"The Guardian" newspaper recently launched an effort to showcase its open journalism and multi-platform credentials, of particular interest in an age of twenty-four hour news cycles and social media. The TV spot that illustrates "The Guardian's" new model of journalism uses an ironic retelling of the classic fairy tale "The Three Little Pigs" in which the pigs get enmeshed in a controversy over vigilantism. Directed by Rattling Stick's Ringan Ledwidge, the two-minute spot premiered on Channel 4 and its associated channels and was quickly covered by the media for its deft portrayal of current trends in news coverage. The campaign, from BBH London, will feature a series of TV, cinema, outdoor, press and digital ads.

Australia-based studio Yukfoo Animation rolls out a campaign for stationary supply store Paper Plus via Aussie agency The Hyde Group. The spot is titled "Back to School" (it's that time of year for those in the Southern Hemisphere), and is set in an animated paper cut-out version of outer space. The spot illustrates what every kid should have in his backpack, flanked by paper airplanes, flying cows and low flying planets. Yukfoo Animation's Ryan Kothe directed the spot, while Theo Veltman did the VFX.

Ogilvy Mumbai has created a Big Indian Cricket Carnival to announce and promote Season 5 of the "Indian Premier League" scheduled from 4 April to 27 May, 2012. Bang Bang Films co-produced this production with B-Reel Films director Anders Forsman. The shoot itself involved a large crew of over 300 people and talent numbering around 200 across two large studios at Bandra's Mehboob Studios, where a carnival was created with colourful performers, game kiosks and miniature rides. The carnival features rides themed after proprietary techniques of major players featuring in IPL 5. The rides were created as miniatures by a team of technicians from Sweden, Mats Sahlstrom and Anders Hellstrom. Post-production and visual effects were done at The Chimney Pot in Stockholm. The soundtrack is the old Hindi Music track "EenaMeenaDika" by Kishore Kumar from the film "Asha", and was re-recorded from the original for this commercial by Dhruv Ghanekar.

Platige Image of Warsaw, Poland was chosen by the government of Qatar to create animated parts of a live action series for children produced as a part of the "Dream 2030" campaign. The campaign's objective is to promote loyalty, solidarity and unity amongst the Qatari youth. Four episodes of the series "Dream 2030" take the audience to the future they will someday create. It is based on fifteen inspiring stories of children that are making their dreams come true in 2030. The youngsters are accompanied by their animal friends, significant in Qatari culture: falcons, camels, horses and greyhounds. Another important character is a train which takes them around Doha, the capital of the country.

How do you make your own rhythm?  In "Make Your Own Rhythm," a new short film that's launching the online presence of the Spanish fashion label Hoss, you simply play all the roles of beat-maker yourself, from percussion to keyboards to spinning records on a turntable.  In this engaging spot from Black Dog's Director Christian Larson, a lithe young model steps behind a drum set and begins to play (note the way she hits the hi-hat and bass drum in high heels). She suddenly appears again in a different outfit, this time playing keyboards. And then again, spinning records on a turntable.  You can see the film on the Hoss web site here. Larson wrote, directed and edited the film, and also shot the stills for the print campaign. Prior to launching his directing career, Larson worked as Director Jonas Akerlund's editor and cut all of his commercials and music videos. He also cut Akerlund's latest feature film, "Small Apartments," starring Billy Crystal and James Caan, which is due out later this year.

Great Guns' Olly Blackburn directed a commercial for the UK soft drink brand Britvic that supports local communities and the UK charity Groundwork. The spot, titled "Transform Your Patch," is based on the concept of transforming cherished and familiar areas in your local community. Created by AMV BBDO, the ad features before and after images of what can be accomplished by those who are taking part in the movement. A woman is seen in a variety of distressed urban environments; she holds up a frame, and we see within the frame what it could look like when rehabbed into a playground or skate park. The Mill did the visual effects while Wave Recording was responsible for the track.
 

Bent Image Lab Director Rob Shaw has directed a three-minute animated segment for the series "Portlandia." The piece, titled "Zero Rats," features series stars Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein as animated rodents attempting to break into a zero packaging grocery store. Fred Rat, Carrie Rat and a third rat friend, John, plot their pillaging strategy. "Jonathan, Fred and Carrie came to Bent to take a tour and talk about some visual effects we were doing for other episodes of the show," remembers Shaw. During the visit the Portlandians brought up an idea they had for a funny animated segment based off of a real zero packaging grocery store. "As soon as they started talking about the 'Zero Rats' concept I was completely on board." Bent Senior Producer Kara Place comments, "Stop motion is rarely unscripted. The voice over is usually set in stone. You don't get to do improv in stop motion very often. So to have the dialogue driven by an improv voiceover session that hasn't been cleaned up, perfected and smoothed out, where the characters are talking over each other and winging it, is really nice."

