Playmaker’s Carly Cussen and Raheem Sterling went back to school for hilarious Clarks commercial

Clarks tasked our creative friends over at Playmaker with creating a campaign that would entertain Gen Z kids and their millennial parents…yes writing that also made us feel really old too. Playmaker worked on every aspect of the ‘Back to school” campaign from the entire concept to script-writing, production, and casting.

In doing so Carly and Playmaker have captured the spirit of popular millennial comedy mockumentaries like People Just Do Nothing and The Office (UK) with authentically charming performances from across the board. Raheem goes back to school to showcase some very tough critics with a brand new shoe he designed with Clarks, however his presence does cause some disruption in the school halls…

Carly brings her unique energy and personality to everything behind the camera while Raheem shines in front of the camera with his genuine and playful nature, making a match made in Playmaker heaven. While the cast was made up from real pupils and teachers which only adds to the down to earth documentary style.

Here’s what Carly had to say about the project - ““This project was something special. Clarks are an institution in this country and the challenge here was crafting something that spoke to a new generation of parents with authenticity, wit and freshness. We took a calculated risk casting real schoolkids and real teachers - but the performances were just fabulous. The result is a suite of Social first films with huge entertainment value and a really distinctive flavour for the brand.”

We heard reports that Raheem was on the losing side in the school playground five a side…

Credits

Production Company: Playmaker Films

Production Company Rep: Lemonade Reps

Director: Carly Cussen

Director’s Agent: The Visionaries

Creative Strategist & Writer: Royston Reeves

Producer: Kem Ekundayo

Co- Producer: Ben Mealing

Casting: Anne Stone

Photographer Agency: A&R Creative Agency

Photographer: Hanina Pinnick

Digi & Lights Shoot 1: Sam Court

Digi & Lights Shoot 2: Luke Weller

DOP Shoot 1: Rick Joaquim

DOP Shoot 2: Chris O’Driscoll

CAM OP: Jack Smith

CAM OP: Lou Macnamara

CAM OP: Chris Dodds

CAM OP: Shaka Agina

2nd AC: Rebecca Richards

2nd AC: Alex Agopian

DIT: Cinevation Judy Tett

DIT: Dragan Ajvazovic

Gaffer Shoot 1: Marco Giulio

Gaffer Shoot 2: Jamie Hitchens

Spark: Romaine Foster

Spark: Beau Wilkinson

1st AD: Ben Burton

2nd AD Shoot 1: Charlie Killick

2nd AD Shoot 2: Rosie Owen

3rd AD Shoot 1: Alex Tawney

3rd AD Shoot 2: Eleri Shone

Runner: Brogan Cowie Ferron

Runner: Rosie Meyer

Runner: Flori Watts

Runner Driver: James Campayne

Sound Mixer: Grant Covacic

Sound Mixer: Pasha Shilov

Boom Op: Jack Simpson

Boom Op: Mike Kent

Art Director: Joe Munro

Art Assistant: Callum Rob

Talent Stylist: Rhys Marcus Jay

Talent Groomer: Niedian Biggs

Cast Lead MUA & Hair: Danielle Everitt

Cast HMUA & Hair Assist: Elsie Brown

Cast HMUA & Hair Assist: Dora Balusa

Cast Wardrobe: Alex Teng

Cast Wardrobe: Iveta Veleva

CAST

Head Teacher: Andrew Mayer @ Dot to Dot

PE Teacher: Henry Goldsmith

Class Teacher: Evelyn Craven @ DCH

Class Teacher: Nicola Gossip @ Dot to Dot

Class Teacher: Nichola Manners @ Factor MGMT

Photographer: Abdul Hakim Joy @ Talent Talks

POST

Edit Post House: The Quarry

Editor: Julian Tranquille

1st Assistant Editor: Christina Hill

2nd Assistant Editor: Richard Goodger

Edit House Producer - Dilia Knobel

Grade & Online - The Post Arm

Colourist: Jim Bracher

Post House Producer: Chloe Bruce- Gardyne & Emma Cook

Sound Design: Castelli Sound

VFX Clean Up: Merge Frame FX

BTS: Karan Teli

Jessie Ayles tells the story of inspiring female golf star Lizette Salas for LPGA

The latest work from Jessie Ayles tells the inspiring and intimate story of the female Latin American golf star, Lizette Salas. The film dives into Lizette’s childhood, and how her parents moving to America from Mexico sparked her incredible journey. What began as a father and daughter day at the golf course would transform into a life-long passion that would transform Lizette’s life forever.

