Director Nigel Simpkiss, represented in the UK by Independent Films, has teamed up with sister company BRW USA in LA for a new Jeep spot for agency Global Hue. Shot in British Columbia, the spot, titled "Black Ice," shows off the capability of the Jeep Grand Cherokee to shift traction settings for maximum control on slick road surfaces.  Simpkiss is known for his decade-long association with the UK automotive TV series "Top Gear," and he's shot all kinds of car brands in every condition and terrain imaginable around the world.  The director has also pioneered new techniques for shooting vehicles using smaller HD cameras, according to Independent EP Matt Minor. Additional credits include BRW USA EP Gianfilippo Pedrotti and Associate Producer Stacey Manzanet. Production service was provided by Sequoia.

Little Red Riding Hood is the star of a new spot for the European electronics brand Bang & Olufsen (B&O) and its new sub-brand, B&O Play. The line of high-end audio and video appliances is aimed at a young, technologically advanced generation of consumers. The first B&O Play product is a wireless speaker, the BeoLit 12, which can connect to an iPod, iPhone or iPad via Bluetooth. To support the new product the brand produced this spot, which was directed by Carole Denis (also known as K-Roll). It was shot in and around Kiev and tapped the production talents and local expertise of Kiev's Radioaktive Films.  Director of Photography Sebastian Pfaffenbichler teamed with K-Roll to give the spot a fashion and beauty look. The agency was Co Plus in Denmark.  Nicholas Berglund was EP on the spot.

Holiday Films' Doug Pray – who shot the One Club documentary "Art & Copy" – has shot a new spot for Mars, Canada that takes place on the little-known New Brunswick island of Grand Manan. Mars partnered with Hockey Canada to lend a helping hand by adding a heated seating area to their local ice hockey arena. A project close to their hearts, BBDO Toronto Associate Creative Directors Jaimes Zentil and Craig McIntosh developed the concept and script, and were drawn to Grand Manan by the island's unique culture and close-knit community. To bring the story to life, Pray and Holiday Films were brought on board to shoot both a 30-second commercial and five-minute web film. Calling on his documentary film background, Pray embraced the charm and spirit of the islanders and the project with a storytelling style that stars an array of local Grand Mananers. "I was attracted to the script because it was real," comments Pray. "Mars really did make an important donation to the community and the community really did appreciate it."

Supply & Demand Integrated Director Sean Thonson has shot a colossal 16-spot campaign for Travel Alberta titled "Remember to Breathe." Produced by Circle Productions, Canada, a total of nine spots were shot for winter and seven for summer, with each spot seizing majestic scenic landscapes along the gateway to the Canadian Rockies. "Creating a balance by shooting each vista while combining specific personal moments was my fundamental approach," says Thonson. "Promoting the magnificent Alberta landscape essentially as the product was an added bonus." Shot over the course of 15 days, Thonson and his crew (that's him posing with some of the locals) spent weeks scouting on horseback for perfect locations. Local crews welcomed an opportunity to promote their homeland, while local artists provided music for the spots as well.

Put up your dukes: Digital Domain Director Neil Huxley just created a new show open for UFC's coverage of its live matches. The 60-second piece combines archival footage of UFC bouts mapped into entirely imagined backgrounds that illustrate how mixed martial arts has evolved, set to a score by film composer and music producer Hans Zimmer. Huxley, a director with Digital Domain's transmedia company Mothership, came up with the concept of illustrating UFC's rise from the gym to the mega-stadium as a metaphor for the ascent of the sport, featuring moments from real UFC matches dating back to its inception in 1993. "I am a big fan of the UFC, and have boxed and been around fighters since my early 20s," the director says.  "It's a world with which I am very familiar." The new show open will air on UFC's Pay-Per-View fight broadcasts.

Caviar's Jorma Taccone has directed the latest video from the group Electric Guest, titled "American Daydream." The Electric Guest duo is fronted by Taccone's younger brother Asa, who is best known for his work on The Lonely Island songs "Motherlover," "Natalie Raps" and "Dick in a Box," the latter being one of the top digital shorts for NBC's "Saturday Night Live," starring Andy Samberg and Justin Timberlake.  Taccone's other "SNL" directorial credits includes "The Lonely Island" and "MacGruber." Despite their relative anonymity within the mainstream music scene, Electric Guest has built a name for themselves through their electric-bluesy rhythms.

