep an eye on.




Check out his Youtube channel here for more mirth…

http://uk.youtube.com/user/DRSMOOV

PAUL ROBERTSON

Paul has obviously been raised in arcade full of 16-bit beat-em-ups, manga and heavy metal. Taking the model of a side scrolling beat-em (ala double dragon) Paul weaves his spellbinding pixel anime style with supreme ultraviolence to create these fantastically accomplished shorts.







http://probertson.livejournal.com/

THE WEEZER REMIX

We already featured the original Weezer promo from the ultra talented Matthew Cullen…
And then the powers that be, go and release a bloody good new remix as well!! So rather than whine and moan… we included this one for your visual and aural pleasure…

NewsReel 16/01/09

A weekly fix of news and moves. If you've got a story you want featured in this section, send it over to editor@thereel.net. We eat facts for breakfast - so fill us up. Mmmmmmm.

Brilliant news!!

We love production companies here at The Reel, so a new one opening sounds brilliant to us. And it is. Because it’s Brilliant House!
As good creative ideas proliferate across platforms and the economy stretches budgets to the limit, Brilliant House has marshaled a smart, nimble company of film-makers ready to house big ideas under one provident roof.
The company’s roster includes: Laurent Bourdoiseau, celebrated for the extraordinary worlds that emerge from his groundbreaking approach to CGI; Brian Harrington, recognised for a documentarian sensibility that arrives at the heart of every subject; Jonathan van Tulleken, recently tapped by Creativity Magazine as one of 15 directors to watch in 2009; and Jason Yeomans, lauded for his lyrical storytelling and meticulous visual style.
Brilliant House also recently signed Bitography, a collective of designers, illustrators, and programmers who created the company website. Further signings are to be revealed in the coming months.
Brilliant House has a campaign of short films in development and (obviously knowing what buttons to push to get on The Reel’s editorial team) has undertaken to publish two Graphic Novels in the summer of this year. The
principal focus of the company will be advertising for television and other digital media.

http://brilliant-house.com/

Former Farmers at HRA

Hibbert Ralph Animation has signed multi award-winning digital animation and design collective, Once Were Farmers, for worldwide commercials representation. Led by Rory Lowe and Will Adams, Once Were Farmers is a Glasgow-based creative collective with seven years experience in title sequences, character animation, visual effects and motion graphics for commercials, broadcast, theatre, clubs and film.
Once Were Farmers recently created several projects for BBC Scotland, a TV commercial for “Your Clear” and an installation for the Welcome Trust on Euston Road, London, in collaboration with Timorous Beasties. In addition to a nomination for the Cartoon d'Or later this year, Once Were Farmers have won several advertising awards including three Scottish Advertising Awards and three Roses Advertising awards for campaigns like XFM.

Draw draw top talent

Best known for his sensational live work, director James Russell has joined Draw UK. A glimpse at his reel reveals a fantastic eye for performance – with this in mind James is broadening his creative horizons and coming to over to the promo world. James’ career began over 12 years ago, producing and directing music documentaries and shows for MTV Europe. He has since become a much sought after director in this field, working with some of the worlds biggest artists including Stereophonics, Queens Of The Stone Age, Arctic Monkeys, James Blunt, Kasabian, REM, The Verve, Scissor Sisters, Snow Patrol, Paul Weller, Kaiser Chiefs, and The Ting Tings.
James’ talent has earned him praise from some of the hottest British bands and clients together with numerous nominations for his work. While continuing to work very much in the live field, James has decided to extend his creative output and has joined Draw Pictures for promo and all video content representation.

Showreel

Carr drives over to Boys

Bucks Boys Productions is excited to announce the addition of Steve Carr to their growing list of commercial directors. Mr. Carr offers clients tremendous creative talent and looks forward to directing short form projects, specifically branded “mini-movies”, interactive campaigns and traditional commercials.
In the past, the director has created groundbreaking music videos for artists like Jay-Z, RedMan, Method Man, Public Enemy, Lauren Hill and Moby, winning both MTV and Billboard Awards. He has also directed many feature films, including “Next Friday”, “Dr. Dolittle 2”, and Reel co-editor Chris Wall’s favourite - “Daddy Day Care”.

