The Virgin Atlantic spot “Love Story,” out of Network BBDO, Johannesburg, scored the Grand Prix at the Loeries, South Africa’s main awards show, held in the seaside town of Margate on Oct. 16. The ad features a guy who is seemingly having a whirlwind romance with another man, ultimately resulting in marriage. It turns out the guy is dreaming; he’s asleep on a plane, his head propped on a man, the supposed romantic partner, in the next seat. A voiceover relates that if you wanted to sleep with him, you’d marry him–yet another reason to fly Virgin Atlantic Upper Class which offers roomier, individual sleeping accommodations.
In addition to the Grand Prix, the spot scored a Gold for directing and bronzes for art direction and cinematography. Greg Gray of Velocity, Johannesburg and Cape Town, directed the spot. Philip Ireland served as art director, and Allard de Smidt lensed the ad. (Gray is repped in the U.S. via Velocity@Crossroads, part of the Crossroads family of shops, bicoastal and Chicago.) “Love Story” was first recognized in SHOOT‘s “The Best Work You May Never See” gallery earlier this year (2/25, p. 11).
Three spots won gold honors in the Loeries’ television and cinema commercials/single category. Volkswagen’s “Beat” via Ogilvy & Mather SA, Johannesburg, and directed by Kim Geldenhuys of Egg Films, Cape Town, scored gold; the spot was also given a bronze for directing. (Geldenhuys is repped in the U.S. via Bob Industries, Santa Monica.) Awards show favorite “Grrr” for Honda out of Wieden+Kennedy, London, and animation directors Smith & Foulkes of Nexus Productions, London, won a gold honor in the single category, as well as in the animation category. The SABC Audience Services ad “Education English,” directed by Trevor Clarence of Terraplane, Johannesburg, for TBWA/Hunt/Lascaris, Cape Town, also garnered gold.
Winning a Gold honor in the public service, political and charities/single category was “16th June,” for Amnesty International, out of TBWA/Hunt Lascaris. (The spot featured the work of photographer Rob Frew.)
CRAFT WINNERS
The Sasol spot “Two Villages” won gold for cinematography. Paul Gilpin lensed the spot, which was directed by Lawrence Hamburger of Egg Films for TBWA/Hunt/Lascaris. The spot also copped a silver for directing, and a bronze for editing. Kobus Loots cut the spot.
Winning a Gold honor for art direction was “Art of Conversation” for Cell C out of Network BBDO, and featured the work of illustrators Peet Pienaar, Justin Plunkett, Klans Haapaniemi, Jeremy Holden, and photographer Crispin Plunkett.
Citroen’s “Carbot,” directed by Neill Blomkamp of Spy Films, Toronto, for agency Euro RSCG, London, was awarded a gold honor for animation at the Loeries. Effects and animation were done by The Embassy Visual Effects, Vancouver, B.C., a company Blomkamp is a partner in; the director recently signed with bicoastal RSA USA for stateside representation.Alec Baldwin Urges Judge To Stand By Dismissal Of Involuntary Manslaughter Case In “Rust” Shooting
Alec Baldwin urged a New Mexico judge on Friday to stand by her decision to skuttle his trial and dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against the actor in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of a Western movie.
State District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case against Baldwin halfway through a trial in July based on the withholding of evidence by police and prosecutors from the defense in the 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust."
The charge against Baldwin was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it can't be revived once any appeals of the decision are exhausted.
Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey recently asked the judge to reconsider, arguing that there were insufficient facts and that Baldwin's due process rights had not been violated.
Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer on "Rust," was pointing a gun at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal when it went off, killing her and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has said he pulled back the hammer — but not the trigger — and the revolver fired.
The case-ending evidence was ammunition that was brought into the sheriff's office in March by a man who said it could be related to Hutchins' killing. Prosecutors said they deemed the ammunition unrelated and unimportant, while Baldwin's lawyers alleged that they "buried" it and filed a successful motion to dismiss the case.
In her decision to dismiss the Baldwin case, Marlowe Sommer described "egregious discovery violations constituting misconduct" by law enforcement and prosecutors, as well as false testimony about physical evidence by a witness during the trial.
Defense counsel says that prosecutors tried to establish a link... Read More