Director Rick Knief and Hooligan Editor Thomas Ostuni have teamed up to create a live-action music video for "Over the Sun," Joseph Arthur's latest single from the album "The Graduation Ceremony." The music video was shot on a multi-iPhone rig, captured within iPhone and iPad apps, and edited in Final Cut.  Told on a stylized mosaic of nine interchanging and overlapping frames, the video features myriad shots of Arthur painting and playing every instrument heard in the song. "It was exciting to work with an artist like Joseph, whom I've admired for many years," remarks Knief. "He is such a unique artist. I really wanted to create a music video for him that would reflect that. And I think using an everyday tool like the iPhone in such an unorthodox way, really enabled us to pull that off." Knief says the video's concept was heavily inspired by Arthur's acclaimed performance art, which combines looping himself on various instruments with poetry and live painting.

The New York Football Giants weren't the only team to put big numbers up on the board during the Super Bowl broadcast. Biscuit Filmworks directors Tim Godsall, Noam Murro, Christopher Riggert, Steve Rogers and Clay Wiener directed seven spots that aired during the game. Godsall directed "Confident You" for Cars.com (pictured here); Murro helmed Kia's "A Dream Car. For Real Life," "Chevy Silverado: 2012" and Pepsi's "King's Court," and also co-directed a spot with Weiner for Time Warner, "Anthem," featuring Ricky Gervais.  All of Murro's Super Bowl spots feature VFX by Method.  Riggert, meanwhile, directed "Projections" for the new Chevy Malibu, and Rogers directed a Chase commercial titled "Football."

Another shop having a busy Super Bowl Sunday was Company 3, which worked on 24 ads that aired during the game. Co-founder and Colorist Stefan Sonnenfeld (seen here) and fellow colorists Dave Hussey, Siggy Ferstl, Tim Masick, Mike Pethel and Tom Poole performed color grading on commercials for 20 brands: Acura, AT&T, belVita, Best Buy, BMW, Bridgestone, Bud Light Platinum, Chevy, Chrysler, Downy, Hulu, Hyundai, Kia, M&M, NBC, Pepsi, Samsung, Time Warner, Toyota and Volkswagen. "The bar is raised every year for Super Bowl ads," says Sonnenfeld, who graded 15 commercials for this year's game including "The Dog Strikes Back" for Volkswagen, "Drive the Dream" for Kia, "2012" for the Chevy Silverado as well as spots for Bridgestone, Chrysler, Diet Pepsi, Ford, General Electric, Hyundai, Pepsi and Toyota. "Companies outdo themselves every year. Considering the production quality that's put into these commercials, it's gratifying to know that advertisers and agencies trust us with their creative vision."

B-Reel Films' Anders Hallberg directed the Teleflora spot featuring the sultry supermodel Adriana Lima which launched during Super Bowl XLVI. The 30-second spot debuted during the game's second quarter. This marks the fourth year Teleflora has premiered an ad during the Super Bowl, which encourages viewers to send floral bouquets to their loved ones as a gift for Valentine's Day. The provocative spot, created via ad agency Fire Station, features a seductive Lima readying herself for an evening out while imparting the breathless advice to men that they should "Give" so that they'll also receive.

Beef Films Director Joe Schaak directed Century 21's celebrity-driven spot for the 2012 Super Bowl via ad agency Red Tettemer titled "Agents." The spot is part of an overall multimedia campaign that highlights endorsement deals with a variety of celebs, including former NFL superstar Deion Sanders, American Olympic speed skater Apolo Ohno and business mogul Donald Trump.  Notes EP/Line Producer John Malina, "The best part of this project was watching how professional and in tune with himself Donald Trump is on-camera. It was a real pleasure working with such pros on the shoot."