Wendy Wandas in

Director Wendy Morgan has signed with French production company Wanda for the commercial representation in the European market Morgan is Chilean, grew up in Canada and now lives in Barcelona. Having made her mark as an art director at MTV Canada, Wendy is known for her super stylized comedies mixing energy and derision.

http://www.wanda.fr/

A bit of Greek

Not ad news as such, but the BBC has commissioned RSA Films to create a series of six five-minute "modern interpretations" of a selection of Greek tales, called Myths. Post house Smoke & Mirrors provided Online Editing and VFX support for the production. The films were shot on Red Camera and Smoke & Mirrors worked alongside offline house Final Cut to manage the camera data between Avid, Assimilate Scratch and Flame.

Newsreel 09/01/09

The Reel Wants Your Work!

Not exactly news, we know. But were cheap, and it's January.

So – if you have any tasty little morsels that you have buried until the winter, now is the time to send them to us! The January submissions cut off date is Wednesday the 14th, so get sending…

How? It's shmeasy:

Just supply us with a Beta SP, DVD or (preferably) an MPEG2 or Uncompressed QuickTime of your piece(s) along with filled in credits and clearance forms and we’ll give it a look. Clicking on to this link will take you all the details you need. If you have any other questions just let our tireless co-editors Chris or Jamie know. Or if you really want to be entertained, just call us on +44 (0) 20 7575 1985.

Okay. Enough….

…And now The News!


TBWA WORLDWIDE NAMED 2008 GLOBAL AGENCY OF THE YEAR BY ADWEEK

TBWA Worldwide has been named the 2008 Global Agency of the Year by Adweek magazine.
In its selection of TBWA Worldwide, the Adweek article noted the Network’s “…deep client relationships, strong growth, great work and successfully embracing digital, plus a seamless leadership transition at the top.“

Tom Carroll, President & CEO TBWA Worldwide said of the recognition, “We have spent the last 10 years building a culture of inclusiveness, truly wanting to be international and collaborative. Led by the efforts of Carisa Bianchi and Rob Schwartz in Los Angeles on Visa and Pepsi, we have also fostered an environment where we have redefined how a network can operate effectively on behalf of its clients. It’s working, we’re getting better every year. Thanks for noticing.”

Keep on disrupting gents!


Meribel UK Roundup

The Reel Winter-fave Meribel has launched a special rankings page on their site, with a neat little UK focussed list for you to check out. Engine and Fallon enjoyed the top slots this year in this new segment, which demonstrates Meribel’s commitment to creative outside their native French market and proves that the festival is continuing to go from strength to strength.

http://www.festivalpub.com/EN/SpecialRankings.html

Akerman and Sepanik set up Colonie.

Editors Bob Ackerman and Brian Sepanik have teamed up with executive producer Mary Caddy to launch a new Chicago-based edit house called The Colonie. No reports on if they have chosen a queen yet, or if any of them sting.

http://thecolonie.com/

Anyone for Shorts?

Well here it is – 2009. A year of possibilities? Maybe. A year of changes? Most likely. Still, we’re not ones to dwell on the negatives here at The Reel, so this first post of 2009 is about something we’re really looking forward to – RUSHES SOHO SHORTS 2009. The call for entries is out, so get your shorts on.

Celebrating work in six competition categories - Short Film, Animation, Documentary, Music Video, Newcomer and Broadcast Design - the festival has built a phenomenal following and maintains a significant bridge between the independent and commercial film making communities. Think you’ve gor a top piece to contribute? The entry form for this year’s festival can now be downloaded at www.sohoshorts.com

But that’s not all! 2009’s event includes additional out-of-competition programmes highlighting work from abroad along with numerous guest programmes showcasing amazing work produced in the UK and overseas. The 10 day bonanza will also see a large range of seminars, lectures, networking events, receptions, Bar-B-Q’s, boat parties and live music performances.

The festival provides many programmes and events for free, intending to encourage, inspire and promote talented filmmakers to the public and the huge number of production companies and creative organisations in and around London and the UK.

