Spears & Arrows has added commercial director Phil Brown to its roster for exclusive U.S. representation. He joins a company directorial lineup that also includes Arni Thor Jonsson, Ago Panini, John Grammatico, Don Broida and Josh Miller.
Brown, who was most recently repped in the U.S. by production company Humble, is originally from the U.K. He began his professional career as a creative at BBDO, Vancouver, but always aspired to be a director. He achieved that goal in 1997, signing as a director with Toronto-based Radke Films. From there he spent nearly two-years at Partizan followed by over six years at Tate USA. Prior to joining Humble in 2014, Brown was repped in the U.S. through Backyard.
A global talent, Brown continues to maintain production ties to Canada, U.K., Germany, Italy, China and Eastern Europe. Some of his most impressive recent work highlighting his visually arresting, emotionally resonate style has come out of those markets, including his spot for Canada’s Pan Am Games, Ontario’s Metrolinx train service and Germany’s Commerzbank, whose loyalty has yielded over 35 days of shooting with the likes of the men’s German World Cup winning soccer team. Other noteworthy projects include ads for VW, Ford, KIA, Samsung, Coors, IKEA, Wind, Bell, Verizon, Budweiser, Blue Cross Blue Shield and GE.
Brown noted that his decision to join Spears & Arrows was based solely on his respect for company founder/executive producer Jason Wolk.
Wolk shared, “I had the pleasure earlier in my career of working as a line producer for Phil for six years and was always impressed not only by his sheer talent, but also the way he used his agency creative background to both reassure the client and challenge them to make something truly great. His ability to craft these sweeping, epic shots that connect to an emotional story is what makes him so singular. I jumped at the chance to work together again.”
Review: Writer-Directors Scott Beck and Bryan Wood’s “Heretic”
"Heretic" opens with an unusual table setter: Two young missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are discussing condoms and why some are labeled as large even though they're all pretty much a standard size. "What else do we believe because of marketing?" one asks the other.
That line will echo through the movie, a stimulating discussion of religion that emerges from a horror movie wrapper. Despite a second-half slide and feeling unbalanced, this is the rare movie that combines lots of squirting blood and elevated discussion of the ancient Egyptian god Horus.
Our two church members — played fiercely by Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East — are wandering around trying to covert souls when they knock on the door of a sweet-looking cottage. Its owner, Mr. Reed, offers a hearty "Good afternoon!" He welcomes them in, brings them drinks and promises a blueberry pie. He's also interested in learning more about the church. So far, so good.
Mr. Reed is, of course, if you've seen the poster, the baddie and he's played by Hugh Grant, who doesn't go the snarling, dead-eyed Hannibal Lecter route in "Heretic." Grant is the slightly bumbling, bashful and self-mocking character we fell in love with in "Four Weddings and a Funeral," but with a smear of menace. He gradually reveals that he actually knows quite a bit about the Mormon religion — and all religions.
"It's good to be religious," he says jauntily and promises his wife will join them soon, a requirement for the church. Homey touches in his home include a framed "Bless This Mess" needlepoint on a wall, but there are also oddities, like his lights are on a timer and there's metal in the walls and ceilings.
Writer-directors Scott Beck and Bryan Wood — who also... Read More