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    FutureDeluxe Establishes U.S. Footprint, Sets Sr. Management Team

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments959 Views
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    Raj Davsi
    NEW YORK & LOS ANGELES --

    FutureDeluxe, a U.K.-based creative studio known for its experimental work for future-facing brands, has invested in the U.S. market with the development of offices in New York and Los Angeles.

    Established by chief creative officer and founder Andrew Jones along with CEO and co-founder James Callahan in 2008, FutureDeluxe has delivered notable campaigns, experiences, brand identities and products for the likes of Adidas, Google, Sonos and Apple. The U.S. expansion marks a significant growth milestone for FutureDeluxe, and amplifies the Forever Group, a network of design, technology and creative companies developed in 2023 that also includes Tendril and Builder’s Club.

    The senior management team leading efforts in the U.S. market includes veterans of the brand’s London studio: Ellis Garrod (managing director, New York), Ant Baena (executive creative director), and Raj Davsi (creative director), in addition to new hire Maria Hanafy (managing director, Los Angeles). Hanafy comes over from Animated Storyboards where she served as managing director. Garrod, Baena, Davsi and Hanafy all will report into Callahan and Jones.

    Combining its signature experimental ethos with a research-driven creative approach, FutureDeluxe’s ambition within the U.S. market is to help elevate brands on a global stage. While the studio has physical bases in New York, Los Angeles, London and Sydney, brands working with the studio will have access to the entire diverse network of artists, directors, designers and creative technologists, globally.  

    FutureDeluxe has additionally partnered with Free Agents for U.S. representation. This strategic partnership will enhance the agency’s ability to connect with key stakeholders and decision-makers across the industry.

    Callahan commented, “Experimentation, iteration, and boundary-free thinking–that’s where the future success of our industry lies. Yet, many of today’s production companies don’t adopt this innovation led approach due to their size or structure. In a market bursting at the seams, it’s more crucial than ever for brands to partner with bold, experimental visionaries who can create unforgettable brand interactions. At FutureDeluxe, we’ve woven a relentless commitment to experimentation, R&D, and innovation into everything we do. I’m incredibly excited to bring our fresh perspective and alternative approach to even more brands across the U.S. market.”

    Category:News
    Tags:Ant BaenaEllis GarrodFutureDeluxeMaria HanafyRaj Davsi



    Does “Hundreds of Beavers” Reflect A New Path Forward In Cinema?

    Monday, November 25, 2024

    Hard as it may be to believe, changing the future of cinema was not on Mike Cheslik's mind when he was making "Hundreds of Beavers." Cheslik was in the Northwoods of Wisconsin with a crew of four, sometimes six, standing in snow and making his friend, Ryland Tews, fall down funny.

    "When we were shooting, I kept thinking: It would be so stupid if this got mythologized," says Cheslik.

    And yet, "Hundreds of Beavers" has accrued the stuff of, if not quite myth, then certainly lo-fi legend. Cheslik's film, made for just $150,000 and self-distributed in theaters, has managed to gnaw its way into a movie culture largely dominated by big-budget sequels.

    "Hundreds of Beavers" is a wordless black-and-white bonanza of slapstick antics about a stranded 19th century applejack salesman (Tews) at war with a bevy of beavers, all of whom are played by actors in mascot costumes.

    No one would call "Hundreds of Beavers" expensive looking, but it's far more inventive than much of what Hollywood produces. With some 1,500 effects shots Cheslik slaved over on his home computer, he crafted something like the human version of Donald Duck's snowball fight, and a low-budget heir to the waning tradition of Buster Keaton and "Naked Gun."

    At a time when independent filmmaking is more challenged than ever, "Hundreds of Beavers" has, maybe, suggested a new path forward, albeit a particularly beaver-festooned path.

    After no major distributor stepped forward, the filmmakers opted to launch the movie themselves, beginning with carnivalesque roadshow screenings. Since opening in January, "Hundreds of Beavers" has played in at least one theater every week of the year, though never more than 33 at once. (Blockbusters typically play in around 4,000 locations.)... Read More

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