Jessie crafts her trademark human storytelling into every frame, capturing the spirit and personality of Lizette and the world of female golf. The film perfectly blends images of Lizette’s childhood with the present creating a sense of nostalgia and a passage of time which has led her to where she is now.

Despite being historically underrepresented, young Latin participation is rapidly growing in the world of golf. Through support of initiatives like LPGA* USGA Girls Golf, reaching nearly 100,000 girls across 500+ communities, Lizette is leading the charge.

Credits

Client: LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association)

Director: Jessie Ayles

Directors Agent: The Visionaries

Production Company: IMG

Executive Producer: Ross Young

Creatives: Emma Nichols, Rufus Pinkerton

Cast: Lizette Salas, Mariah Stackhouse, In Gee Chun

DP: William Rouse

AC: Jeff Vanderpool

Local Production: Unicorns & Unicorns

Post Production: Strangelove Post

Editor: Xander Vander

Colourist: Nic Apostoli

Post Producer: Manual Monteiro

Sound Mix: Timo Saila

Melody Maker shows off the creative power of the Logitech MX Master Series using virtual production filmmaking techniques

Melody Maker returns with two brand new spots for computer manufacturer Logitech utilizing cutting edge Virtual Production techniques to craft a super-stylish and futuristic aesthetic.

The huge LED screens and CG environments have allowed Melody to create something that pops off the screen with dimension altering sets, that not only look incredible but showcase the technology of the Logitech brand.

Creative coder Luyang Zou and music coder Alexandra Cardenas also lend their individual talents to the spots as talented coders, we see them both using Logitech MX to master their flow and conjure up their own creative worlds ... .literally.

Logitech - Luyang Zou Creative Coder

Logitech -Alexandra Cardenas

Melody had this to say about working on the project - “ Using virtual production for the Logitech shoots made for a more seamless and immersive experience which made the whole process far more collaborative in ways previously unimaginable, blending the realms of the tangible and the digital.”

Credits

Director: Melody Maker

Director’s Rep: The Visionaries

DOP: Hunter Daly

1st AC: Rupert Hornstein

2nd AC: Joe Medlock

Gaffer: Ryan Monteith

Spark: Daniel Goodall, Marina Lewin R

Art Director: Miles Roberts

Service Company: Quite Brilliant

Production Company: Vice UK Ltd

Head of Production: Kate Turner

Producer : Claire Gibson

Post Production: Coffee & TV

Post Producer : Ramon Ricard

Production Manager: Steven Charalambous

Editor: James Demetriou

Sound Designer: Clockvice

VFX: Darri Thorsteinsson

AE: Shivam Solanki

Director and creative thinker Henry Dean brings his artistic and playful filmmaking to The Visionaries roster

British filmmaker Henry Dean has a penchant for conjuring up cultural and cinematic worlds in his rich variety of commercial work, short films and documentaries.

His work has a global appeal, after living in Paris and Las Vegas and returning to his native London. He combines emotional vulnerability with outside-the-box concepts — his work exists in its own universe while being grounded in the organic stories he uncovers within the characters and places he studies. He's not one to shy away from big ideas, crafting them into beautifully intricate work with strong narratives and a striking aesthetic.

Henry brings a stylish sensibility to everything he touches, while adding a unique sense of humour to his storytelling, creating a sought after niche for himself in the commercial space. A special talent who brings out the human element in all of his craft, while making the everyday feel spectacular. If you want to stand out, you want Henry on your side.

Henry’s ‘How To Break In’ for iconic footwear brand Dr. Martens encapsulates the director's style of filmmaking perfectly. Delivering a kinetic and vibrant attack on the senses with top-notch camerawork and a charming sense of humour which feels like a meaningful love letter to the universally loved brand, while still taking things in an unexpectedly fresh direction. The commercial will feature in this week's Shots - Unsigned Showcase, which will be out on Thursday.

Here’s what Henry had to say about joining -“I think working with The Visionaries is going to be a match made in heaven for me. Being a part of their dynamic roster of independent creatives is just what I need to harness my fluid and far reaching way of working. I can’t wait to get myself in front of some people who want to make outstanding ideas come to life together.”

