NEW YORK, NY, November 7, 2008 - Acclaimed editor Adam Jenkins has joined bicoastal Union. Jenkins, who comes over from Cut and Run, counts ads for Panasonic and Zed.com, as well as the Brad Pitt-Anjelina Jolie feature Mr. and Mrs. Smith among his most notable projects. His first assignment with Union is a Tooheys Beer campaign, for frequent collaborators Glue Society.

""I'm excited by the people and the prospects at Union," said Jenkins of the move. "Adam personifies the kind of company we want to be - not just his work but who he is," said Union Partner/Executive Producer Michael Raimondi. "He's hungry for interesting work, and wants to work in an environment with people who strive to do meaningful projects whether they are commercials, films or documentaries."

"Adding Adam to the roster makes my job easier," noted Union's New York-based Executive Producer Caryn MacLean. "Along with Sloane (Klevin) and Geordie (Anderson), Adam makes it a pleasure to come to work every day. I have always admired his work and I'm very happy to be collaborating with him." 

The New Zealand-born Jenkins attended university for a year, but left seeking inspiration. "I started painting houses for a living," he recalled, "and ended up painting sets." He worked his way up through the ranks of production and post in Australia, heading to London as an editor at Final Cut. Jenkins enjoyed a successful four-year run editing spot, clip, and feature projects, before relocating to New York. "I don't mind the cold," he mused, "but I was tired of being wet and never seeing the sun!"

A meeting with Raimondi in a SoHo café, in which the two discussed their shared love of cycling, led to more formal discussions about a new home for Jenkins. "The thing I love most about Adam's work is that his choices are unexpected," Raimondi said. "I look forward to viewing his cuts, to the little surprises." For his part, Jenkins is happy to be bringing his energy and all those surprises, to Union. "With the established presence in LA and the burgeoning operation in New York, joining Union allows me to be a part of making something great even better. We're working hard to make this venture all that it can be."

Jenkins' recent work includes a music video for The Virgins "A Private Affair", helmed by Matt Lenski, and an ESPN NASCAR campaign for director Jon Watts.

LONG BEACH, CA, November 7, 2008 - Director/Cinematographer Doug Taub has joined Damon Live Action, Inc. for exclusive US spot and print representation. He comes over from trio films, where he recently completed an international spot project for Hertz (via Beber Silverstein Group/Miami and GoGoGo Films). The move reunites Taub with two longtime colleagues and collaborators, owner/director Tim Damon and Executive Producer Caroline von Weyher.

"I've been a huge admirer of Doug's for a long time," said Damon. "First, when we both worked at Boulevard Photographic, and more recently, when I was transitioning from print to live action, I tried to model myself after Doug Taub, Sean Thonson and Jeff Swartz, all incredible photographers who went on to have really brilliant live action careers."

Taub, whose portfolio of notable ads includes Mitsubishi "Time Bomb" (BBDO/LA), Scion "Urbano Misto" (Attik/SF), and many, many more, reflected on the unique dynamic that exists at Damon Live Action. "This is a powerful team," he said. "We all work so well together that every project is a group effort on some level. Tim has built this amazing studio, and Caroline's design sense is instrumental in assembling pitch packages, on top of being a hands-on producer who understands what the client wants and knows how to deliver it." Prior to joining trio, Taub shared a roster with Damon at Millennium Pictures, where von Weyher was President and Managing Director. "I'm so happy to be working with these people again," said Taub.   

von Weyher sees the addition of Taub as a perfect next step in the company's evolution. "With these two guys, there is such an incredible powerhouse of talent and skill," she said. "Doug and Tim have complementary strengths that are united by a keen eye for beauty and framing. They are great visualists and have an amazing body of work to draw on." von Weyher recalled that her first campaign with Taub, for Chevy, set the tone for their collaboration. "When I brought Doug into Millennium Pictures, we immediately formed a creative partnership," she noted. "The establishment of that trust was so important." She added that the time had come to add a second director to the Damon roster. "You can only book one guy on a job at a time, and there have been many, many times that we've had to turn things down. There are similarities between Tim and Doug, but their reels are very different and distinct, and, of course, Doug has a huge fan base in the industry."

That fan base has been acquired over a distinguished career rich with projects for high-profile clients such as Ford, Renault, Mercedes, Mazda, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Rolls Royce, VW, Citroen, Chevrolet, Ford, Acura, Honda, Lexus, Infinity, Toyota, Volvo, Saab, Wyoming Tourism, Mattel, GTE, Jeep, Daimler Chrysler, and many more. His filmmaking career was inspired by an interest in photojournalism, which he took up at the age of 14. Taub studied photography, art, advertising and business, before assisting top automotive photographers such as Jimmy Northmore, Dick James, Jack Whitehead, Steve Skritski, Bob Frania, and Ben Young. At the same time, Taub began shooting small print assignments. With a growing demand for his talent, Taub opened Boulevard Photographic Los Angeles, returning from Detroit to his home state of California. At the time, Damon was an assistant and Taub a photographer. "Our friendship began then, 25 years ago, and our paths have always naturally crossed paths since," Taub said. Four years later, Taub opened Doug Taub Photography, seeking to combine print and live action assignments whenever possible. Shot in France, Taub's first major spot directing assignment, for Mercedes, won international acclaim. The print launch of Lexus and Infinity immediately followed. Taub chose to focus on spot making, directing spots through Millennium Pictures, Green Dot, M-80, Peterman-Moss, Zuma Films, GCS, and HKM. Taub now divides his time between the US and Europe, where he frequently shoots in Italy, France, Spain and Germany.

