A WAVE OF PRESS FOR DIRECTOR TODD KELLSTEIN'S "BUFFALO GIRLS"
In recent weeks, Todd Kellstein's feature-length documentary, "Buffalo Girls" has garnered some wonderful press. Click below to read...
LA Times' Kenneth Turan: "Unexpected and fascinating"
Hollywood Reporter: "Likely will incite some heated opposition"
Libertas Film Magazine: "Recommended for those who can handle raw reality"
Slug Magazine: "A story that will stay with you for quite some time."
Stark Insider: "I was so enraptured, for better or worse, by the real-life drama, heartache."
See some photos of the crew of Buffalo Girls at Slamdance 2012, and check out the film's official Website, Facebook, and Twitter feed!
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NEW WORK: LORENZO DIRECTS A KITTEN FOR BIG CAT WEEK
In director Lorenzo Fonda's new spot for National Geographic Channel International's "Big Cat Week," we meet the future of animal documentaries: felix domesticus. A house cat. As National Geographic puts it, if we don't save the big cats, all we'll have left for documentaries are the small ones. Adorable though he is, the little guy is nothing compared to tigers, cheetahs, mountain lions, cougars, leopards, lions or jaguars. For more information, please visit National Geographic Channels International’s website: www.natgeotv.com.
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NEW WORK: RIESS/HILL MINI DOC "DEVOTED" FOR DEPUY
In the new mini-doc from Riess/Hill, we meet the dedicated employees at Depuy who, through orthopaedic technology, help people get moving again.
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TODD KELLSTEIN'S BUFFALO GIRLS SELECTED FOR SLAMDANCE 2012
Director Todd Kellstein's feature-length documentary, "Buffalo Girls" has been selected as part of Slamdance 2012's doc lineup! The film tells the story of two 8-year-old-girls, Stam and Pet, both professional Muay Thai prizefighters. Set in small villages throughout rural Thailand, the film chronicles these young girls’ emotional and sometimes heartbreaking journey as they fight in small underground arenas to win prize-money to help provide for their families. After many months of rigorous training and a long schedule of fights, Stam and Pet fight each other for the 20 Kilo championship belt of Thailand and a cash prize that will change the winner’s life forever.
Congratulations to Todd and the entire crew of "Buffalo Girls!"
Click to watch the Buffalo Girls trailer
Click to learn more about Slamdance 2012
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NEW WORK: IAIN DIRECTS BUZZED DRIVING PSAs FOR AD COUNCIL
Director Iain Mackenzie's two PSAs for Ad Council will begin airing this week. The PSAs, part of Ad Council's "Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving" campaign, show a "buzzed" driver heading to his car when he is confronted with the hard facts of its penalties. In "Bar Math," we watch as different parts of the man's life are subtracted because of DUI expenses and in "Monkey in the Middle," the same inebriate has his keys tossed between a police officer, tow truck driver, insurance agent and lawyer as they explain how much a DUI can cost. Paydirt's own Lorenzo Fonda assisted on the animation.
Click to watch "Monkey in the Middle"
Click to learn more about Ad Council's "Buzzed Driving" campaign
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NOW AIRING: JASON HARRINGTON'S SPOTS FOR LEXUS DECEMBER SALES EVENT
Director Jason Harrington has hit the ground running here at Pyadirt with a sled-full of new spots for Lexus' "December to Remember Sales Event." In one of new spots, titled "Music Box Memories," we see how the most amazing gifts can also be given in amazing ways.
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LEN FINK DIRECTS PSA FOR ELIZABETH SMART/ALICIA KOZAKIEWICZ
In this "Not One More Child" PSA from director Len Fink, Elizabeth Smart and Alicia Kozakiewicz - abduction and abuse victims - speaking out against child predators. According to PROTECT.org, child pornography is the fastest growing crime in the US. Through new technology we are able to pinpoint where the images are trafficked and thus where there are children being abused. Congress and state legislatures have cut funding to track down and apprehend the known offenders. The PSA calls to reinstate funding so that predators can be stopped and more children can be rescued, just as Alicia and Elizabeth were.