International actress Monica Bellucci serves as the reflection of timeless beauty in a new ad for Oriflame's anti-aging treatment Royal Velvet, directed by  Rebecca Blake of Rebecca Blake Films/ A STORY Company.  "We had fun with it," says Blake of the shoot, who kept the atmosphere light hearted so that she could work with Bellucci in a relaxed and intimate manner. "She makes a strong connection with the lens, and with the audience." Blake worked with cinematographer Deke Donelian and New York visual effects boutique Light of Day on the spot. LOD's Flame Artist Colin Stackpole collaborated with Blake to create the look and motion of these environments, along with adding light flares and effects. Blake shot Bellucci on a film stage in Paris, where the actress lives with husband Vincent Cassell.

New York-based production and post studio The Colony and Director David Gaddie just completed a new spot for the communications provider Telecom Airtel via Ogilvy Africa. The spot titled "Bungee" features teens being pulled out of drab situations  and into a party – by their Airtel connection. The work was shot using a combination of in-camera stunts and post-production. The spot is set to a frenetic track titled "Friendzy," by New York's Nylon Studios. The post was also handled in New York by The Colony's sister company, Afterparty VFX.

Nikon and Director Sandro Miller of Cap Gun Collective collaborate on "Joy Ride," a long-form spot highlighting the new Nikon D800 camera. The film was shot with DP Anthony Arendt on the new Nikon D800. The spot is an exercise in the craft of cinema, utilizing the latest technology. Miller is a portrait and editorial photographer who has worked with Nikon for many years to introduce new gear to the professional photographic world. He broke into the directorial world last year with recognition in the Saatchi & Saatchi New Directors Showcase for his work on "Butterflies (featuring  John Malkovich)" and signed on with Cap Gun Collective in Chicago and London. The five-minute spot was crafted and storyboarded by Miller and the Nikon team in advance of the project. "The work flow was handled precisely," comments Miller. "We had five to ten cameras going at any given time, so knowing what we wanted was essential. Editor Alaster Jordon of Whitehouse Post brought his brilliance to the edit of the film. We dissected every file to find the scene for each moment of the story."

New York-based post production company FLUID and sister sound design house Butter just completed a new campaign for North Carolina health insurer Blue Cross Blue Shield via North Carolina agency Capstrat. Directed by Tom Routson, the spots depict the insurer and hospitals working to save patients money and operate efficiently. In "Mother," an elderly woman throws water in her son's face, thinking he's sleepwalking. "Escape" features a man fleeing from the upper floor of a medical building with tied-together sheets, while in "Hidden Camera," a man looks for the hidden camera in an exam room. Finally, in "Hacking" (pictured here), a man thinks his wife has broken into various hospitals' computer systems.

Chicago-based Colonie Partner/Editor Bob Ackerman has completed another Special K spot via Leo Burnett. Directed by Moxie Pictures' Pam Thomas, the spot, titled "Closet Candy," opens with a woman enjoying a breakfast of Special K cereal in a tiny studio apartment. When opening the doors to her small armoire she discovers that she can actually step further into a closet filled with hangers of colorful clothing, a revolving shoe rack and a full-length mirror. "I was thrilled to be able to work with director Pam Thomas as well," Ackerman say. "Pam is not only one of the most talented directors I've had the opportunity to collaborate with, but she's also one of the nicest people I've met."

Director Marc Evans, who's represented for commercials by Rogue Films in the UK, had his latest feature film released in the UK.  Titled "Hunky Dory," it's a coming-of-age drama set in a Welsh seaside town in 1976.  Drama teacher Vivienne (played with what we're told is a remarkably convincing Welsh accent by Minnie Driver) fights sweltering heat and general teenage apathy to put on a David Bowie-inspired musical version of Shakespeare's "The Tempest."  The film has been touted as a nostalgic, feel-good summer film. Check out the trailer here. Evans' other long-form work includes numerous episodes of the UK television series "Collision" and the features "Trauma," starring Oscar-winner Colin Furth, and "Snow Cake," starring Alan Rickman and Sigourney Weaver. His commercial work includes a campaign for NatWest Bank and M&C Saatchi in London, produced last year.

L.A.-based MOO Studios director Andy Huang's short film, "Solipsist," was released on Vimeo's opening page and covered on the motion graphics and visual effects blog Motionographer. "Solipsist" is a three-part psychedelic fantasy film about otherworldly beings whose minds and bodies converge into one entity. The short won the Special Jury Prize at Slamdance earlier this year and has been invited to screen at the San Francisco International Film Festival. "Solipsist" also became part of the LACMA collection on Young Directors. Huang is currently directing commercials for Blue Moon Beer, Torro and Sustenex.
 

Benjamin Leavitt of Greenpoint Pictures, and of the directing duo Nick&Ben, has won the Jameson First Shot Short Film Competition, a new international contest designed to uncover up-and-coming film talent from Russia, South Africa and the US. For his achievement, Leavitt will get to work with actor Kevin Spacey and Spacey's Trigger Street Productions. Leavitt will get to shoot his script, "The Ventriloquist," which tells the story of an introverted ventriloquist who tries to match wits with his outspoken marionette. Spacey will star in the film. The three winners beat over 700 budding screenwriters and directors from across the three countries. Trigger Street's judging panel of industry experts produced a shortlist of 20 entries. After completing a second stage selection process to showcase entrants' creativity and directing skills, judges chose the three winners.