ADFEST continues to announce speakers and seminars planned for the 2012 Made In Asia Festival, coming up next month in Pattaya, Thailand. The latest announcement is about the addition of a seminar given by Cirkus, the New Zealand-based animation and mixed media production company. The shop will host the "Get Creative with your Mind and Money" workshop. Only 60 spaces are available for this event, so registered delegates are urged to sign up quickly. You can download the registration form here. Ringmaster Marko Klijn, EP at Cirkus, will visualize the production limitations and possibilities available within a limited timeline and budget, showcasing alternative methods and "shortcuts by design" that will allow agencies to arrive at the best quality production within their project requirements. After Klijn's introductory talk, delegates will be placed in teams and assigned a client, creative brief and "animation money," then it's all hands on deck for the Cirkus Animation Game.  "The great thing about the Cirkus workshop is that delegates can work and be creative with other delegates they haven't met yet, while learning about budgets for animated commercials," says ADFEST President Jimmy Lam.  "It's highly interactive, and the topic ties in perfectly with the theme of ADFEST 2012, 'Fast Forward,' because it teaches people practical skills they can apply back in the workplace to get ahead."

Director Adam Smith, who's represented by RSA for commercials and by its Black Dog music video division for music videos, saw his concert film for The Chemical Brothers, "Don't Think," screened at a special one night only engagement recently in the UK and Ireland. The film has already sold out advance screenings in London, LA, Tokyo and Paris. Smith, the band's long time visual collaborator, shot the group using 20 cameras at Japan's Fujirock Festival in July 2011. "Don't Think" marks the first time the duo's full live experience has been captured on film.  The group is famous for its psychedelic live performances, mixing modern electronic sounds and hardcore dance beats with striking visuals.  Smith has worked with the band since its start in 1994, designing the video elements of the duo's live shows which have become synonymous with their work.  From humble beginnings back when he would project spliced 16mm films behind the band at semi-legal raves to conceptualizing an entire album's worth of visuals (for last year's "Further" LP), Smith has created an ever-evolving, hallucinogenic backdrop to one of the most in-demand live shows in electronic music.

BBH New York and BBC Worldwide have launched "Touch the Stars," a worldwide marketing campaign to introduce the BBC iPlayer, an interactive iPad app offering access to a comprehensive catalog of BBC programming.  The campaign includes TV spots directed by O Positive Director David Shane, interactive ads and "Poke Ricky" – a Facebook app that urges users to "poke" Ricky Gervais in the face. To view a case study demonstrating the campaign, click here. Also seen in the spots and the app are other personalities of top BBC programs such as Richard Hammond of "Top Gear" and Bruce Parry of "Tribe." "The joy of BBC iPlayer is that all the BBC's content is right at your fingertip, literally," says John Patroulis, the agency's Chief Creative Officer. "So we simply used a finger throughout the entire campaign – from the films to the 'Poke Ricky' app – to make something that was not only entertaining and fun, but that also educates people about the benefits of using the iPlayer." Additional agency credits on the project include Deputy CCO Calle Sjoenell and CD Jon Randazzo. The creative team on the campaign included Dean Woodhouse and Hugo Bierschenk.

Actor Chris Pratt squares off against Darth Vader in "Duel," a new online video created and produced by AKQA to promote the launch of Kinect Star Wars for the Microsoft Xbox gaming platform.  The affable young star of the US sitcom "Parks and Recreation" and the movie "Moneyball" comes off a little bit more like C-3PO than the dashing Luke Skywalker as he steps in for Obi-Wan Kenobi during his epic battle with Lord Vader. The goal, of course, is to put the viewer at the center of iconic Star Wars scenes, since interactive player participation is the hallmark of Kinect technology.  The video premiered late last month on the website of Entertainment Weekly magazine, and has been shared from both the Xbox and LucasArts social networks. It was produced for AKQA by Swift River Productions and directed by Paul J. Morra and Sean Faden.  Agency credits include ECD Pierre Lipton, CD Stephen Clements, Sr. Copywriter Miranda Maney, AD Warren Frost, Sr. Designer Vicente Montelongo and Executive Producer Nancy Cardillo.

Stun Creative, the agency that specializes in broadcast identity, branding and promotion, has just created and produced a new politically oriented promo for the evening line-up of talking heads on Current TV, the cable channel that focuses on youth oriented programming.  Titled "We are Politically Driven," the spot features close-up, B&W shots of young people as on-screen type and a hipster voiceover declares, "We are the trailblazers, the truth seekers...we push, we prod, until the truth reveals itself." The spot promotes "The Young Turks," hosted by Cenk Uygur, "Countdown," hosted by Keith Olbermann and "The War Room," hosted by Jennifer Granholm. Production and graphics were handled for Stun Creative by Buster Ink. Agency credits go to CCO Jonas Morganstein, Senior Creative Director Sara Cahill and CDs Mark Feldstein and Brad Roth.