Click to watch the interview on Good Morning America
Click to read the SHOOT article
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IAIN MACKENZIE WINS TWO GOLD, SILVER AT AUSTRALIAN CINEMATOGRAPHER'S AWARDS
Director Iain Mackenzie has taken top prize (and the silver as well) at the Australian Cinematographer's Awards this past weekend. Iain's commercial work for DOW, "Fire," and "Snow" took gold in the international commercial category, and his spot for Lexus, "Pitch" took silver.
Click to learn more about the ACS Awards
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NEW WORK: BLINKK DIRECTS SPOT FOR HTC SENSATION
In their new spot for the HTC Sensation, directing team Leila and Damien de Blinkk shows us how the right phone with the right sound can change your whole world.
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NEW WORK: RIESS/HILL SIEMENS SHORT ABOUT A HEALTHY LOS ANGELES
In the newest short doc from directing team Riess/Hill, we get a look at what makes up the fabric of Los Angeles and how Siemens' technology helps create a safer and more healthy urban experience. This is part of a series of short documentaries Riess/Hill were commissioned to do for Siemens earlier this year.
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NEW WORK: BLINKK'S NEWEST FRENCH CONNECTION SPOTS
In the latest French Connection UK spots from directors Leila and Damien de Blinkk, we are introduced to the multi-faceted-but-always-warm Coat and a Dress that is simply magic. The spots belong to a series of nine Autumn/Winter campaigns that will be released throughout the fall digitally, in cinema, on TV, in print, outdoor and in store windows.
In a recent interview with i-D Online, Blinkk said "The clothes were the starting point to each film. We were looking into the personality of each item of clothing, its reason for being, but it was an essence we were after. The process for example, included a voice for each item of clothing and words that drove the visual interpretation of the script. Then the voice became something else in some of the films. It became an image like the suit emerging from semi darkness or a certain tonality in the music or in the sound. In other films the voice and the words remained."
Read the rest of the interview here.
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NEW WORK: DIRECTOR TODD KELLSTEIN HELMS MOVING CLINTON FOUNDATION SHORT
In the new short from director Todd Kellstein, we see how the Clinton Foundation has drastically reduced the spread of HIV in Malawi and given its people hope. The short premiered October 15 at the Hollywood Bowl to a standing ovation.
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JASON HARRINGTON JOINS PAYDIRT AND SHOOTS LEXUS CAMPAIGN
Director Jason Harrington has joined Paydirt for representation in the US, UK and Japan.
Jason Harrington is a director with a an incredible range; from the epic to the intimate, the subtly witty to the mesmerizing. He is a visual stylist who can also elicit nuanced and emotional performances from his actors.
A graduate of St. Martin’s School of Art in London where he studied Graphics and Photography, Harrington has worked for clients such as BMW, SAAB, Pfizer, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Dunlop, T.Rowe Price, Martini (featuring Gwyneth Paltrow), Saturn, Toyota, Gatorade, and Nivea amongst many others.
Harrington's work has been recognized by many of the leading advertising award festivals, including the British D&AD, BDA awards, Chicago International Television and Film Festivals, The Mobius advertising awards, and The International Monitor Awards.
He is currently working on a Lexus package for Team One, which is shooting in Southern California.
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NEW WORK: SAMAN DIRECTS LADY-ROBOT-CENTRIC MUSIC VID FOR APPARAT
In director Saman Keshavarz's haunting music video for Apparat's "Song of Los," we watch a dying robot's memories and the lessons she learned about the humans around her. Wait for the surprise ending...
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LEX HALABY CREATES INTEGRATED PROJECT FOR NICK AND SONY (MV, WEB, LIVE EVENT)
The newest work from director Lex Halaby started months ago, when Nickelodeon and Sony BMG came to Lex to create a project with three phases: a music video, interactive content, and a live event. The campaign stars Victoria Justice, star of the popular Nick series “Victorious.”