Aside from Dr. Martens, Henry’s recent commercial clients include JBL, Paul Smith, Lynx, YouTube and Major League Baseball. He has collaborated with artists such as Mac Miller, Stormzy, Joy Crookes and Mystery Jets, and worked with cultural institutions like V&A East, Comedy Central and the London Lions.

Everyone at The Visionaries can’t wait to share Henry’s future projects with you all.

To see more of Henry’s filmography click here

Claire Norowzian and an all female crew created the hilarious film for The Guardian Labs and Maltesers featuring comedian Jessice Fostekew

Claire Norowzian along with an all female crew created the hilarious new film for The Guardian Labs and Maltesers, a film dedicated to working mothers across the nation who juggle working life with raising children.

At the focal point of the piece is comedian and mother Jessica Fostekew who vents out some truths about the everyday stresses and wonders of balancing work projects with being a mum. From the trillions of shark related facts coming from her child to the never ending school WhatsApp groups notifications screaming at her phone screen it can get a bit much. However this film celebrates the working mum and her incredible ability to adapt and master all situations, sometimes with a little help from the babysitter or a partner and for those champions we salute them with a bag of Maltesers.

Claire had this to say about working on the project - “I loved working with comedian Jessica Fostekew and an all female team to create a funny snapshot of what it's like to be a working mum and our insane juggle. Along with the rest of the sh*t, literally and metaphorically!”

Credits

Talent : Jessica Fostekew

Director: Claire Norowzian

Director’s Agent: The Visionaries

Producer: Millie Law, Holly Newman

DOP: Catherine Derry

2nd Camera Op: Gabi Norland

Focus Puller: Eve Carreño

Sound Recordist: Manon Peregrine-Lewis

Gaffer: Maria Kalecinska

Art Director: Zoë Klinck

Wardrobe: Jenny Svantesson

HMU: Anya McDevitt

Editor: Flaura Atkinson@ Stitch

Colourist: Hannah Squires

Gianna Mazzeo brings her authentic queer perspective to The Visionaries roster

Gianna is an Australian-Italian filmmaker based in Amsterdam known for her genuine and authentic storytelling that celebrates identity and human nature. Dancing with genres such as black comedy and drama, she has built up a body of work ranging from short films, music videos and commercials. Her work often explores her culture, sexuality and the female experience with top-notch filmmaking and brilliant performance at the center of everything.

Over recent years Gianna has developed and grown her commercial reel working with various brands from Xero, Salvation Army and Nike, to name but a few. Brining the same colorful and fierce energy to her commercial work as she does her short films and music videos, with stellar art direction and top-notch direction.

Xero is a prime example of Gianna’s commercial work, impeccable art direction and wonderfully witty humour that glows off the screen.

Gianna had this to say about joining The Visionaries - “I'm super excited to be a part of The Visionaries, I'm in great company. I'm looking forward to creating some fun and fresh visuals from the female, queer perspective. It's like they always say... When life gives you lemons, make a really vibey ad with Lemonade Reps.”

Everyone at The Visionaries can’t wait to share with you more of Gianna’s work.

Taste your happy place with Stefano & Alejandra’s Snickers spots

The latest Snickers commercial from The Visionaries duo Stefano & Alejandra is a Summer escapist dream. In partnership with Scenester Films and The & Partnership agency. The directors have materialized a wonderfully charming little slice of Summer, all for Snickers delicious ice-cream treats, perfect for when you’re sitting at work and find yourself dreaming of that far away beach.

Taste Your Happy Place - Party

Taste Your Happy Place - Work

As per usually Stefano & Alejandra bring their playfully storytelling to the spots utilizing art direction and VFX creating something that feels believable but bombastic. With comedic performances at the center of both spots, you really get the sense of happiness and joy on the characters' faces while they tuck into the ice cream.

While we all melt in the current heatwave I think now would be the perfect opportunity to purchase some Snickers ice-cream but just remember to keep it in the shade or it will turn into a milkshake…although that still sounds delicious.