It’s free to enter, just send in your film on DVD along with an entry form to:
Rushes Soho Shorts, 66 Old Compton Street, London, W1D 4UH, UK.


Entry Criteria:

• Films must be no more than 12 minutes without credits
• Films must have been completed between 1st January 2008 and 23rd April 2009
• Films should be submitted on DVD with the entry form
• A SAE should be sent with entries if they are to be returned

Films can be submitted up until 23rd April with the shortlisted films being announced early June and the full programme available from 1st July. The festival will open on Wednesday 23rd July and will culminate, as is tradition, with the Rushes Awards hosted by festival stalwart (and Celebrity Big Brother megastar) Terry Christian on Thursday 30th July 2009.

Want an idea of what’s come before? Here’s a rundown of last years winners:

ANIMATION
1st Place “Standup” Dir. Joseph Pierce (National Film and Television School)
2nd Place “The Control Master” Dir. Run Wrake (Sclah Films)
3rd Place “Sony Bravia: Play Doh” Dir. Frank Budgen and Darren Walsh (Passion Pictures)

SHORT FILM
1st Place “Souljah” Dir. Rikki Beadle-Blair (Team Angelica)
2nd Place “Eel Girl” Dir. Paul Campion (Chameleon Pictures)
3rd Place “El Hoppo!” Dir. Marcus Shepherd (Dan Films Ltd)

BROADCAST DESIGN
1st Place “1 in 7 Children” Dir. Susannah Hayes (Ferocious Films)
2nd Place “BBC iPlayer: Penguins” Dir. Vince Squibb & Darren Walsh (Passion Pictures)
3rd Place “Don’t Let It All Unravel” Dir.Sarah Cox (Aardman Animations)

MUSIC VIDEO
1st Place Mika – Lollipop Dir. Bonzom (Passion)
2nd Place Spektr: Things That Go Bump In The Night Dir. Thomas Pors (Simulakrum)
3rd Place One Eskimo: Hometime Dir. Lucy Sullivan & Matt Latchford (Gravy Media)

NEWCOMERS
1st Place “Love Does Grow on Trees” Dir. Bevan Walsh (Keel Films)
2nd Place “Covered” Dir. Jack Laurance (Covered)
3rd Place “On The Upside” Dir. Peter Bunzl (Peter Bunzl Films)

DOCUMENTARY
1st Place “A to Z” Sally Arthur (World of Arthur Cox)
2nd Place “Adi Dassler” Martin Krejci (Stink)
3rd Place “I Dreamt of Flying” Alex Bland

In 2008, post festival, the finalist’s films and selections of work from the festival shortlist were screened not only to Ad agencies, festivals and film organisations in London but also at events in Denmark, Australia, USA, Turkey, and Jersey (to name a few). As if that wasn’t enough, they were also featured in full on the hallowed pages of The Reel.

Further Information can be found at www.sohoshorts.com and festival enquires should be directed towards Joe Bateman, Festival Director - joe.bateman@rushes.co.uk

Meribel Cristal Winners

The European Film Winners were announced last night and provided some interesting choices from Meribel's Jury.

Taking the grand big daddy Cristal for 08 (strangely) was Sony's Campaign 'Music Pieces'.

Following on behind was the Sony campaign 'Foam City' co-winning the er... Tourism Leisure Category (go Sony!).

Other winners were as follows:

Food Drink Category: 'Open Source' Pepsi
Automobile Category: 'Maggia' Volkswagen
Insurance / Banking Category: 'Waterslide' Barclays
Charity Category: 'Dreams of tomorrow' Greenpeace
Public Interest Category: 'Binge boy/girl' Home Office
Public Interest Category: 'Whodunnit' Home Office
Retail: 'Shadows' John Lewis
Media 'Mafia' Canal +
Clothing: 'Core values' Louis Vuitton


The awards underline a stalwart but perhaps slightly unpolished year for Ads in Europe and close 08 with a little French class that the Cannes showy-bunfight can no longer provide.

Roll on Meribel 09!

The Reel At Meribel

The Reel has landed in the wonderful and decidedly chilly Meribel once again..

Currently the festival has awarded Grand Cristal's in the categories of Marketing, Cyber and the Media category. Winning the Grand Media Cristal's for France and Europe was the brilliant Ad Auction for Ebay (featured in the February issue of The Reel).

