James McTeigue, director of movies (V for Vendetta, The Raven), streaming series (Netflix’s Messiah, Sense8), video-game cinematics (The Matrix Awakens: An Unreal Engine 5 Experience), and commercials (Samsung, Powerade, Deutsche Bank), has joined Schofield’s Flowers–the creative production outfit under the aegis of founder/chief content officer Steve “Scof” Schofield–for exclusive U.S. spot representation.
Among McTeigue’s commercial work is an ad for Guild Wars 2, a long-running free-to-play, massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed by ArenaNet and published by NCSoft. McTeigue has collaborated with high profile actors such as (Oscar winners and/or nominees) Michelle Yeoh, Natalie Portman, Brendan Gleeson and Angela Bassett, as well as Gabrielle Union and Keanu Reeves, to name a few. McTeigue also has proved himself equally adept at character dialogue/performance and SFX/VFX of any size and scope.
“I did a lot of car work before I started blowing them up,” mused McTeigue, referring to his evolution as a spotmaker and long-form director. “The landscape has changed, with short form narrative becoming more prominent in branded. I always approach projects from character and narrative, whether it’s a film franchise or a cell phone spot.”
McTeigue had previously been repped by Saville and prior to that Right Brain Media. The latter shop was owned by Stuart Wilson, now EP at Schofield’s Flowers. “I have always admired Stu’s passion for producing commercials that push the form,” said McTeigue. “I think together we can bring my unique skill set to the table, which is steeped in performance-driven VFX/SFX work with elements of action.” Whether shooting with celebrity actors or narrative actors who bring a sense of authenticity, the director added, “My combination of performance with cutting edge technical expertise (as displayed in the many films I have directed and produced), naturally egresses itself into commercial work.”
Wilson related, “The sizzle reel we have for James takes you on a journey with dialogue and imagery, offering a taste of his range, from vivid, real-life explorations like Messiah and Sense8, to his big budget work with the Wachowskis, and smaller but very commercially successful films like Breaking In.”
Wilson also noted McTeigue’s casting diversity, pointing out that as a global director with a wealth of recent off-shore experience, “James has shot on every continent in the past few years, including 30 cities around the world, casting projects in Reykjavik, Seoul, Nairobi, Mexico City, Berlin, London, Tel Aviv, Amman, and more.”
McTeigue made his directorial debut in 2006 with V for Vendetta, which went on to become a cultural touchstone and number one at the box office. He followed this with Ninja Assassin (2009), which foreshadowed many of the character-driven, martial arts films of the zeitgeist. His other films include The Raven (2012) and Survivor (2015). More recently, he produced The Matrix Ressurections (2021) and directed the commercially successful crime drama Breaking In (2018), starring Gabrielle Union. McTeigue has also enjoyed a prolific run of series at Netflix with not only Sense8 and Messiah but also Marco Polo. McTeigue has more than 30 film credits to his name spanning the Wachowskis’ Matrix quadrilogy (including serving as 1st assistant director on The Matrix Revolutions and The Matrix Reloaded) and George Lucas’s Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones (1st AD).
Schofield’s Flowers is known for turning out varied content including immersive visual and experiential branded experiences, as well as traditional high-end broadcast work.
The Many Hires Jeremiah Wassom As Group Creative Director
Independent agency The Many has added Jeremiah Wassom as group creative director.
Wassom most recently worked a decade at Deutsch LA where, as SVP/creative director, he led the Taco Bell account and won new business for the agency. His agency past also includes AKQA and TBWAChiatDay. His creative work has touched the QSR, video games, automotive, fashion, and culture brand sectors. He also served eight years with the United States Marine Corps.
“Throughout his career, Jeremiah has helmed work that has not only made me personally jealous but has consistently pushed brands to show up in memorable and innovative ways,” said Josh Paialii, head of creative at The Many. “One look at his body of work and you will see his passion for storytelling and craft has raised the bar for entire categories, driving participation with many brands’ most loyal fans. Beyond being a world-class creative director and maker, Wassom is a proven team player and strategic thought leader. He’ll be a great addition to the leadership team at The Many working across all accounts. His role will be immediately felt as he guides and supports each of the creative leads in the department.”
A 20-year creative with agency, brand, and freelance experience, Wassom has forged a creative approach which focuses on crafting engaging connections rather than simply make ads. He sees the need for advertising to mean more, not simply do more.
The Many believes that true business growth is made possible by harnessing the power of participation and partners with brands to forge deeper connections with consumers, cultivate trust and loyalty, and maximize marketing spend and execution. The agency is built around a flexible model that offers a suite of capabilities, including... Read More