The first phase was the music video for "All I Want is Everything," which centers on a narrative: after finding out the guy she's interested in is single, Victoria records a series of webcam videos and sends them to him through a fiction social networking site. For various reasons, he misses the videos until the very end, when the two agree to meet up. In the video, observant fans could catch the social networking site's web address, and the guy's phone number. The video ends with Victoria texting him a location for their first date.
Click to watch the music video
The second phase was interactive: even before the video's release, Victoria Justice started tweeting to the fictional guy (named Dean Stanland). He quickly amassed over 1400 followers on Twitter and continues to get new followers every day. Victoria left clues in her twitter feed (here) that later tied into the video's premiere on Nickelodeon. When the video premiered, the interactive team built Dean a social networking profile that links from the website address on Facebook. Within the first week of release, "Dean Stanland" had over 4500 "likes" on Facebook (Dean's profile here).
In the following weeks after the video's release, more webcam videos from the music video were released directly on to Dean's Facebook page, along with comments from Victoria and clues about the time and location of their first date. Lastly, a voicemail message was recorded and linked to the phone number that appeared on his profile and text messages in the music video. Every few days the voicemail message would change, eventually revealing the location of their date. To date, fans have left over 12,000 voicemail messages for Dean. Hundreds more are left every day.
The project wrapped up with a live event at Universal Citywalk this past Friday. Fans could use Facebook, Twitter, and the voicemail messages to figure out the location of Victoria and Dean's first date. Coinciding with a CD signing at Universal Citywalk, Victoria and the Victorious cast surprised Dean and performed the song live. Dean and Victoria leave holding hands, wrapping up the narrative begun in the music video and built on with the interactive experience.
Click to watch the live performance
Click to watch Lex's Nickelodeon Campaign walkthrough
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SAMAN'S "MIDNIGHT CLUB" WINS AT SAN FRAN SHORTS FEST!
Director Saman Keshavarz's three-part music video epic "Russ Chimes' Midnight Club EP" has taken home "Best Music Video" at the San Francisco International Festival of Short Films. Congrats to the cast and crew!
Click for more about the festival
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NEW WORK: LEX DIRECTS SHORT FOR CHARITY THEATER GROUP "CHICKENSHED"
Directed by Lex Halaby, this short film documents a London Charity Theater and Dance group centered on equality and a deep love of the arts.
Click to learn more about Chickenshed
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NEW WORK: RIESS HILL SIEMENS SHORT ON CHARLOTTE LIGHT-RAIL
In this new mini-doc from directing team Riess/Hill, we learn about the new light-rail Siemens built in Charlotte, NC and how it's promoted both sustainability and a new, stronger sense of community in the city. This is part of a series of short documentaries Riess/Hill were commissioned to do for Siemens earlier this year.
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NEW WORK: IAIN DIRECTS CAMPBELL'S SPOT "ROAD TO HAPPINESS"
In the new spot from director Iain Mackenzie, we see how all kinds of people enjoy Campbell's soup and the way it puts them on their own "Road to Happiness."
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NEW WORK: LEX DIRECTS "TRANSFORMATIVE MOMENTS" FOR MIAMI UNIVERSITY
In the new spot from director Lex Halaby, a young student experiences an "aha!" moment at Miami University.
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NEW WORK: BLINKK'S NEW SPOT FOR FRENCH CONNECTION: SKIRT VS. SHORTS
Directed by Damien and Leila de Blinkk, this quirky table tennis match between the proud Skirt and the upstart Shorts features some clever split screen work and cheeky sound samples.
This spot belongs to a series of nine Autumn/Winter campaigns that will be released throughout August and September digitally, in cinema, on TV, in print, outdoor and in store windows.