At Damon Live Action, Taub enjoys more than a reunion with his colleagues; the company has amassed an enviable arsenal of proprietary gear, including three customized camera cars. "When I was doing just stills, I was one of the first guys to come out with a combo grip truck, and Tim is definitely taking it the next level," he said. "I didn't join Tim and Caroline because of the toys, but it's very impressive stuff - and let's face it, as a society the audience is used to seeing amazing in-your-face shots that - for most production companies who have to rent the gear - will cost a fortune. Owning and having these resources at your disposal makes you a much more attractive and powerful filmmaker. It's like being a chef given all the ingredients you'll ever need to make an incredible dish, you will use them all as part of your creative and technical arsenal." Taub added that budget usually holds people back, and that Damon Live Action offers the client "as much bang for their buck as possible." 

"We have two stellar operators who are expert in the combination of stills and film, and budgetary constrictions are less of a concern with all the gear we have in-house," von Weyher concluded. "All of this dovetails beautifully with a shared history of talent and skill, and this is an especially exciting leg of the journey."

SANTA MONICA, CA, November 3, 2008 - "The people at Eight VFX are true artists," says director Jess Holzworth, who collaborated with the company on her video for Beck's single "Gamma Ray". High praise, especially when one takes into account that the piece is a celebration of art: In the clip, a body-painted and almost unrecognizable Chloe Sevigny ("Big Love") dances her way through a mystical collage of imagery that might best be described as circus-psychedelia, with a touch of shamanism added for good measure.

"Trying to hold
Hold out for now
With these ice caps
Melting down
With the transistor sound
And my Chevrolet terraplane
Going round, round, round"

So go the opening lyrics of "Gamma Ray," which marks the directorial debut of Holzworth, a fashion designer and collage artist. Holzworth was enlisted by Beck to create a fantastical journey that, as she points out, "would be true to my art and to my heart."

Among Holzworth's inspirations for this video voyage? "Bikers, Dennis Hopper's eyes, the American desert, rebellion, 60s counterculture, Mother Earth, Street Poets...and the cosmos," she smiles, noting that, for all the video's eclecticism, Eight VFX was "very in tune with the vision." 

To fulfill that vision, Eight VFX created 2D animation and integrated it with the live action shot by Holzworth. The director did the body painting on Sevigny, who was filmed - along with myriad other live action elements - against a green screen.

"It was a great pleasure to work on such a colorful, creative, and playful project," noted Amalia Luyet-McMahan, Lead Motion Designer for Eight VFX, "and it was exciting to create this amazing collage-in-motion from the extremely rich library of Jess' work." Luyet-McMahon added that the Eight VFX team was honored to work so closely and collaboratively with the director. "Jess created an environment in which we were all encouraged to experiment and to hand-craft the visuals," she said. "It was a rare opportunity."

In the end, the "Gamma Ray" video offers viewers a wild ride fueled by Beck's terraplane, Holzworth's vision, and the ever-evolving artistry of Eight VFX. "Eight's work was incredibly amazing!" Holzworth concludes. "Beyond any expectations."

Credits

Artist: Beck
Song: "Gamma Ray"

Label: Interscope

Production Company: Daft Arts
Director: Jess Holzworth
Producer: Paul Hahn
DP: David Lanzenberg
Special Make-up: William Lemon

VFX Company: Eight VFX

VFX Supervisor: Jean-Marc Demmer
VFX EP: Baptiste Andrieux
VFX Producer: Marsi Frey
Lead Motion Designer: Amalia Luyet-McMahan
VFX AD: Yann Mallard
Senior Compositor: Stefan Gaillot
Compositor: Nicolas Cadorette Vigneau
Motion Designers: Joe Chiao, Shue Nakahara, Mathias Jourdes

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, October 24, 2008 - Composer/Sound Designer David Della Santa has launched Volume Music + Sound. He returns to his native San Francisco following a successful run in New York, where he worked with Tonefarmer. Della Santa (pict., r.) has become known for creating current, alternative and edgy material that sounds licensed, yet is scored to picture. His notable work includes Tylenol "In Concert" (Deutch/NY), Gatorade "X Factor" (Element 79/Chicago), Boost Mobile "RIP" (Berlin Cameron + Partners/NY), Violence Policy Center "Bullet Factory" (Lunar Fish/SF), and Discovery Channel "Shark Week" (Bayles Cronin/ATL).

"I got my start while talking music with a couple guys at a party eleven years ago," Della Santa recalled. "I didn't know it, but they were creatives at McCann SF." Two weeks later, McCann producer Gary Krieg called with a job. That spot won a New York Festivals Award, and Della Santa began putting his stamp on ad work. One of the first composers in San Francisco to do current alternative music for ads, Della Santa was also propelled by an embrace of computer and electronic music in the ad scene. He thrived in San Francsico with his own company, Rebar Sound, until "the dot bomb". A move to New York, and Tonefarmer, followed.

"New York was a great place to work and an important piece of the puzzle when it comes to understanding the advertising industry as a whole," the composer reflected. "I loved the people at Tonefarmer." Ultimately, however, Della Santa envisioned a return to his roots. "I am really enjoying working for myself again, and, of course, the change in weather has been refreshing."  

Della Santa described Volume Music + Sound as "a small, personal SF company with a NY way of composing/producing. We have a NY approach in that we deliver several options and ideas. At the same time, we are small and personal in that our clients can give creative direction directly to the composers who will be writing their tracks. We understand what you are talking about even when you don't," he mused.

With AICP, SAG, AFM, and ASCAP affiliations, Volume is also home to two frequent collaborators: composers/producers Dan Miller and Joe Gore. Both have their roots playing with bands and artists, Miller with They Might Be Giants, and Gore with the likes of Tom Waits, Courtney Love, Tracy Chapman, and Primus.

"We share an immense pride in the quality of our work," Della Santa said. "It could be a hard-rocking motocross ad or a warm and fuzzy spot for peanut butter, we're going to deliver creative you can be proud of." He offered this in reflection on the "real music" style of composition and sound design: "Today, music is very accessible to everyone. There are tons of cool indie music bands and songs that clients can access - and they want that sound for their spots. But most of those bands or artists can't score to picture, nor do they understand the emotion of picture reacting to sound. And most commercial music composers don't understand the subtle textures of the untrained indie musicians. We get it. We do both. And we make every other genre of music sound cool." While Della Santa is open to adding composer/partners both on the West Coast and East Coast, he said he is committed to maintaining a streamlined operation that takes the current economic climate and budgetary constraints into consideration. "I'm finding that there's attractiveness for our clients in a company that is more about the work than the overhead."

