In U.S. debut, Irish director lenses inspired campaign launching new mobile game Bejeweled Stars.
GEORGE’s Lorcan Finnegan has directed a new campaign for Electronic Arts and Team One that offers a whimsical take on the life-altering power of the new “match-3” game Bejeweled Stars.
In one of four spots, a man finds escape from his wife’s boring television show in a game of Bejeweled Stars. He matches a set of tiles and suddenly everything around him changes. His gauche apartment is transformed into curling arena, lit like a disco dance hall. His wife and dog furiously sweep the ice as he rides a giant curling stone toward a goal. The campaign tagline is “Go to your Shiny Place.”
Conceived by Team One Creative Directors Kathryn McFarlane and Phil Henson, the campaign marks the U.S. debut of the Irish-born Finnegan, who recently joined GEORGE through its alliance with Dublin production company Butter. The young director has built a devoted following among some of the top agencies in Europe for his quirky brand of comedy, unusual casting and imaginative production design.
Finnegan’s environments for the EA Games spots are highly stylized, visually alive and filled with inventive idiosyncratic details. The couple’s apartment, for example, is decorated as a shrine to their dog, boasting Pomeranian-themed pillows, kitschy paintings and figurines. (The dog, “Jif,” featured in the spot, holds the Guinness Book of World Records title as “Fastest Dog on Two Legs” and boasts 2 million followers on Instagram.)
The characters in each of the spots are odd, yet somehow familiar. “I’m always looking for expressive faces; people who can emote without having to do much,” Finnegan says. “I want people who are relatable, who remind you of someone…a cousin or a friend of your sister’s.”
The result is a distinct comic vision that’s warm, charming and imbued with a delicious weirdness. “I love his approach to comedy,” notes GEORGE founder, Executive Producer Beth George. “The feel is unique and it’s very, very funny. Lorcan is detail-oriented, yet sees the big picture always.”
The spots were produced in part in the U.S. and in part in Ireland with a cast of American and British actors. Many of the clever visuals were devised and executed by Finnegan in camera, including each spot’s seamless match cut from the characters’ bland everyday environment to the vibrant “Shiny Place” world inspired by the game.
Noting that Finnegan’s creative interests extend to sketch comedy, photography, animation, motion graphics and feature filmmaking, George says that he is the kind of talent she wanted to introduce to U.S. agencies when she formed GEORGE in 2014. “All of our directors do a variety of types of projects,” she says. “Sophia Banks is a fashion designer, celebrity-stylist, film director and commercial director. Rob Groenwold is an editor, writer and director. Jeffrey DeChausse is also an agency creative, film director and still photographer. Yousef Eldin, newly signed with GEORGE, is both an experienced DP and director of music videos and online content.
We are focused on working with filmmakers who are excited about the potential of the new reality we find ourselves in.”
For more information about GEORGE, call 323.592.3310 or visit www.george-brand.com
Video Credits
Client: Electronic Arts
Agency: Team One.
Kathryn McFarlane and Phil Henson, Creative Directors; Janet Anderson, Associate Director of Business Affairs; David Peake, Director of Business Affairs; Alex Smulian and Jason Whitehead, Copywriters; Ryan Davis, Art Director; Leah Bohl, Senior Producer; Tiffany Otoya, Producer; Julie Michael, President; Steve Bava, Management, Director of Shared Accounts; Chris Graves, Chief Creative Officer; LisaMarie Gaulin, Project Manager; Henry Simonds, Account Supervisor; Sam Walsh, Executive Producer.
Production. GEORGE, Los Angeles.
Lorcan Finnegan, director; Beth George, executive producer; Maeliosa Tiernan Producer.
Edit: TOM.
Bryan Cook, Executive Producer; Bryan Cook and Fred Foquet, Editors; Gina Grosso, Post Producer.
Post: Brewster Parsons.
Darcy Parsons, Executive Producer; Andy Mac, VFX Supervisor; Adolfo Martinelli, Colorist.
Music: “Yes, Yes Yes” by Egyptian Lover
Sound: Juice Studios, Bob Gremore, Sound Mixer.
Contact:GEORGE
Beth George
Executive Producer
Contact Beth via email
T: 323-592-3310
Media:
Linda Rosner
ArtisansPR
310.837.6008
Contact Linda via email
“Ǝvolution” Comes Full Circle At The Chelsea Film Festival
The Chelsea Film Festival, running from October 16th through October 20th, 2024, at Regal Cinemas here in Union Square, is set to host the East Coast premiere of Ǝvolution, a thought-provoking experimental micro-short film that proves big ideas can come in small packages and in perfect circles.
In just 1 minute 16 seconds, this cinematic gem by Award-Winning Director Romina Schwedler, with original music by Argentine Composer Ignacio Montoya Carlotto, explores a cycle as old as time: life leads to progress, progress leads to destruction, and destruction, well, leads back to life. But is this vicious circle unbreakable? Ǝvolution suggests the answer is yes, unless we decide to open our eyes.
Inspired by the overwhelming number of recent events that threaten human existence, Ǝvolution, possibly the shortest film in this 12th edition of the festival, plays out entirely through the symbolism of circles, cleverly illustrating —in the blink of an eye— the repeating patterns of history, and confronting viewers with the uncomfortable truth that our so-called “progress” may, in fact, be guiding us to our own ruin.Premiering at the Regal 14 Union Square, New York City, on October 18, 2024, at 11 a.m., Romina Schwedler's micro-short, featuring Leah Young with cinematography by Alan J. Carmona, will be sure to spark conversations longer than the film itself! Forcing viewers to reconsider the true meaning of evolution, not just as a biological process, but as a reflection of our collective journey as humans.
With a string of festival appearances across the globe, including CineGlobe at CERN (Switzerland/France), Oscar®... Read More