Filmmakers Anna Sandilands and Ewan McNicol, whose feature documentary Uncertain made its world premiere last night at the Tribeca Film Festival, have joined RSA for commercials and branded content in the U.S.
The directorial duo, who owns Seattle-based documentary production company Lucid Inc., has been active not only in the feature arena but also shorts and commercials. Via their Lucid shop, Sandilands and McNicol have made TV commercials and communications for clients including Google, Apple, Nike, Nokia, and BlackBerry. The filmmaking team is repped for ad projects in the U.K. by Bold in London.
Uncertain has been well received at Tribeca, screened as part of the festival’s Viewpoints program. The film is a southern gothic tale set on the Texas/Louisiana border in a town called Uncertain, population 94. The town sits on the edge of a vast, swampy lake that is being choked to death by an aquatic weed, upsetting the natural balance and the town’s only source of livelihood. As the town struggles to survive, three men each battle their demons: an ex-convict who becomes obsessed with killing Mr. Ed, a gigantic boar he hunts in order to stay sober; a young, diabetic alcoholic with big ideas but few prospects fighting the cycle of poverty; and an aging fisherman reluctantly letting go of his youthful ways, reflecting on a long life, and making peace with one fateful moment 30 years ago.
Sandilands and McNicol are known for telling real stories with real people. Their short films have screened at festivals around the world including Sundance, Tribeca, the BFI London International Film Festival, and SXSW. Their work has garnered such accolades as a Cannes Silver Lion, BAFTA nomination, Webby for Best Documentary, a One Show honor, and a Royal Television Society award.
Jules Daly, president of RSA, described Sandilands and McNicol as “stand apart filmmakers,” adding that “while their work is documentary, it bridges the gap into the narrative.”