Tonight sees the unveiling of the European Grand Cristal awards cermemony for Outdoor, Press, Integrated, Radio and of course Film. Tuesday sees the Meribel Young Directors Forum come to life, as 8 fresh Directors (who have yet to break into the commercial realm) get to mix with the advertising elite and French Directing legend Gerard Pires.

Obviously, we are there to let you know what happens and what is the good stuff... ... so keep your eyes peeled!

NewsReel 12/12/08

GABER BECOMES TRANSPARENT

Yariv Gaber commits to London production company Transparent for UK representation and more.
Having established Gaber in the UK Transparent now intends to pursue more work in the Global arena.
Gaber's much anticipated Global campaign for Herbal Essences 'Great Escapes' series launches in the UK early next month.

To view Yariv's work go to: http://www.transparentuk.com/directors/gaber/gaber_01.html

To see the other fanstastic directors represented by Transparent go to: http://www.transparentuk.com/p_directors.html



THE BULLY BROTHERS ARE IN TOWN…

Bully Bros. Post (www.bullybrospost.com), a new full-service post and visual effects facility in Santa Monica, CA has been opened by Creative Director/Lead Effects Artist Kiki Chansamone and Executive Producer Jason Forest. The all-new facility, located at Christopher Sliney’s Playground Media Group, will specialize in full-service HD finishing for spots, expert compositing, RED and P2 conversions, 3D previz/storyboarding and on-set vfx supervision.

They have special emphasis on end-to-end workflow creation and full visual effects design and supervision for commercials. Chansamone comes to Bully Bros. after nine years as lead Inferno Artist at R!OT in Santa Monica, and Forest is the founder/Executive Producer of TV spot production house Bully Pictures in Marina Del Rey, CA.The new facility has been hot right out of the gate, finishing campaigns for IW Group (Wal-Mart and Met-Life), DraftFCB (Taco Bell), Bozell/Jacobs (Alegent Health), Ogilvy & Mather (Nature Made), and Chiat/Day (Visa).

Chansamone and Forest have been good friends since meeting on a Bacardi campaign several years ago, and that friendship has fueled their special vision for Bully Bros. Post. “We started Bully Bros. Post with the goal of creating a ‘family’ atmosphere, not just for ourselves, but for our clients as well,” Chansamone states. “Artistically and technologically, we want to build a company that is based on working with well-known brands for well-known agencies.”

For more info go over to http://www.bullybrospost.com/

Nike says farewell to Ajax Top-scorer... and appoint S-W-H

11 December 2008, Amsterdam – Following news of Klaas-Jan Huntelaar’s transfer from Ajax to Real Madrid, Nike says what’s really on fans’ minds. The campaign is the first piece of work to come out of newly appointed Amsterdam-based agency S-W-H (Dutch Advertising Agency of the Year) who join Nike’s roster.

The ad, a parody of the Amsterdam flag, is placed on the back-page of the Metro newspaper – a favourite amongst Amsterdammers. The campaign will also be seeded online via Facebook, Hyves and Myspace and banners on Ajax fan sites.

Though currently sidelined with an ankle injury, Huntelaar (25) famously scored an impressive 33 goals for Ajax in last season’s league games, becoming the Dutch Eredivisie’s top-scorer, and will be sorely missed by fans of the Amsterdam-based club.

Lode Schaeffer, Creative Director and Partner of S-W-H says:

“When Nike brought this to our attention, we really wanted to send out a message to Ajax fans that they could really identify with. The ad really does say it all – it’s exactly what Ajax fans are now thinking. The message pays tribute to how much Huntelaar will be missed and reflects how much of an impact he has had at Ajax.”

About working for Nike, S-W-H’s Managing Partner, Mark Aink, says:

“Nike is world-renowned for their creative approach to advertising and we look forward to adding our idiom to that legacy. Our task, together with Nike, is to create work that reverberates amongst the audience. We should be right on the pulse and engage people with the brand again. Currently we’re working on six campaigns which should see the light of day starting early next year”

For more info go to http://www.s-w-h.com/