Tinkering away on a piano his mom bought for him, Della Santa is a self-taught musician whose journey began with a single objective: "I just had to learn to play some ELO," he laughed. His learn-by-doing philosophy has worked well, translating into awards, inclusion in the AICP/MoMA show, frequent positioning in the SHOOT Top Ten Tracks list, and work for national clients such as Microsoft, HP (McCann-Erickson/SF), Sprint (GSP/SF), AT&T (GSDM/Austin), among others.

Flexing his creative muscles beyond the ad world, Della Santa has recorded with his NY-based band, Machines Kill Music, an indie rock ensemble with an electro edge, for which he writes the music, plays keyboards, and provides vocals. The band's music is available on iTunes and MySpace. He enjoys that experience, but prefers his gig at Volume Music + Sound. "How else could I get paid to rock with out being stuck on the back of a bus with five smelly dudes for months at a time?" he wondered. "And I'm too shy for groupies."

Known and respected among the select circle of French artist-animators - Mondino, Goude, and Gondry - Fougerol's filmmaking is immediately recognizable and beloved for its unique style, which is highly influenced by the Avant guarde. He studied at the famous Penninghen art school in Paris, and has garnered many prestigious awards in the US, UK and France.

"I've been following Martin's work for many years and have always been taken by his ideas as much as his execution," said MOO Partner/Executive Producer David Lyons. "Additionally, his comfort with live action, effects, and animation fits so perfectly within the MOO dynamic."

"I've become known for music videos, but there is so much opportunity to explore in commercials and Web-based and other non traditional media right now," Fougerol stated. "I also was attracted to the working style and interactivity of a smaller company. Following my meeting with David, I committed to this move without hesitation."

After concluding his studies at Penninghen, Fougerol went to work at BUF as visual effects artist, where he was approached by French bands Daft Punk and Cassius Air, to compose highly graphic music videos for them. The success of these pieces caught the attention of both the UK and US markets and Fougerol began to work on videos for major artists. His videos for The White Stripes "7 Nation Army" and U2 "Vertigo" - for which he took home a GRAMMY in 2005 - as well as clips for Kylie Minogue, Jane's Addiction, and others, helped not only to cement Fougerol's reputation as a filmmaker in demand, but solidified as well his stamp as an original artistic voice.

During a period of collaboration Alex Courtes, under the moniker Alex and Martin, the duo created the animated Jamiroquai video '(Don't) Give Hate a Chance," which was nominated for a Rushes SoHo Shorts Festival Award; additionally, the highly acclaimed "Woman for Wolfmother" made the cover of Promo magazine and was one of MTV's Top Music Videos of 2006.

"The move to MOO Studios makes perfect sense for me," Fougerol concluded. "I feel very much at home."

LOS ANGELES, CA, October 20, 2008 - As Election Day looms on the very near horizon, Mamas for Obama is releasing a series of new spots designed to touch on issues of critical importance to parents. Ramaa Mosley of trio films, and Riess/Hill of GARTNER, each directed ads for the pro bono campaign, now running on YouTube, and on truthandhope.org.

Directed by Mosley, "Cookie" presents little kids with a series of either/or questions, such as "Do you want health care, or do you want a cookie?" Naturally, the interviewees want whatever sounds yummiest or the most fun. As the charming and effective spot - written by Galen Bernard (Arnold Advertising) - makes clear, kids can't make decisions about their welfare; the choice is ours and we have to seize every opportunity to be heard. A second spot, "Time Out," written by Ken Marcus (The Martin Agency), offers insight into why the GOP might need a break.

"These young people were so passionate," says Mosley, herself a mother of two. "One girl has spent the past few months canvassing with her parents and going door to door in support of Obama. In addition, directing these spots was an amazing opportunity to collaborate with fantastic creative directors and create completely fresh branding from start to finish." 

Expanding on that theme, "Bad Behavior" from directors Riess/Hill of GARTNER explores the concept from the kids' point of view. "We loved the group's tagline 'Republicans need a Time Out'," says Amy Hill, "so Chris and I ran with that. We went off over a weekend and did our thing, letting kids be themselves." A montage of kids riffing on the concept of Time Outs is followed by the aforementioned tagline. "We wanted to get this message out to moms on the fence. We know there are a lot of undecided moms in this country, and they all want what's best for their children, they want truth and hope. Hopefully, we connected with them."

"Mamas for Obama is thrilled that Ramaa and Riess/Hill are involved in our efforts to put grassroots advertising on the air in swing states," said the group's Lizzie Chase. "The United States is at a tipping point economically, environmentally, and strategically, and these spots will, we hope, help undecided voters see that the Republicans do indeed need a time out to think about their bad behavior over the last eight years."

Both directors expressed their profound appreciation for the artists, crew, facilities, and others who donated their time and talents to the creation of these spots. 

Editorial: Radium
Executive Producer: Jeff Blodgett
Producer: Linda Jackson
Coordinator: Derek Johnson
Editor(s): Lee Gardner, Brad Wetmore
Asst. Editor: Sarah Cole
Sr. VFX Artist: Maribeth Emigh
Voice Over: Marcie Teague
Audio Mix: TJ Callaway
Master Control Engineer: Gabe Castellanos

"Bad Behavior"
Director: Riess/Hill (GARTNER)
Editorial: Cosmo Street
Editor: Ben Longland
Asst. Editor: Shinya Sato
Editorial Executive Producer: Jerry Sukys
Music/Sound: Eleven Music and Sound

SANTA MONICA, CA, October 14, 2008 - We all witnessed amazing feats of skill and strength in this year's Olympic games, and certainly the swimming competition was a standout. It is fitting, then, that BMW "Efficient Dynamics", for which Eight VFX created sophisticated motion graphics and more, compares the features of the new BMW Series 3 to the form and function of a competitive swimmer.