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NEW WORK: SAMAN'S NEW MUSIC VID FOR PORTER ROBINSON/MACHINIMA
Director Saman Keshavarz has released a new music video for Porter Robinson's song "Spitfire" in conjunction with Machinima. One of the video game/entertainment behemoth's first forays into original content, "Capture the Can" is blistering and beautifully shot on the Phantom Flex featuring an all-out paintball game full of speed-ramping and splattering paint. The video has already accrued 200,000 views and hit the front page of Youtube today.
Click to see Machinima's full Youtube Channel
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NEW WORK: BLINKK'S NEW SPOTS FOR FRENCH CONNECTION
Directing team Leila and Damien de Blinkk have released two new spots for French Connection UK in which we are introduced to "The Blouse" and a man's "Lucky Shirt." These spots belong to a series of nine Autumn/Winter campaigns that will be released throughout August and September digitally, in cinema, on TV, in print, outdoor and in store windows.
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CREATIVITY INTERVIEWS DIRECTOR SAMAN KESHAVARZ
Director Saman Keshavarz was recently interviewed for Creativity's "Creative Profiles." In the interview, Saman talks about "Cinnamon Chasers" going viral, the obstacles new directors face, his upcoming partnership with Machinima's Youtube channel.
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LEX HALABY WRAPS VICTORIA JUSTICE MUSIC VIDEO
Director Lex Halaby has just wrapped the next Victoria Justice video for her single "All I Want Is Everything." Check back in for more updates.
Click to check out Victoria's site
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NEW WORK: FOO FIGHTERS' GARAGE TOUR CLIP
In the new clip from the 40-minute documentary by director Vern Moen, Foo Fighters' perform in one lucky Toronto fan's garage. "The Foo Fighters' Garage Tour" lasted 3 weeks over 7 cities at specially selected super-fans' garages. Vern edited over 55 hours of footage for the tour, while simulatenously acting as DP and director.
From Vern: "We were a team of two (John Raines and I) and we typically start shooting around noon, wrap at 6pm, and then immediately start transcoding and editing in the van on the way to the hotel where we would alternate sleeping/editing all night to deliver the mini-clips first thing in the morning, usually around 6am. Sometimes we would do that back to back to back all the while getting to three different states/cities. We typically had 5 cameras rolling in different formats to stay true to the garage show feel."
Click to see the whole documentary
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VERN MOEN INTERVIEWED FOR RUGGED BAND
Vern talks the Foo Fighters' Garage Tour, sailing across the ocean on a pile of recycled plastic, and the early days directing his friends Cold War Kids' videos.
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NEW WORK: BLINKK'S NEW FRENCH CONNECTION TRAILER
Directing team Leila and Damien de Blinkk have released a kinetic, quirky trailer for the 2011 Autumn/Winter line from French Connection UK. This is the first of nine Autumn/Winter campaigns that will be released throughout August and September digitally, in cinema, on TV, in print, outdoor and in store windows.
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SAMAN'S "MIDNIGHT CLUB" ACCEPTED INTO SAN FRAN SHORTS FEST
Director Saman Keshavarz's three-part short "Russ Chimes Midnight Club Trilogy" has been accepted into the San Francisco International Festival of Short Films.
Click to learn more about the fesitval
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NEW WORK: IAIN DIRECTS NUTRO, NATURAL DEFENSE SPOTS
In the two new spots from Director Iain MacKenzie, dogs hunt for their own dog food ingredients and a dog and its owner learn that appearances can be deceiving.
Click to watch the Nutro spot "Beach"
Click to watch the Natural Defense spot "Gathering Magical Extracts"
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LEX HALABY SHOOTS SPOT FOR MIAMI U
Director Lex Halaby has just wrapped shooting a broadcast spot for Miami University.
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NEW WORK: LORENZO'S "THE SOUND OF HEAT"
The new short from director Lorenzo Fonda features Chef Ludo Lefebvre gathering, preparing and cooking all-natural ingredients on a farm. The film was written, directed and illustrated by Paydirt’s own Lorenzo Fonda, and premiered for Levi’s "Big Night – Food, Films and Music" at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles.