ONE at Optimus has added Director Brian Johnson to their roster. Johnson kicked off his signing by directing three Ford Truck Month spots for the Team Detroit campaign titled "Join the Stampede." Shot in Austin, Texas, the spots feature a stampede of Ford F-Series trucks. The spots were also cut and finished by Optimus, making it a fully integrated job. Paul Rosckes, VFX supervisor, was on location for the shoot. Both he and Glen Noren, Partner/Effects Director, led the VFX back in Chicago where Colorist Tyler Roth did color correction and Audio Engineer Joel Anderson handled final mixes. Editor Jim Staskauskas cut the spots out of Optimus Santa Monica and DP was Dana Christiaansen. In addition to Ford, Johnson has recently helmed spots for Acura, Xbox, Dick's Sporting Goods, Sears, Microsoft, Amica Insurance and Verizon.

 

L.A.-based Recommended Media has signed director Sinuhe Xavier for US commercial representation. The pro skier-turned-director has worked primarily as a celebrity and car shooter and has shot for clients that include Ford, Toyota, Jeep, Gillette, Lego and Subway. Xavier joins Recommended Media after working with EP/Partner Jeff Rohrer for three years at Bandito Brothers. While studying architecture and photography at Montana State University, Xavier found his love of visually telling stories. Starting his directing career in 2003, his first project was co-writing the Sony Dreams film "Little Pony" with Filip Engstrom at Smuggler. While a creative assistant to Engstrom, he freelanced outside of Smuggler for Yael Staav, Jess Hall and Douglas Avery.  Xavier directed two projects with Creative Arts Agency, first directing the stop-motion Lego piece for eBay's "Let Them Post" campaign and directing the EPK for Spinal Tap's 2009 25th Anniversary Reunion Tour.

Toronto's Wilfrid Park has added more international talents to its directorial roster.  Signing on are Marco Gentile (that's him on the left) and Misko Iho.  Gentile was a 2004 recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship, which he used to study film in the US, moving to Boston and completing his Masters in Film and Media Arts at Emerson College. He then moved to Los Angeles, where he launched his directing career. He's currently working between Milan, London and Paris, shooting commercials, music videos and documentaries.  His work has been featured on Shots and in Vogue. In 2010 he won a Silver Lion in Cannes for a spot for Rolling Stone magazine. Iho hails from Finland and has a background as a visual effects artist. His commercials work includes spots for ALB, Findus and Go Finland's tourism campaign. He recently won an Emma Gaala Finnish Music Award for his video clip for Finnish recording artist Chisu's "Sabotage."

Director Robin Fryday has joined the L.A. and New York-based  Nonfiction Unlimited for representation for spots and documentaries. Fryday was the director of the Oscar-nominated documentary short film "The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement." For Fryday, the 2008 potential nomination of Barack Obama as the first African American president awakened a strong impulse to explore the impact of unfolding events on the aging Civil Rights activists in the South. A research trip to Alabama confirmed her belief that the stories of those who fought for the right to vote in the 1960s needed to be captured and preserved in the context of unfolding events. The resulting documentary features 85-year old James Armstrong, an African-American barber in Birmingham, Alabama, speaking of his experiences and the manifestation of an unimaginable dream: the election of the first African American president. Fryday's first commercial project with Nonfiction is a documentary spot for Bank of America featuring a Chicago family that has run their family hardware shop for three generations.

Click 3X has added the comedy directing and DP team of Josh Ruben and Vincent Peone, owners of j+v films, to the roster of their live action division. The duo has directed, shot, produced and acted in thousands of comedic web videos for the comedy site collegehumor.com over the past six years, with several videos reaching over 15 million views. The pair will continue their relationship with the site, where they are currently on-staff directors. Recent work includes a spoof of popular Black Eyed Peas, Katy Perry and Rihanna videos, as well as a legit music video for singer/songwriter Rachael Yamagata. Their clients have included Trojan, Banana Boat, Nintendo, BlackBerry, SoBe, Time Warner Cable, BBC, IBM, Comedy Central's Atom Films, Budweiser and Tribeca Productions. Both directors received 2011 Webby Awards for their work on Grammar Nazis, a parody of Quentin Tarantino's "Inglorious Basterds," as well as the web series "Hello My Name Is." Paper magazine ranked their sketch "Woman Afraid of Owls" number three in their list of 2011's top 10 Funniest Videos Online. Ruben and Peone are regular performers at the Upright Citizen's Brigade and are the founders of sketch group Dutch West.