Eight VFX Executive Producer Baptiste Andrieux described the project as a team effort, and "an intensive project" that involved significant concept development. "We worked closely with BMW engineers to understand the automotive technology and conducted a number of design tests," said Andrieux. Eight also provided on-set VFX supervision in Oregon, where the spot was shot.

The company's standout graphics convey such features as: the Series 3's Gear Shift Indicator, which - in manual transmission - lets the driver know when to shift gears for maximum power and consumption efficiency;

Break Energy Regeneration, an innovative system through which the wheels create energy sent back to to the car's battery when you remove your foot from the gas or brake pedal;

and High Precision Injection, providing better injection to harness more power using less fuel.

The project reunites Eight VFX with director Joseph Kahn, who helmed HP "Jerry Seinfeld", which required the marriage of motion graphics to live action. Eight's work on that and other spots in the HP campaign earned the company great acclaim. "We were excited to be approached with this project," Andrieux explained. "This is the first time we have integrated motion graphics into automotive advertising, something that is becoming increasingly in demand."

All of BMW's advertising agencies competed for the honor of creating the new international campaign for BMW's Series 3. Interone Beijing emerged victorious with "Efficient Dynamics", airing now in 27 countries. "We were very aware of the significance of this project to the client," Andrieux concluded. "We embraced the challenge and everyone seems quite pleased with the final product."

Client: BMW

Spot Title: "Efficient Dynamics-Swim"

Agency: Interone Beijing
Executive Creative Director: Georg Warga
Producer: Rolf Tomaschko

DP: Chris Probst
Editor: David Blackburn

Visual Effects Company: Eight VFX

VFX Supervisor: Jean-Marc Demmer
VFX EP: Baptiste Andrieux
VFX AD: Yann Mallard
VFX Producer: Marsi Frey
Motion Designer: Nathan Boldman, Amalia Luyet McMahan
CG Lead: Fred Hopp
Senior Compositor: Stefan Gaillot
Compositor: Nicolas Cadorette Vigneau, Joe Chiao
CG Artists: Mark Wurts, Julien Forest, Yvain Gnabro, Chien-I Kao, Mathias Jourdes, Shuichi Nakahara
Technical Direction: Yannick Leblanc
Tracking: Jason Wesche
Roto Artist: Marianne Magne

LONDON, October 2, 2008 - Sometimes, a view to the future is aided by a look into the past. "Spiralling," the latest video for Keane, evokes the forward-thinking, high-tech attitude of 80s media, while positioning the band - and the viewer - as a present-day voyeur of sorts. The clip was directed by Joyrider's Andras Ketzer, who used iconic stylization and imagery to achieve a vintage feel that reflects the futurism trend of 80s popular culture.

"We sent in the treatment for this and the band loved it," recalls Joyrider EP Spencer Friend. "The track had been released, but the band loved Andras' idea so much that pushed the record label into doing the video." According to veteran commissioner Dilly Gent (Island/Universal), this was a first. 

The video is a throwback to a vision of the future, if you will, an era in which man was enthused by progress yet feared Big Brother and imagined that TV and robots would take over the world. In fact, Keane's Tom Chaplin appears (first scanned in 3D, then shown in live action), observing the proceedings - a viewer in the real world, taking in the sights and sounds of the virtual environment, an imaginary factory where all these symbols of the 80's are being manufactured. The video for "Spiralling" offers a narrative thread that is disrupted throughout by the imagery. One can almost hear the hissing sound of cathode ray tubes as objects cast long shadows in the flickering light of the television screen.  

"We love it," says the band of the new video. "We think Andras has perfectly represented the difference between the idealised dream and the dystopian reality of human existence, which is a theme that runs through the whole of our album."

"The song to me inspires something of a pure melancholy that has been infected with the simple enthusiasm for technology and all things virtual," says Ketzer. "The emergence of the first primitive 3D animations, the dawn of animated TV series, MTV, laser shows, synthesizers and drum machines, it's all part of this world."

"The cathode ray telly is the embodiment of retro," concludes Ketzer of the video's central image. "Its robust vacuum tube and the analogue signals it carries feel heavy. They belong to the eighties as much as a painter's canvas belongs to a romantic artistic age."

Band: Keane
Track: Spiralling
Label: Island/Universal

Video Commissioner: Dilly Gent

Art Director: Jenny Selden

"Suzuya is a visual communicator, totally comfortable creating material much in the same way others engage in conversation," said Looking Glass Films Executive Producer June Guterman.

"People absolutely fascinate me," shared the director (pict., r.). "The fact that I'm able to capture the moments in ordinary situations that can provide a window into each different individuals existence really excites me."

Never a big fan of television - she hasn't owned one in years - Suzuya has focused on the Web. "My laptop became the new screen for me," she explains. "I see the huge possibilities the Internet presents. The Web signals the triumph of the underdog, it's a new kind of accessibility for the unique stories I'm interested in."

Among the director's current work on the Web is The Rory Story, a hyper-reality Internet series chronicling the adventures of recording artist Rory, as she records and tours to promote her EP entitled "Catch me if you can". The series can be found on rorymusic.com.

Guterman believes the time is right for Suzuya's fresh take on advertising. "There's no need for Suzuya to unlearn or relearn the rules. The lines separating advertising, marketing, and branding have been erased and now well conceived content can serve all three."