Credits

Directors: Stefano and Alejandra

Director’s Agent: The Visionaries

Executive Producer: Tim Marshall

Production Company: Scenester Films

Agency: The & Partnership

Agency Producer: Sammi Roberts

Creative Director: James Fernandes

Creatives: Sam Collins & Ivan Stanojevic

Production Service: Mental Films

Service Producer: Duygu Aykol

DOP: Firat Lita Sözbir

Art Director: Talha Almaz

Editor: Sofia Tavares at Blue Room Studio

Post Production: Alumina Studios

Grade: Alex Nerzic

Sound: King Lear

The very shiny new commercial from Claire Norowzian & Platige Image captures the excitement of collecting and trading Pokemon cards

For those of us at a certain age there was nothing more exciting than heading into the school playground or the park to open up a pack of brand new Pokemon cards, praying that there would be a rare shiny hiding in the mix. The ultimate flex to be able to show off a sparkly Charizard and become the envy of all your friends. Claire Norowzian captures that adrenaline rush with her trademark explosive visuals blending live action and VFX that was provided by the talented folks at Platige Image. The team managed to capture the spirit of the Pokemon brand with their blisteringly good visual effects that perfectly encapsulate the personality of the animation show and the art style of the trading cards.

Claire makes a choice to focus on the reactions of the characters' faces, as we see their eyes literally full with electricity at the sight of those shiny wondrous cards. With camera movement and transitions that give the piece a sense of freedom.

Credits

Agency: Kids Industries

Director: Claire Norowzian

Director’s Rep; The Visionaries

Post Production: Platige Image

Post Production Company Rep: Lemonade Reps

CG/VFX Supervisor: Maciej Szewczenko

Grading: Piotr Sasim

Online: Piotr Popielawski

Concept Artist: Adrian Tarasek

3D Animation: Bartek Ruszkiewicz, Mikolaj Mlonek

Compositing Lead: Maciej Prętki

Compositing Artist: Tomasz Januszewicz, Gal Ravid-Tal, Rafał Szyc

Postproducer: Sonia Marcinkowska

Mak Mahmut Akay teamed up with Raheem Sterling for ‘Night Sports’ Samsung spot

Mak recently teamed up with Chelsea and England footballer Raheem Sterling for a series of new Samsung films. The project came together with everyone sharing the same vision, with Mother agency providing the production and post and the creative folks at Samsung and Playmaker Films providing assistance.

Mak turns ‘Nights Sports’ into a dazzling blend of visuals and dance-like movements creating a very pleasing aesthetic while still capturing the Samsung brand.

Mak had this to say- "It was an absolute joy to work with the talented creatives, production and post team at Mother agency to create two films; 'Night Sports' and 'Sterling Sells' for Samsung and Raheem Sterling. The eclectic nature of the films allowed me to flex my creative muscles in different ways as 'Night Sports' focused on the visual sensibilities and 'Sterling Sells' is in the realm of a mockumentary. The experience was made even more fruitful with the lovely people at Samsung and Playmaker. From a personal standpoint and as a football aficionado, it was an immense pleasure to work with Raheem."

Credits

Client: Samsung / Raheem Sterling

Agency: Mother London

Creatives: Paloma Gardiner / Ali Milne James / James Sellick

Producer: Jack Hannon

Director: Mak Mahmut Akay

Director’s Rep: The Visionaries

DoP: Miguel Carmenes

Production Manager: Mavreen Brown

Production Company: Mother Studios

Head of Production: Corrina Kapur

1st AD: Philips Nortey

3rd AD: Denis Nortey

Production Coordinator: Mel Brown

Cam Op: Marcus Albertson

Focus Puller: Catharina Scarpellini

Focus Puller: Tanmoye Khan

2nd AC: Rebecca Richards

Camera Trainee: Carolina Costa

DIT: Dimiter Dimitroff

Sound: George McMillan

Boom Op: Jordan Milliken

Colourist: Andi Chu

Sound Design & Mix: Jane Lo

Motion Graphics: Mila Graf

Gaffer: Conrad Pastucha Russell

Spark: Lex Tully

Spark: Gian-claudio Calipa

Master Rigger: Steven Daley

Rigger: Tony Cadenas

Rigger: Ian Thompson

Production Designer: Fin Sully

Art Director: Phoebe Swiderska

Art Assistant: Charlie Gleeson

Stylist: Jaime Jarvis

Talent Groomer: Lola Maja

Creative / TikTok Creator: Temi Adedoyin

Playmaker Films

Talent Manager: Amro Sinjab

Partnerships Director: James Nelson

Playmaker Creative Director: Carly Cussen

Playmaker Head of Social: Karan Teli

BTS: Alex Livermore-Mars

Partnership Agency: Publicis

Global Business Director: James Venn

Senior Account Executive: Sen Graham

Studio: Malcolm Ryan Studios

The Martians new film for the Young Directors Awards pays tribute to their music teacher

The charmingly wonderful new film ‘Born to Create Drama’ from the Martians celebrates young talent with their trademark brand of heartfelt and genuine comedy. At the heart of the film is the brilliant young violinist, Ana Rita Corderio who breaks away from tradition and gets her horror movie groove on. With flashes of Nosferatu spliced into the mix and some clever transitions the piece floats effortlessly from one great scene to the next but never undermines the central performance.