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LORENZO FONDA'S "MEGUNICA" INVITED TO ATLANTA STREET ART FEST
Director Lorenzo Fonda's Megunica (trailer here) has been invited to screen at the Living Walls Conference in Atlanta. Living Walls, which focuses on street art and urbanism, was a massive success last year, with 36 artists taking to the streets to "engage the public via street art." The conference said of Lorenzo's doc: "Megunica explores the idea of seeing an old space in a new way, and our conference seeks to do the same thing. We do not think that there could be a better fit for our movie screening here in Atlanta." Megunica will be screened on the first day of the conference, August 12th.
Click to learn more about the Living Walls Conference
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LORENZO FONDA SHORT PREMIERING TONIGHT @ MOCA LOS ANGELES
Director Lorenzo Fonda’s new short, "The Sound of Heat" featuring Chef Ludo Lefebvre will be screening tonight for Levi’s "Big Night – Food, Films and Music" at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles. The short, which features Chef Ludo gathering, preparing and cooking all-natural ingredients on a farm, was written, directed and illustrated by Paydirt’s own Lorenzo Fonda.
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VERN MOEN DIRECTS RADIOHEAD FOR "FROM THE BASEMENT"
Vern recently directed Radiohead in the latest episode of the series "From the Basement!"
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NEW WORK: FOLGERS "JINGLE"
The new Folgers commercial from director Lex Halaby announces the Grand Prize winner of the Folgers Jingle Contest. Featuring hundred of contestants and a live-performance finale, we meet the new sound of Folgers...and her guitar.
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A WIRED.IT EXCLUSIVE! MEGUNICA COMPLETE STREAM & INTERVIEW
Director Lorenzo Fonda's feature documentary about street artist BLU. Read the Interview/Watch the complete stream
http://tv.wired.it/entertainment/2011/06/22/megunica-watch-blu-s-journey-through-south-america.html
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JUST CALL US PAYDIRT
Paydirt and Mighty8 merge! Read all about it!
http://www.sourceecreative.com/news.php?ID=5703
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NEW METRONOMY VIDEO FROM DIR. LORENZO FONDA
Check out the new video for "The Look" by Metronomy from director Lorenzo Fonda.
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NEW FRENCH CONNECTION WORK FROM BLINKK
Directors Leila & Damien de Blinkk have shot new work for French Connection UK's I am Man/I am Woman Campaign, delivering more of their special blend of wry humor and beautiful imagery.
The Man demonstrates his scissor-wielding prowess by giving himself a bucket cut and The Woman perches atop a piano, playing it with her high heel pumps. These are just some of the ways Blinkk shows off the 2011 Spring/Summer line.
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AIRING NOW: DIR. IAIN MACKENZIE LEXUS "CHAIN"
The new Lexus commercial from director Iain Mackenzie demonstrates the cars' chassis strength by suspending a chain of vehicles in the air.
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NEW WORK: SAMAN KESHAVARZ'S PLAYTIME
The new short film/music video for B. Fleischmann's "Playtime" from director Saman Keshavarz.
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LIKE US, FOLLOW US!
Paydirt is now on Facebook and Twitter!
hi
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NEW WORK: TRAIN- MARRY ME VIDEO
Check out the new Train- Marry Me video from director Lex Halaby. Lex got several real, live love couples talk about how they met in the intro!
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NEW WORK: SIEMENS WATER
The latest in a series of Siemens mini docs by husband and wife directing team Riess/Hill has been released. This one reveals how Siemens is helping to protect the Chesapeake Bay which is the largest estuary in the U.S.
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DIRECTORS BLINKK JOIN PAYDIRT
Directors Blinkk have joined Paydirt for US representation.