Suzuya's diverse background led her to the creative industry; an early interest in acting evolved into filmmaking. While writing, producing, and directing numerous projects, she made a point of visiting film festivals around the world; the Cannes film festival, Vienna film festival, South by Southwest, and Sundance all augmented Suzuya's experiences and provided her with a deeper understanding of the business of filmmaking. Suzuya also found time to intern at Vitagraph films, and starred in an independent feature shot on location in Beirut, Lebanon; the finished film - min zamen/houdoud al-zaman - premiered in Los Angeles at the Redcat in Disney Hall.

She got her podcasting start while working with Tikibartv.com and subsequently was profiled in a four-page Vanity Fair center foldout article entitled "Who Needs a Network?" Suzuya's drive to direct took her to Zambia with Anna Ouroumian (CEO of the Academy of Business Leadership). It was on a return flight from Zambia that she met Guterman. "Meeting June was an amazing breath of fresh air," the director recalls. "I was embarking on my first feature and she gave me some great advice, I knew then and there that I wanted an opportunity to work with such a strong, smart, experienced producer."

"I was fascinated by this young woman who not only had such varied interests and experience, but had the maturity and energy to follow through on her ideas," Guterman remembers. "Even on the plane, she was taking notes on the pages of a fashion magazine about lighting and angles. Her wanderlust is driven by a great creative curiosity."

A regular attendee of the Global Milken conference, Suzuya also attends the Forbes Meet conference, and serves on the board of endoil.org. She is co-producer of One Brick Film's first feature entitled "A Woman Called Job", for which she raised over half of the film's financing and directed the 2nd unit while on location in Cape Cod. The film is currently in post-production.

Suzuya Bobo joins a diverse and distinguished Looking Glass Films roster comprised of David Mamet, David Nutter, Alek Keshishian, Alfonso Arau, Jean-Jacques Annaud, Steven Antin, Danny Boyle, Kerry Conran, Chad Einbinder, Renny Harlin, Anjelica Huston, Marc/Andy, Francine Mcdougall, Marine Panossian, Roman Polanski, Chris Rock, Mark Simmons, and Cliff Watts.

Diesel SFW XXX 

Animation Company: Big Animal
Animation Director: Neil McFarland
Offline Editor: Rob Hill

Post Production House: Unit Post Production
Post Production Producer Tracey Khan
Audio Post Production: Unit Post Production
Senior Dubbing Mixer: Kim Storey

Music: Audio Network / Dominic Nunns

LONDON, September 22, 2008 - A "Grabber" makes its smooth, deliberate descent into a swarm of transparent animal balloons, in the latest spot from director Reuben Sutherland of Joyrider. Created via Fallon, London, for Orange, the ad is an elegant visual statement touting the communication company's Pay As You Go program, which allows customers to choose from an array of rewards.

This beautiful piece of film connects the clouds of the Orange balloons with the sleek, smooth, modern claw. Like the hand of a gentle giant, the grabber's claw moves with a strong deliberate motion, pausing only to let a swirling group of balloons gently float out of the way. The backdrop for the action is a timeless factory building, adding an extra touch of class to the proceedings.

At spot's end, the massive unfolding robot takes hold of a single dolphin-shaped balloon, signifying the selection of the perfect reward (Orange reward plans are named for animals, hence the dolphin, canary, racoon, and camel-shaped balloons).

Tech Talk: "Reuben spent a weekend crafting a miniature grabber-end out of plasticine, which he then took into Afterfx to tweak textures and colours," explains Joyrider EP Spencer Friend, who produced the spot. "Eventually, our 3D guys used this sculpture to create the 3D files. The rest of the grabber was actually styled and based on a combination of super 8mm cameras and sound recording devices. The grabber was made as a CG object using photo elements as much as possible for texturing."

Sutherland chose as his background location the Battersea Power Station, and shot the animal balloons on set against a mobile green screen. "We filmed the balloons on location to match the lighting and reflections of the environment, with some additional light sources to enhance the balloon's aesthetics," says Friend. DP Jonas Mortenson suggested shooting on the Red camera, which nicely complemented the lighting conditions. The animal balloons were shot on various rotating rigs, to achieve a sense of natural movement and to capture interesting light reflections.

Once the production team had an edit of the location plates, the HD data was transferred via a technical grade and conformed. The artists proceded to the layout stage, and on from there to the animation and compositing of the grabber. The ballons were then rotoscoped, animated, multiplied, scaled and composited within the location back plates.

Sutherland is currently at work on Playstation Resistance 2 (TBWA London). His recent spot projects include T-Mobile (Saatchi London), and Teletext (CHI London). The director has also done notable work for Becel, Mini, and Coca-Cola. He has helmed music videos for The Doves and Phoenix Foundation.

About Joyrider

Client: Orange Pay As You go
Spot Title: Grabber
Air Date: September 22, 2008

Agency: Fallon, London
CD: Tony McTear
Creatives: Dave Lang & Matin Gillan
Agency Producer: Lauraine Bhuglah

Production Company: Joyrider
Director: Reuben Sutherland
Producer: Spencer Friend
DP: Jonas Mortenson

3D Animation: Joyrider: Matt Westrup, Christian Jelen & Russell Boyd
Compositing: Framestore: Stephanie Mills
Grading: Smoke & Mirrors: Gary Szabo

LOS ANGELES, CA, September 15. 2008 - Choosing the right college is an important decision, especially, if you don't want to end up in a dead end job. And unless you think you can work for Diddy or Donald Trump, you're not going to win a great job on a game show. A series of Web commercials conceived and produced by Creative Fugitives for College Matching Service combines these ideas, to great comic effect, imagining an obscure, foreign game show in which contestants leave their career decisions to chance.

The project came to Creative Fugitives via Gideon Rubin, CEO of Simply Ideas, a performance marketing agency and partner in MicroGravity Media. Rubin was interested in creating viral content for www.collegematchingservice.com. This was a new site with a new revenue stream, so the budget was limited. "In talking to Gideon, I explained the old methodology of trying to nail down the perfect concept, then focus-grouping the concept, was obsolete," says Creative Fugitives President/Creative Director Warren Lam (pict. top). "By the time you are ready to execute the concept, the Web will have moved onto something else. The key is to be adaptive, nimble, and flexible."