With the central theme being that of nurturing talent and giving opportunities and creative freedom to young people and allowing them to be able to express themselves without boundaries. The Young Directors Awards is one beacon that allows such things to happen for young creators, even if they’re from the other side of the galaxy.

“Our latest piece of work was created in memory of our former music teacher F. Gordon whose wise words turned us into what we are today.” - The Martians

“If being out of tune killed, you would be intergalactic serial killers”

- F. Gordon

CREDITS

EP: Manuel Santiago & João Rito

Director: Martians

DoP: Tomás Brice

CAST

Violinist: Ana Rita Cordeiro

Teacher: Sara Belo

Sound Engineer: Nuno Mendes

Music Students: Tiago Raposo Martins; Íris Yang; Jade Yang; Clara António; Carolina António

Post Production Sound Services provided by: GAS Music and Sound Design

Music by: Nathan De Giorgi with use of Morning Mood by Amadeo Mariscal Lopez and Edvard Grieg

Production Sound Mixer: Aaron Bentley

Re-Recording Mixer: Aaron Bentley

Music Supervisor: Greg Owens

Post Production company: Push VFX

Post-Production Creative Director: Pedro Motta

Nuke Compositor: Duarte Gandum

Houdini Artist: Fernão Gonçalves

Color Grading Studio: The Yellow Color

Colorist: Marco Amaral

Editor: Fabio Telles

Production company: Push Films

Production Director: Nuno Mendes

Production Coordinator: Fátima Santos Filipe

Production Assistant: Pedro Nuno Rodrigues

Production Assistant: Maria João Dias

Location Scout: Pedro Amaro

1st AD: Bárbara Jordão Rodhner

2nd AD: Carolina Pereira

Steadicam Operator: Manu

Focus Puller: Inês Gonçalo

2nd AC: Miguel Varandas

Video Assist: Alexandre Monteiro

Art Director: Nelso Coelho

Set Dresser: Ana Isabel Sousa

Art Dept. Assistant: Cláudia da Costa

Handyman: Valeriu Cozma

Stylist: Isabel Quadros

Wardrobe Assistant: Catarina Bica

Make-up: Maria Alves Correia

Make-up Assistant: Deborah Bettencourt dos Santos

Gaffer: Sérgio Pontes

Grip: David Valente

Catering: Sweet Cherry Party

Storyboard Artist: Jorge Barros

Cleaning company: Pantherskills (Fernando Neves)

Making-of: WE ARE FRAMES (Júlio Droguetti e Laura Couto)

Ross Bolidai & Earthling’s latest film highlights the groundbreaking work of LUMI

Ross directed a series of films for AMD & HPE via Earthling Films telling the story of LUMI, one of the most powerful and energy efficient supercomputers in existence as well as the world-changing research it enables in everything from climate modeling to early stage cancer detection. As per usual Ross brings a grounded and human approach to his filmmaking, while still creating something epic and globe spanning. 

Ross had this to say - “We were really excited to travel to a remote area of north Finland to tell this story of LUMI, the greenest supercomputer in the world that enables game-changing research in climate modeling and early cancer detection, amongst many other fields.

We wanted this film to feel naturalistic and put a human touch on the tech. We took a scrappy handheld approach, cast real residents of the local city, as well as spending time with engineers and researchers involved with the project. The film shows the full scale of LUMI's impact; from providing the most rudimentary of human needs, warmth, to the residents of Kajaani, to the groundbreaking research projects that it powers, which will literally affect billions of lives.”