NALIP, the National Association of Latino Independent Producers, has awarded La Banda Films Director Patricia Martínez de Velasco the 2012 Estela Award for her directing debut in "Aqui Entre Nos." Written and directed by Martínez de Velascor and produced by La Banda Films, "Aqui Entre Nos" is a comedy about a normal yet dysfunctional Hispanic family and its trials and tribulations. The film has already received many international awards, including the Bronze Zenith for First Feature Film at the Festival des Films du Monde, Montreal in 2011; Best Actor for Jesús Ochoa at the Guadalajara International Film Festival, also in 2011; and Best Screenplay from the Press Association and Best Feature Film Audience Award at the Huelva Iberoamerican Film Festival, 2011.

Beauty Berlin, the fashion and beauty arm of Germany's Twin Group, has started a collaboration with the London-based beauty and fashion director Anthony Shurmer, reports bB Managing Director Jorg Fudickar.  bB's sister shop, Doppelgaenger Film, is representing Shurmer for integrated campaigns and traditional TV commercials. Among his recent projects is a TVC for Conde Nast's Glamour magazine starring the American pop singer Katy Perry (pictured here).  Shurmer's work includes music videos, fashion films, live performance, documentaries, broadcast, virals and web content. "Anthony possesses a rare ability to put models completely at ease and be willing to perform," says Fudickar.  "His lighting, cool manner and perfectly aligned eye make him the director models love to be shot by, and the results speak for themselves."  His client list includes Sony, GQ, Wonderland, Dior, Nike, GQ, MAC Cosmetics, Tag Heuer, Polydor, Levi's, Adidas and Mulberry. Among the celebrities he's shot recently are Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Racia Oliveira, Gemma Arterton, Daisy Lowe, Lilly Allen and Sienna Miller. In other bB news, the studio is currently working on a combined film and stills project with the New York-based fashion photographer James Houston. 

The L.A.-based production company DNA / David Naylor & Associates has signed Paris-based Director Tony "Truand" Datis for exclusive US representation for commercial and music video work. Datis was a 2012 Grammy Nominee for Short Form Music Video for his work on Skrillex's "First of the Year." His sense of artistic direction has led to  music videos and collaborations with artists and bands that include Modeselektor, Thom Yorke and Foreign Beggars, LA Fiancee, Grems and PZK.

Director Carlos "Hari" Sama has joined the US production company The Institute. Sama has directed commercials for such brands as Visa, Pepsi, McDonalds, Coppertone, Halls, Danone, KFC and Cerveza Indio. He has won awards in over 40 international advertising festivals across the US, Europe, Asia and Latin America. Sama's recently-released feature "El Sueño de Lu" (The Dream of Lu), which he wrote and directed, is about a mother who looks for new meaning in her life after a suicide attempt while grieving the death of her son. Scott Gardenhour, Partner of The Institute, comments, "We're very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with Hari. His diverse talent transcends mediums, as well as genres, which is why he is such a sought-after director. It also doesn't hurt that he is a consummate professional and collaborative creative partner." At The Institute Hama will be working on both general and Hispanic market projects.

Rhythm + Hues Commercial Studios has signed Director Tony Petrossian. Petrossian has shot commercials for Nike, McDonaldʼs, Subway and Sony Ericsson, to name a few. His music video work for artists such as Taking Back Sunday, Rise Against, Slipknot, Ludacris, and DMX highlights his sense of storytelling. R+H Executive Producer Paul Babb notes, "Tony really knows what heʼs doing, and his work proves it. Weʼre thrilled heʼs come onboard. Heʼll do great things with all the tools available to him here at Rhythm + Hues."

Draft FCB kicks off its new rebranding effort for Taco Bell with a spot that illustrates what the "Live Mas!" slogan is all about.  In "Pockets," directed by RSA's Jake Scott, a guy comes home at dawn and empties his pockets on the table.  The contents reveal what was a wild night; broken sunglasses, a concert ticket, a matchbook, Japanese dice, a picture strip and a Taco Bell hot sauce packet that says "That Was Fun" on the front.  The agency team from Draft FCB's Orange County office in Irvine, CA included Teddy Brown, Executive Creative Director; Jeff Maerov, Group Creative Director; Thomas Anderson, Executive Producer; Adam Nowak, CD/Copywriter and Adam Tompkins, CD/Art Director. The spot was edited by Erin Nordstrom at Optimus in L.A. with VFX by Method.

The revolution that shook up the music business has had a major impact on the ad industry, making more artists - both name acts and under-the-radar bands and composers - available to brands and agencies than ever before.  At the same time, the value of original composition has not dimmed, as some of the most award-winning TV and web campaigns of the past year featured original tracks.  Against this backdrop, SourceEcreative will take a look at the issues and trends having an impact on music for advertising, as well as on the equally important field of sound design and the audio post houses that mix their work in our upcoming "Right Tracks" Special Feature on Music & Sound Design, publishing April 30. To check out our last Special Feature on Music & Sound Design, click here. For sponsorship availability and pricing, please contact your SourceEcreative sale rep or Halyce Naparstek, hnaparstek@sourceecreative.com or at +1-561 206-0728.