Lam notes that there is always some kind of strategic thought process, "a plan and method to the madness," he says. The objective, however, was not perfection - but progress. Simply Ideas and Creative Fugitives are both experienced firms - the former as a tech savvy digital company, and the latter as a content development company. Lam has experience on all sides; a former advertising copywriter for national agencies, he has also worked in the entertainment industry. "It's extremely difficult to get a show broadcast on the networks, so I decided to take different path," Lam says. He focused on "integrating" product placement into many aspects of an IP, and extending those opportunities to new media to make show concepts more attractive. "We were having meetings with all parties, talent agencies, ad agencies, media divisions, brands, product placement companies, internet conglomerates, focus groups, etc," he explains. "This gave us an understanding of the 'macro' picture...we got a sense of the direction in which content is really moving, and the many unexplored roles new media can play."

Lam and Rubin began by looking at the key benefit of College Matching Service - the ability to properly match users with the right college based on its new dynamic technology. They considered the company's mission statement as well: "As a leading destination site for individuals across the US looking for their perfect college, CMS knows what colleges fit individuals' needs and profiles, and thus provides a very highly refined matching service."

"We wanted something strange and frenetic, the exact opposite of the service provided by our client," recalls Lam. From a practical standpoint, the key was flexibility, creating something easy to shoot, with moving pieces that could be adapted and adjusted with minimal effort. "We came up with the concept of a pseudo game show, built around around the premise that if you don't get a good education, you could be outsourced." Lam had the host and co-host speak in jibberish, adding to the chaos and allowing for subtitles conveying any brand messaging or other information the team chose to include. Says Rubin, "Warren came up with an incredible, simple solution that enabled us to adapt and evolve the brand message. All we had to do was change the subtitles without having to re-shoot or lip synch."

Creative Fugitives shot all the material in one day, setting talent against a green screen and incorporating graphics, all with the intent of making the viral feel like a real video from a foreign country. Rubin then suggested creating a fake country and a fake website, marketing the log-on and the country, to go viral with the video. If the initial spots were successful, more videos would then be added to this fake site from a fake government agency.

The Start of a 'Dead End'

Lam felt that there was room to create a second, more straightforward concept, focusing on the internal thoughts of people stuck in dead end jobs. The actors' thoughts are heard in VO, allowing the team to change messaging and adjust the concept without having to re-shoot. Rubin loved the idea.

"I was looking for just the right score and approached Greg Kuehn from Peligro Music and Sound Design," Lam says. "I loved the music he did for the movie, Confessions of a SuperHero, and asked him to create a simple score for the 'Dead End' concept. Greg crafted a beautiful piece that became the emotional lynchpin for that particular campaign." Kuehn went on to create the music for the Kercrackistan videos.

Says Kuehn, "Warren's approach was to be more than just the next crazy viral spot; instead, he explored storytelling concepts, ideas, themes that had continuing and evolving conflict resolutions. As a composer, that's always exciting. He got me involved early in the creative process, so we worked together to shape the musical identity for both campaigns."

Rubin came up with the idea of having users generate videos, sharing "Dead End" stories of their own. Lam suggested following up on the stories from the first shoot, as well.

"Every day there are ideas and concepts that redefine 'new media'," Lam concludes. "Where awards used to be the defining measure of success in advertising, the new metric for successful campaigns is a buzz, ingenuity, and creative use of the media, and that's good news. We get to be creative in a lot more ways."

Credits

Client: Client Matching Service
Digital Marketing Agency: Simply Ideas
President/Ceo: Gideon Rubin

Content Development/Production Company: Creative Fugitives
Exec Producer/Writer/Director/Editor: Warren Lam
Producer: Stephan Schofield

"Kercrackistan"
Host/Reggie Phillips: Phil Paul Call
Co-Host/Kelsie Gibson: Tori Mcpetrie

Contestants: Chad Kukahiko, Heather Detwiler, Ben Johson, Lisa Masuda, Sean Humphries

Dead End
"Train"
Admin Assistant - Graciela Del Toro

"Station"
Admin Assistant - Heather Detwiler

Music: Peligro Music And Sound Design
Composer: Greg Kuehn
Executive Producer: Robin Frisbey

SANTA MONICA, CA, September 12, 2008 - Olivier Katz has been named President of The Viral Factory North America. With offices in the US and UK, The Viral Factory is a digital marketing and media company whose recent credits include a string of award-winning projects for Samsung. Their online campaigns have generated over a billion views on behalf of such clients as Sony, Paramount Studios, Microsoft, Google, and Unilever.

Katz (pict., r.) is a 25-year industry veteran with senior-level managerial experience in Entertainment, Television, Advertising and Media. Most recently, he served as an Advertising and Marketing Consultant, providing expertise on integrated and new media as well as branded entertainment strategy and execution to such brands as AT&T, Coors Molson, Activision, Dex media, Exxon Mobile, and PepsiCo (Quaker Foods, Tropicana, Gatorade, and Frito Lay).

"I don't know of anyone with a set of experiences as diverse, and uniquely suited to The Viral Factory, as Olivier," said TVF Senior Partner Don Block. "He is the perfect person to focus on expanding the company's identity while maintaining and nurturing its core creative genius."

Katz, whose work in new media predates even his role as Executive Producer of South Park's famed "Santa versus Jesus" video - arguably the first viral - agreed that The Viral Factory provides "the ideal platform to leverage my history. TVF has the right idea at the right time."

Exploring un-charted territory is the hallmark of Katz's career. A film purist, he started out as an Assistant Director to many renowned French filmmakers, and Walt Disney Studios in Paris, Monte Carlo, and Burbank. As an editor, he worked with ABC, Dick Clark Productions, and Paramount Pictures. Between 1980 and 1993, Katz produced over a thousand commercials and music videos, garnering the Grand Prix, Gold, Silver, and Bronze Lions at Cannes, dozens of Clio Awards, and other industry accolades. 