Leila and Damien de Blinkk are a photographic / filmmaking collective who met at the Royal College of Art. Together they form one of the most exciting, freshest and sought after creative dynamics working in fashion, editorial and advertising today. Their individual talents and styles fuse together to form an approach which is uniquely their own. This often involves the experimental use of light and colour, playful use of focus, unconventional exposure lengths and framing.
"We provoke, dare, overlap, diverge, meet, make light and shadows and stories, stills, films, words or long discussions on sunny afternoons." Blinkk
They have used this approach with great effect in their personal photographic/film work and across major advertising campaigns.
Click here to watch Blinkk's work
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NEW WORK: TRAIN- SHAKE UP CHRISTMAS VIDEO
Get into the Holiday spirit with the new Train video for "Shake Up Christmas" from director Lex Halaby.
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PEPSI REFRESH CAMPAIGN MAKES 2010 ADAGE BOOK OF TENS
The Pepsi Refresh Project, for which Riess/Hill directed the Greenshields spot, has made the 2010 AdAge Book of Tens- Campaigns Creativity Loved.
Check out Greenshields directed by Riess/Hill
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NEW WORK: WILDAID "LANG LANG"
Chinese concert pianist, Lang Lang, is featured in this PSA for WildAid directed by Lex Halaby.
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NEW WORK: JAMIE WOON "NIGHT AIR" VIDEO
Director Lorenzo Fonda's music video for Jamie Woon's dark, dancey track "Night Air" was shot on location in Chertsey, in the London countryside.
Click to watch < Hide News Article
NEW WORK: BGCA- DENZEL WASHINGTON "BE GREAT"
Director Lorenzo Fonda's latest spot for Boys & Girls Clubs of America spotlights the self-confidence and guidance instilled in a young Denzel Washington by the Club, where he was told by his mentor that "luck is where opportunity meets preparation."
Check out Be Great
NEW WORK: DIR. SHAWN KIM'S CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS VIDEO GAME PROMO
Check out the promo from director Shawn Kim for the new Call of Duty: Black Ops video game.
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MIDNIGHT CLUB TRILOGY RECEIVES WRITE UP IN D&AD
D&AD, which "represents the global creative, design and advertising communities and celebrates brilliance in commercial creativity" has published a story about director Saman Keshavarz's Midnight Club trilogy.
Begin watching part 1 of the trilogy here < Hide News Article
NEW AUDI SPOT FROM DIRECTOR SHAWN KIM
Director Shawn Kim's new spot for the Audi R8 will make you want to go for a ride.
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SHOT: WEIGHTWATCHERS
Directors Riess|Hill have just finished shooting spots for the new WeightWatchers Online campaign.
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DIRECTOR LORENZO FONDA'S LATEST ANIMATED WORK
General Wesley Clark transforms into a video game character in "Be Brave", the new animated spot released Oct. 13 for Boys & Girls Club from director Lorenzo Fonda, which charts the general's progress through various stages of the 'game of life.'
Wesley Clark attended the Boys & Girls Club while growing up in Arkansas in the 1950s. There he met two mentors, his swim coach and the Club director, who had a profound impact on his life. Wesley still attributes much of his success to the motivation he received and the lessons he learned at the Club.
SHOT: SIEMENS WATER
Husband and wife doco spot duo Riess|Hill just shot their latest in a series of spots for Siemens- Siemens Water.
RIESS|HILL TO SHOOT SIEMENS WEB DOCOS
Directing team Riess|Hill are slated to shoot two web documentary spots for global electronics and engineering powerhouse Siemens.
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NEW NIKE SPOT FROM DIRECTOR LORENZO FONDA
Director Lorenzo Fonda takes poster graffiti to a whole new level with his latest Nike spot, "Run Unleashed."
The spot was shot in Italy and first aired this week.
Check out the posting on Motionographer.com.
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DIRECTOR IAIN MACKENZIE SHOOTS EPIC ROUND OF SPOTS FOR CAMPBELL'S
Director Iain Mackenzie is shooting an epic round of Campbell's spots. The 13 soup spots are set to air in September.
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