Credits:

TBWA\Chiat\Day LA

Creative Director: Gavin Milner

Copywriter: Jeff Barry

Art Director: Laura Dickie

Group Strategy Director: Kirk Vaclavik

Associate Strategy Director: Laurelin Ontai

Brand Lead: Caryn Repaci

Brand Executive: Heidi Wang

EP: Kim-Lara King

Producer: Sophie Borris

Production Co-ordinator: Daysi Centeno

EARTHLING:

Director: Ross Bolidai

EP: Matt Diegan

Producer: Noni Couell

Directors Rep: Corin West, The Visionaries UK

Production Service Finland: Jukka Valtanen, Katariina Holma @ Woodpecker Film

Production Service USA: Nicole Rodrigues

DOP: Adam Singodia

Editor: Tim Beeston

Grade: Vlad Barin @ CHEAT

Music: SHINDIG

Sound Design & Mix: Rob Szeliga & John Cohen

Samsung Galaxy is on a mission to spotlight incredible people in overlooked places arming themselves with technology to change the world

The new episode introduces the world to Chief Uruma Kambeba, taking us inside his efforts to protect the Amazon. 

Samsung has unveiled a new episode of ‘Voices of Galaxy’, that explores how village chief Uruma Kambeba and his 12-year-old daughter Taíssa are using mobile technology to protect their land, community and way of life deep in the Amazon rainforest. The film is the latest in Samsung’s Voices of Galaxy series, which spotlights real people on the edge of the modern world taking the world’s biggest issues into their own hands.

The lushly-told three-minute film addresses a threat facing an indigenous community living deep inside the most impenetrable rainforest in the world: deforestation. Featuring the front-line protectors striving to save ‘the lungs of the world’ from the violent activity, the film follows Chief Uruma Kambeba and daughter Taíssa as they confront its physical and existential impacts. The father-daughter duo speaks to the longstanding spirit of the forest and their right to protect the Amazon, a vital source of livelihood and culture for indigenous communities and a crucial component of the planet’s ecological health. 

As village chief, Uruma tells us of the huge responsibility he feels to protect the entire Amazon nation, and the 30 million people that call it home – recounting a nightmarish moment he thought his village was lost. He demonstrates how his community is mobilizing to protect the forest by repurposing Galaxy smartphones to defend their land – safely - against what are often dangerously armed invaders. Armed with Galaxy technology, they can stand against deforestation more efficiently by clearly capturing signs of logging and trespassing from a safe distance, sending them to authorities straight from the scene without risking their lives, and connecting with other groups to scale the action. Showcasing the challenge in the most authentic way, the film is voiced over by Uruma and Taíssa and features moments of everyday life, including how Taíssa uses her phone as a tool to educate others in her region about the rainforest’s plight. The film shows us how Uruma is equipping the next generation – his children – to continue his efforts ending with a defiant promise: “I’ll never give up”.

Samsung’s illuminating storytelling series offers a powerful glimpse into a community that doesn’t need pity, but instead deserves attention on a global scale.

Says Carlos Perez, Executive Creative Director at Ogilvy: “Our mission with Voices of Galaxy was fiercely bottom-up from the start: to elevate the stories of those groups who have repurposed Galaxy technology entirely independently in order to mobilize, organize and stand for their cause. In meeting Uruma and Taíssa, we wanted to help tell their story and do their mission justice. As the film shows, Uruma and Taíssa speak for themselves in their actions. We are extremely proud and privileged to share and amplify their voices as part of the on-going effort to protect the Amazon.”

Credits

Client: Samsung 

Agency: Ogilvy New York 

ECD: Carlos Perez

Creatives: Amanda Kim and Alice McCarthy 

Agency Producer: Regan Wallace 

Director: Adu Lalouschek 

Director’s Rep: The Visionaries 

Production Company: Scenester Films 

Executive Producer: Tim Marshall 

Service Production: Utopia Films 

Service Producer: Daniel Araújo 

DOP: Nicholas Bluff 

B-Cam / Drone Op: Renato Passarelli 

Edit team: James Crossland-Mills, Andrea Moro, Filippo Mira 

Post-Production: Rascal Post 

Colourist: James Bamford

Music: Simon Goff at Leland Music 

Sound: Alexander Wells

Adu Lalouscheck directs for whatsapp Crossing Cultures documentary series

Adu’s latest work was the first episode of Crossing Cultures, a new docu-series from whatsapp.  The series explores how diaspora communities around the world create a sense of home and connection to their culture. In this episode Adu directed we visit the vibrant Nigerian community in Peckham.

Adu had this to say about working on the project - “As a filmmaker with a passion for storytelling, directing two episodes for WhatsApp's docu-series Crossing Cultures was a natural fit for my experience in format-driven content. As a Londoner, it was also a great opportunity to celebrate local stories and put my lens back on my hometown.”

Adu brings his authentic brand of filmmaking to the project, capturing the lives of the people in front of camera in a natural and compelling way. 