In 1993, Katz Co-Founded Celluloid Studios, which grew into a leading animation production company boasting agency and advertiser credits including Leo Burnett, DDB, FCB, General Mills, P&G, Nintendo, and Bud Light. The studio pushed the boundaries of commercial and TV production with seminal, award-winning work such as the South Park pilot, and the creation of online interactive entertainment website BunnyGrenade.com.  

Seeking to break more ground, Celluloid Studios spawned multi-million dollar spot and TV production company Visitor LLC, as well as Chicago and LA-based agency Fusion Idea Lab, a visionary endeavor that explored new media opportunities with Fortune 500 companies such as Anheuser-Bush (U.S and Europe), Fox Network, Expedia, Orbitz, and Motorola.

Katz was exposed to the distribution side of content creation as President and Founder of BOB - Brief Original Broadcasts - in 2001. A cable and satellite television network dedicated to the broadcast of short programming, BOB created, and developed an innovative programming concept, a new television advertising paradigm and unique business and financial model that would soon become a core element in media and marketing.

In his next role, as a media and programming consultant to brands, Katz refined his approach to narrowcasting. He developing business and creative strategies for media and media-related companies, seeking exposure to specific audiences. Katz designed all aspects of programming (conceptual, production an acquisition) for multiple platforms (IPTV, narrowcast networks, broadband, cable and satellite TV) for such clients as Comcast, Gotuit Media Corporation, ATT U-verse and Adbeast. It is this perspective that he brings to The Viral Factory. "We find a niche viewer and create an immersive experience in which that audience invites us into their space," Katz explained. "It's a truly interactive experience."

Katz said his goal is to expand the role of the digital marketing and media company as a business model, harnessing all the potential and possibilities of the medium. He added that technology, too often dismissed in the viral marketing dialogue, will be a key area of focus and will include the development of proprietary technology to place and track media. 

"The Viral Factory was and continues to be a pioneering viral marketing company and its founding partners (Ed Robinson, Matt Smith, Rich Carter, and Block) are committed to maintaining a leadership position in the industry," Katz stated. "The opportunity to help grow the company into a broader digital marketing and media company alongside inspired and talented people was the primary factor in my decision to come on board."

As a part of its "Real Beauty" campaign, Dove recently created The Women Behind "The Women" - tying in with the feature film starring Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Debra Messing. "The Women" was directed by Diane English, creator of Murphy Brown, and produced by Victoria Pearman, Mick Jagger's producing partner at Jagged Films.

As "The Women" contains themes of female empowerment and overcoming stereotypical images, Dove became involved early on and helped finance the film. The Women Behind "The Women" fits in neatly with Dove's "Real Beauty" efforts, and serves as an extension of the film's themes.

English hired Greg Kuehn (pict., r.,) Lead Composer and Creative Director of Peligro Music & Sound Design, to score the behind the scenes film. "It was a pleasure working with Diane and Victoria on the WBTW project," says Kuehn. "They had a very clear vision of what they wanted to accomplish with the film, and It was a great opportunity collaborate with a very experienced creative team."

The Women Behind "The Women" is featured on Dove's website, and will screen in retail outlets nationwide.

Production Company: Blue Collar Poductions
Director: Diane English
Producer: Victoria Pearman 

Music Company: Peligro Music & Sound Design
Composer: Greg Kuehn

Edited by Steve Svendsen
Produced by Sarah Elbert

SANTA MONICA, CA, September 2, 2008 - Production Companies GARTNER and tight have secured Jolie Miller, Ann Zagaroli, and Brad Edelstein of simpatico. for East Coast representation.

Partners/Executive Producers Don Block and Rich Carter, and Executive Producer Elaine Behnken, preside over the two companies, which are represented by Where's the Boards on the West Coast and Renee Case and Co. in the Midwest.

The GARTNER roster is comprised of directors James Gartner, Raymond Bark, Mike Bigelow, Riess/Hill, Theodore Melfi, Jim Weedon, and Shona Auerbach.

tight is home to Jeremy Russell and Danny T.

The project has its roots in a viewing of the documentary feature Sharkwater, by filmmaker Rob Stewart. Watching the film, Rose was distressed to learn of the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of sharks each day for their fins. "The economic boom in China created an unprecedented demand for shark fin soup and for the first time in history sharks were being killed at the rate of 10,000 an hour," Rose explains. "I was moved by the film - and embarrassed, as a scuba diver, that I was unaware that the apex predator of the ocean was headed for extinction." Equally disconcerting was the notion that the ocean's ecosystem will be devastated by removing sharks from the food chain. "The ocean supplies the earth with two-thirds of the air we breathe," Rose said.

"Don't Hate"

Rose shared the film with his family. His eleven-year-old son, who recently became a scuba diver, wanted to do something to help the sharks. They created a club called KISS, and the younger Rose asked his science teacher to screen the film for the class, as they were studying the ecosystem. "50 kids saw the film and 40 joined KISS," Rose marvels. The group decided to create three 30-second PSA's. The kids' hope was to get their spots on Discovery Channel during Shark Week, to spread awareness of the problem to a sympathetic audience. The implication was clear: "If a hundred million sharks are being killed each year, soon there will be no Shark Week!"

Each of the children in KISS wrote papers stating why they believed it was important to help save sharks. All agreed that sharks were misunderstood, that the way they were being killed was cruel, and that they were animals, no different from a lion or a bear. The kids also discovered that sharks were not the monsters that had been portrayed in the media for years.

"I Am"

From the papers and interviews, Rose created script outlines, making sure the facts were indeed correct, and that each of the three messages fit into thirty-second spots.

