Hasta La Creative!

Even on the bus you can check your Racing Post app and get tips from 200 experts on hand to help you out. In this case they literally show up on the bus with you. And let me tell you, the ticket master is none too pleased about it. He’s definitely confused. However, he does like the flat screen tv’s as they are a nice edition. So you just go on ahead and use your Racing Post app. If someone offered him a pint right now, that would be all right.

Bullitt kicks off a busy new year by expanding its roster with Nicolas Randall, a director and creative director known for the striking production design, distinctive color palettes, and the photographic quality he brings to each frame. Possessing a deep understanding of the creative advertising process, Nicolas works at the intersection of art, music, commerce and culture, for innovative agencies and brands including Land Rover and Roberto Cavalli.

“Nicolas’ work is both stunning and evocative, and has a highly-designed aesthetic that we are excited to add to our roster,” comments EP Luke Ricci. “Additionally, he’s a renaissance man, blending his experience as a creative director on renowned ad campaigns with his storytelling skills as a director, truly a knockout combo.”

“Bullitt is a company that is uniquely positioned to work on multiple levels in media,” Nicolas explains, “and is a place where my experience in directing, creative direction, and photography can be united in branded experiences and content.”

The son of a producer/director of British comedy, Nicolas spent many youthful hours on set captivated by the process. He studied architecture and interior design at London’s Royal College of Art, before applying his design thinking and passion for cinema to production design for film and TV. He then went on to work as an agency art director and creative director, simultaneously cultivating his voice as a director.

Nicholas enjoys exploring the artful ways to entertain and connect and his collaborations with Ok-Go and Beats, among others, weave together brand and band voice. He was part of the team that developed and directed Daft Signz x Vans showcasing LA’s symbolic sign spinners that received a million views in one week.

Originating projects holds a special place for Nicolas who created an entire visual world for Midnight To Monaco (Island/Universal) in an encompassing branding project that culminated in two recent videos, one of which was voted one of the top narrative music videos of 2016 by Promo News. Nicolas is also part of the team behind VANDROID, a multi-entertainment property merging film, music, and a comic book series.

Moscow-based Branding agency Suprematika developed the logo, corporate identity and packaging design for its own brand of beer for a restaurant Grut, located in the south of Moscow.
The restaurant has a pretty cool minimalist interior, using concrete, wood, and metal. Almost all the parts and pieces are made by hand and from “living” materials. So that informed the identity. Suprematika also took their cue from the living artistry found in trees. Don’t know about you but I’d be happy to hang out there. Looks inviting.

Creative director, designer: Vladimir Lifanov
Project manager: Marina Lokteeva

Los Angeles-based production studio Hey Baby continues to grow its collective of world-class directorial talent by adding Josh Soskin to its roster. Most recently, Soskin directed two different commercials for Super Bowl LI, the advertising industry’s biggest day. Previously signed with Station Film, Josh Soskin is renowned for creating emotionally driven narratives across commercials, short documentaries, and features.

Soskin’s rare ability to weave both emotional content and comedy is what drew Hey Baby Executive Producer/Partner Johnny Parker to his work, particularly after seeing his “Aquarium” spot for Match.com, an adorable mini-narrative following a 9-year old boy’s quest to find a romantic partner for his dad. Parker notes, “Josh has a unique creative drive that leads him to work in various capacities – writer, director, photographer, creator. Hey Baby is built upon supporting our directors in all of their endeavors, so I’m excited to be behind Josh as his work continues to evolve.”

Beginning his career in the documentary world, Soskin produced and directed hundreds of short films for CurFor Irent TV, including “Modern Day Pirates,” which earned him national attention, with Vanguard calling it one of “50 documentaries to see before you die.” In 2007, he left Current TV to travel the world, eventually making Spain his home base. There he continued to hone his writing and directing style, moving into the narrative realm with commercials, films, and TV, in addition to being an avid and published photographer.
Soskin says he is inspired to create work that is driven by real stories. “Trying to fit a compelling narrative arc into just 30 or 60 seconds, that challenge is what makes commercial advertising so interesting to me, trying to tell a really great story and connect it to a brand.”

Whether it’s a story that evokes emotion or makes people laugh, Soskin is known for getting to the truth of things as a director. His narrative films connect with audiences with a unique authenticity, both in how they are shot and the performances within. As a former actor, Josh knows how to evoke nuanced performances from the talent he works with.

This penchant for projects that balance heart and comedy has led Soskin to work with top agencies such as Team Detroit, Omelet, Ogilvy, and Grey, creating content for brands as varied as Amazon, Ford, Microsoft, Intel, and Starbucks. His short films have earned him five Vimeo Staff Picks, and garnered several awards on the festival circuit. Last year, Soskin’s now-viral “Shubham” ad for Intel won a Webby Award, was shortlisted by AICP for Best Branded Content, and was selected as a “Top Spot of The Week” by SHOOTonline.

Soskin’s two most recent works premiered during Super Bowl LI. Through Hey Baby, Soskin directed the comedic Amazon campaign “Alexa Moments,” with five out of the 10 spots airing during the big game. He also shot the “Learn to Thrive” commercial for Arizona State University, a 60-second docu-film following an ASU student as he works to bring clean water to parts of the world in dire need, which also aired regionally during the Super Bowl.

Soskin is glad to call Hey Baby his new home, saying, “Johnny and I met and instantly became good friends and collaborators. He is just a genuinely good human being. I’m so excited about Hey Baby and how it’s growing. More than just being a director there, I feel like I’m part of building a really special company that’s committed to creating great work.”

This vignette spot shows women around the world being told no at every turn. It ends with the thought that none of us are equal until all of us our equal. And while it is a powerful thought, some of the vignettes highlight something else other than poverty and in some cases veer into the unbelievable. While it is easy to believe women in South Sudan are being held as sex slaves, because we know it to be a fact a woman sitting at a conference table in Japan being told no is hardly a reflection of “poverty,” nor is a German mother telling her daughter to wear a pink shirt. And the one scene in which a young kid is forcing himself upon who I assume is his girlfriend– even that isn’t poverty so much as rape. It’s hard to make an overarching blanket statement about the entire world’s approach to equality of the sexes because it necessitates the removal of any sort of nuance that is usually part of the culture. And if you are going to strip away all nuance then the ad had better work, and this ad only half works. Perhaps if they’d brainstormed some better vignettes it would been stronger

Daniel Hope is the latest director talent to join Aardman’s stable of top animation directors. The studio will represent him in the UK, Europe, United States and Canada.

Growing up in near Norwich, Daniel went on to spend many years working in London’s top animation and visual effects houses before moving towards directing. Working as a director in a range of styles and media on shorts, charity films, commercials and idents, Daniel has a passion for visual comedy, character exploration and nugget-sized storytelling. Daniel relishes the opportunity to experiment with new techniques, drawing from a breadth of experience and eclectic sources of inspiration.

“Daniel has a great understanding of story and characters along with a distinctive design style.” says Heather Wright, Executive Producer and Head of Partner Content at Aardman. “This along with his extensive CGI experience makes him a valuable addition to our roster of Directors.”

Currently based in Amsterdam, Daniel has worked with a range of big brands including Nike and Playstation.