Credits

Director: Adu Lalouschek

DoP: John Fisher

Director's Rep: The Visionaries

Production: Elf TV

Producer: Erinn Fitzgerald

PM: Ross Campbell 

Agency: MediaMonks US

Executive Producer: Matt Webb

Creative Director: Baroosh Qasim

Sr Copywriter: David Liebermann

Associate Account Director: Wilmarie Velez Santiago

Sr Content Producer: Sam Jennings

Stills: Timi Akindele-Ajani  

Camera Operator: Harold Williams

Movi Operator: Ken Schijf

1st AC: Olly Fawcett

2nd AC: Caleb Johnston

Gaffer: Jeff Celis

Sound Recordist: Marc Wojtanowksi

Sound Asst: Chi Limpiroj

Makeup Artist: Jennifer Johnson

Location Manager: Angus Ledgerwood

PA: Dennis Abwakat  

Runners: Rowan James-brown, Tyson Douglas, Sonny Greaney 

Emotive filmmaker Mak Mahmut Akay brings his authentic storytelling to The Visionaries roster

Mak is a London-born film director drawn to authentic stories told within an idiosyncratic framework. He has a keen eye for capturing the nuances of the human experience, through entertaining and emotive films.

His short documentary ‘We’re Here’ was awarded a Vimeo Staff Pick, featured on Kodak and garnered a 5-star rating from David Reviews. Mak has directed films for Vogue, his most recent features Claes Bang (the lead in the Oscar nominated film ‘TheSquare’).

We’re Here

Here’s what Maks had to say about joining The Visionaries - “It is an absolute pleasure to be joining The Visionaries’ eclectic roster full of directors with unique voices. It’s been a dreamlike start from the get-go and I look forward to this exciting journey with one of the most coveted and inspiring agents out there.”

Mak’s short films have received high profile press coverage from magazines such as The Hollywood Reporter, The A.V Club and Screen Rant while being broadcast on Channel 4’s All4 after getting acquired by DUST.

As well as making films for clients such as David Beckham, eBay and LOCOG, he has won awards at BAFTA and Oscar-qualifying festivals and also Best Advert at the CES International Las Vegas, which was presented by Titanic and Avatar producer Jon Landau.

At The Visionaries we can’t wait to share more of Mak’s stellar work with you.

Never stop imagining with the latest Samsung commercial from Christian Bevilacqua

Samsung “Semiconductor” is the latest work from Christian  Bevilacqua and the message of the film is to never stop imagining no matter what anyone else tells you. With inspiring imagery mixed with a combination of live action and AI technology to craft something cohesive and captivating…..please beware this film features spiders, sorry to any arachnophobes in advance. 

Here’s what Christian had to say about working on the project - “It was nice to try and use some AI to create some of the art work and some of the animations. It really came about from my experiments earlier in 2022. It really was a nice way to create extremely beautiful artwork but also bring it to life with a sense of animation. It was a nice touch to throw into this project...so we gave it a try in the edit and it seemed to work nicely, so it stayed.

I can’t speak highly enough of Wikus Muller, my production designer and the DP Joe Cook.

That was really the silver bullet that helped pull it together, when we have a vision and everyone pulls it together in an extremely short space of time... (for a project like this we should have had one more week in production I feel) but these guys (and everyone on the team) really cracked through the workload and made a wonderful piece of film.”

Credits

Client: Samsung 

Agency: Cheil Korea

Production Co: CYLNDR London

Director: Christian Bevilacqua

Director’s Rep: The Visionaries

Exec Producer: Greta Wynn Davies

Producer: Frank Hanrahan

Production Manager: Miranda Bucknell-Whalley 

South African Service Co: Moonlighting Films

Exec Line Producer: Shayne Brookstein

Line Producer: Jerome Williams

Local Production Manager: Raine Grunau

Local Production Assistant: Rory Bonnes

Director of Photography: Joe Cook 

Production Designer: Wikus Muller

Stylist: Kaley Meyer

1st Assistant Director: Gabriel Williams

Editor: James Rosen @ Final Cut 

Offline Producer: Frankie Elster @ Final Cut

Colourist: Steffan Perry @ Company 3

Colour Producer: Chris Anthony @ Company 3

Post Production Co: CYLNDR London 

Lead Flame: Ozgur Yigit 

3D Artist: Andrew Galloway 

Post Producer: Jack Simpson