As the school year began to wind down, and Shark Week drew closer, the kids decided that the best time to shoot the film would be at the school's end-of-year party. The group decided to shoot in High Definition against a "green screen," which would allow for the addition of underwater footage to the spots. "We filmed for five hours during the kids' party, and each of them waited patiently to tell their story in an attempt to save the animals," Rose says.

"Nobody Knows"

The film crew, editors, colorists, designers, musicians, and underwater cinematographers all volunteered their services on the project. "When people learned what we were doing, everyone wanted to help out," says Rose. "Instead of talking, we were doing something. It has been an amazing experience to see people come together volunteering their resources, time, and passion. This is proof that a handful of kids, a bit of awareness, and the sharing of knowledge, can make a difference."

BEVERLY HILLS, CA, August 15, 2008 - VILLAINS has signed director Graeme Joyce for exclusive US spot representation. Joyce, who comes over from HSI, has directed innovative spots for major clients such as Target, Mercedes, GMC, Chase, and British Airways.

"What caught my eye was his attention to detail," said VILLAINS Executive Producer Nancy Osborne. "Graeme is a great storyteller who has a way of pulling elements together to create these amazing moments in time, and he delivers a dose of reality in every frame." 

"I feel a strong connection with Nancy," Joyce explained. "She's a fantastic EP who's willing to focus her attention on expanding my career opportunities." 

Raised in the UK, Joyce attended Cheltenham Art School, pursuing a degree in Fine Art; a summer visit to LA inspired him to pursue an interest in music videos (Joyce would go on to win the Directorial Debut award at the MVPA's, for Stone Temple Pilots "Wicked Garden"). "I wasn't a good enough musician to make it in a band, so this was the next best thing," the director mused. 

Joyce cited commercials from his British childhood as an inspiration. "I remember how fantastic those advertisements were," he recalled. "Memorable storytelling with great wit and surprise. British humor translates well across the cultural spectrum." Joyce pointed to "Last Pick," which he directed for Adidas, as a prime example. "It's a classic story about the last guy picked for the team who is just so bloody awful that nobody wants him on the team," laughed Joyce. "And yet, when he's chosen last, he reacts like he's just won the lottery. The boy's got so much heart and passion for the game - how great is that!" 

In addition to "Last Pick," Joyce's notable work includes British Airways "Anticipation" via of M&C Saatchi/NY; Target "Thomas O'Brien" via Peterson, Miller, Hooks/Minneapolis; and Mercedes CLS "Seeing Four" via Merkley and Partners/New York.

He currently is finishing work on a Television spot he wrote and directed for an investment services client, Zabeel, based in Dubai. Joyce describes the client-direct project as a "great romantic story"; the tale follows a mysterious Bedouin who gazes beyond the desolate desert that surrounds him, envisioning the bright future of Dubai.

When asked about his overall approach to spots, Joyce recalled a quote from French film director Robert Bresson: "He said, 'It is with something clean and precise that you will force the attention of inattentive eyes and ears.' It's a great philosophy to apply to commercials."

Graeme Joyce rounds out a VILLAINS roster comprised of directors Mona El Mansouri, Hennegan Brothers, Erick Ifergan, David Johnson, Gil Junger, Lemon, Erik Moe, Mattias Schut, Basil Schlegel, and Theresa Wingert.

SANTA MONICA, CA, August 15, 2008 - Editor/Post Producer Pablo Piriz has joined the roster of bicoastal Union. Based in LA and working bicoastally, Piriz has been awarded his first assignment with Union, a campaign for Nestle Pure Water via AdCastells.

"The decision to join Union was an easy one," Piriz said. "Theirs is a talented team that cares for the quality of the spot as I do, and their company reel is amazing."

"Pablo is firmly established in the Hispanic market, and at the same time he is perfectly calibrated to general market work," said Union Partner/Executive Producer Michael Raimondi. "We had not planned to expand the roster in LA, but the fit and potential made this a no-brainer."

Piriz broke into advertising as a graphic designer studying under Andries Van Onck and other masters of the craft. He was working on the graphics for a TV show about the World Qualifying Surfing Competition when fate stepped in: the edit wasn't coming along as planned, so Piriz jumped in and edited the piece himself. Absorbed by the process of marrying narrative, imagery, and audio, Piriz immediately started editing for a local edit company and in 1993 was recruited by Paris/Texas, a renowned production company, as their in-house editor. Five years later, Piriz expanded his career by moving from his native Montevideo to Los Angeles, working with both the U.S. Hispanic and general markets. He then started Purepost Edit, but after some time decided rather than editing while running a company, he wanted to dedicate his time and energies to his first love. The freedom to focus on his art is another reason Piriz considers the move to Union an ideal one. "I know that the Union team can help put my name out there in places I haven't been able to reach before, and at the same time they can take much better care of my previous clients than I ever did."

A passionate musician, Piriz has worked on several music videos and in 2004 won MTV Latin's Best Music Video award for Cafe Tacuba "Eres". He also has worked closely with Kinky, a hugely popular alternative band who's widely acclaimed music has been in everything from Skyy Vodka ads to Nip/Tuck and feature films. His diverse taste in music complements his facility with all genres of film, from comedy to visual and dramatic work. On the film front, Piriz cut the 2007 short film "Feathers to the Sky," which was an Official Selection at the AFI FilmFest LA, Santa Barbara FilmFest, and Tribeca FilmFest.

Immediately prior to joining Union, Piriz edited a non-traditional piece for the CW Network: titled "Nicole Scherzinger," the project took his work beyond the traditional process, with the job requiring great involvement in graphics. His background in design and AVID, FCP, AfterEffects, Apple Shake, and all the usual plug-in packages and emerging technologies were brought to bear. Piriz said this skill set enabled him to "know how things are going to turn out before we send them into the long process of animation".

Piriz looks forward to upcoming projects at Union, both traditional and nontraditional. "In the end, I love the collaboration and creative process that goes into the making of commercials," he said. "Being trusted to carry a project forward for the agency and director is a responsibility I am honored to have."