This week’s Top Spot is actually a narrative short for mountain bike band YT Industries, marked by feature filmmaking sensibilities which include ambitious storyline, production values and visual effects–as well as a cast which includes acclaimed actor Mads Mikkelsen.
Titled Return of the Goat II–New World Order, the film was directed by Otto Bathurst–known for his feature (Robin Hood, a 2018 release) and TV (Peaky Blinders) exploits–via production house SMUGGLER for agency SHIFT Active Media.
The branded entertainment film–which launches YT’s CAPRA bike–follows three seemingly unconnected but parallel stories of avid mountain bikers, each eerily aware of the ever-present looming of goat-like creatures. The suspenseful and engaging storyline, alongside high-octane action sequences, offers the perfect opportunity to explore the brand’s dynamic ethos and sense of adventure. Otto injects his trademark intentionality through subtle details, to create a visceral–yet nuanced–viewing experience.
Credits
Client YT Industries Andreas John, Markus Flossmann, Otto Bathurst, Toby Leslie, writers. Agency SHIFT Active Media Matt Doman, executive creative director; James Dando, Tom Bowes, producers. Production Company SMUGGLER Otto Bathurst, director/executive producer; Otto Bathurst, Patrick Milling-Smith, Brian Carmody, Fergus Brown, Sara Wallace, Toby Leslie, exec producers; Claire Jones, producer; Luca Chapman, production manager; Jallo Faber, DP; Theo Park, casting director, Luca Chapman, production manager; Miha Knific, production designer; Andrew Hulme, editor; Kurosh Shabany, edit assistant. Production Services, Slovenia Division Film Rok Bukovec, exec producer/line producer; Urska Vardijan, production manager; Kangjing Ziu, head of production. Stunts Marko Knafelc, Dean Forster, stunt coordinators. Locations Polona Kumelj, Matic Kosorok. Audio Martin Jelovsek, head of sound. Special Effects Joze Zalar, head of SFX. Postproduction Absolute James Coore, VFX supervisor; Sean Donaldson, storyboard artist; Ran Manolov, Pedro de la Puente, concept artist; Matt Turner, colorist. Ameen Abbas, Craig Healy, Ahmed Ghazy, CFX artists; James Coore, Guliz Demiray, Sersha Lawrence, Ameen Abbas, Craig Healy, Ollie Grant, Matt Lowery, Dan Baiton, Matt Burn, CG artists; Scott Simmonds, 2D lead; Carl Godwin-Alvarez, Gustavo Ribiero, Lucas Warren, Chris Tobin, Chris Chitty, Katie Rhodes, 2D artists; William Smith, Lawrence Scanlon, graphics; Danny Duke, exec producer; Dale Amanda Heron, Matt Supersad, producers. Sound Design Wave Studios Jack Sedgwick, supervising sound editor & re-recording mixer; Jack Patterson, assistant sound editor; Rebecca Boswell, executive sound producer.
The 2024 Christmas ad from John Lewis department stores has arrived. This year’s much anticipated TV commercial, continuing the Xmas tradition of John Lewis, is the two-minute “The Gifting Hour" created by Saatchi & Saatchi UK and directed by Francois Rousselet via production house Riff Raff.
In the ad, the heroine, Sally, has left it a little late to find the right gift for her sister this year and races into a John Lewis store at closing time. Falling through a rack of dresses, she enters a fantastical world. We first see her stumbling out of the wardrobe in the attic of her childhood home and from here we are taken on a whimsical journey through her memories as she searches for the ultimate present, against the clock.
Returning to the store and back to reality she has found the perfect gift, ready and wrapped. Sally then heads outside and has a special moment with her sister who will be the gift’s recipient. As they walk away we see her sister reflected in the John Lewis window as the child from her memories.