Bueno Films has signed director Ian Kammer for US commercial representation. Kammer's notable work includes "Hibernation," a 2011 AICP winner for Student Commercial and a 2011 CLIO finalist. The previous year, Kammer's "Lipless" was a Finalist in that category at the AICP Show. His spec spot for Coppertone titled "Boxer" took home National and Local Gold honors at the 2011 ADDY Awards. "I was immediately intrigued by Ian, because he sent his reel in the most unconventional way," says Albert Kodagolian, Director/DP and Partner at Bueno Films. "It was packaged like a cherished, aged book. The real sell, of course, was the fact that his reel is far above average for a recent graduate."  Kammer graduated in 2010 from the Art Center College of Design and took every opportunity during school to intern at production houses. These expanded both his technical knowledge and familiarity with the on-set etiquette demanded of a commercial director, says Kadogolian.

Charlex, the New York-based design, VFX and production studio, has promoted Ryan Dunn to Executive Creative Director from Director/CD. While Dunn will continue to direct, he will increase his focus on expanding the staff and sharpening the overall creative direction of the Charlex brand, working with his team of producers and creatives on any given job. Dunn's promotion follows a freight train of work that includes Verizon, Subway, AT&T and a trio of ads for Sherwin-Williams. Founder and Creative Director Alex Weil will continue to direct projects and will remain fully involved with all aspects of the company. "People who know me will understand that the most exciting part of all this for me is that I don't know precisely what to expect, other than that Ryan will make this new journey fun, fully engaging and creatively great," says Weil.

The Minneapolis VFX and post house Crash + Sues has named Sven Shelgren as Executive Producer.  With over 20 years of experience, the industry veteran has EP'd spots for such directors as Jim Johnston, John Pytka, Peter Kagan and Paul Dektor. Shelgren's work has garnered numerous Clios, as well as awards at Cannes and the AICP Show, and his career has traversed the commercial, film and television arenas. "I first met Sven when Crash + Sues hired Dektor Films to produce an innovative spot for WE Energies and Laughlin Constable/Milwaukee," notes Crash + Sues' CEO Heidi Habben. "That was over a decade ago, and we've been friends ever since. I think it's Sven's love of the industry and passion for his craft that consistently propels his work to the next level. He brings the full breadth of his experience to every job and knows how to elevate a collaboration into a creative partnership that pushes a project farther than expected or imagined. I'm honored that he's joined us."

New York-based Harpoon Pictures has signed Sylvia Barrera to represent the company's new Hispanic division, which is headed by Executive Producer Jose Alvarez. Barrera will be handling the company throughout the East Coast and Midwest markets. Prior to starting her repping company in 2008, Barrera was a producer for Grey's Hispanic agency, WING, as well as for GlobalHue and Lopez Negrete. One of the projects to come out of the division was via Ogilvy, Washington, DC for the Centers for Disease Control, which was directed by Patricia Riggen with versions in both English and in Spanish.

The TVC production industry in India is on the rise, as top creative talent A-list directors are collaborating to produce world-class TV spots and web videos.  SourceEcreative will take an in-depth look at this bustling, vibrant production marketplace in our second Special Feature on Indian Production, publishing on April 2, just in time for Goafest 2012. (To check out our first India Special Feature, click here.) This is a great opportunity for Indian production and post production companies to raise their profile worldwide. Sponsorship of this Special Feature will give them outstanding exposure for their top talent and their work before SourceEcreative's unparalleled global audience of agency creatives and producers.  For information on sponsoring this special section, contact our sales representatives in offices in London or Asia (get all our deets here), or contact Halyce Naparstek in our Boca Raton office at +1-561-206-0728 or at hnaparstek@sourceecreative.com.