Nigel Simpkiss, whose credentials include being lead director on BBC’s Emmy Award®-winning motor vehicle series Top Gear, has signed with BRW Group for commercial representation, meaning he will be handled in the U.S. by BRW USA, and the rest of the world (except North America) by London-based Independent. Simpkiss joins BRW from Streetlight Films which repped him in the U.S. and U.K.
The director’s body of work spans music videos, documentaries and commercials, with such notable credits as the documentary Richard Hammond Meet Evel Knievel, and spots for the likes of Aston Martin, Nokia, Land Rover, Subaru, Polaris and Jaguar.
Born just outside the industrial hub of Birmingham, England, Simpkiss briefly studied social work at the University of Bristol before stumbling upon the Fine Arts Department and discovering his passion for photography. His love for all things cinema brought him to London, where he eventually landed his big break at Channel 4, working as a runner at editorial house Component Editing. He quickly climbed the ranks to become editor, working on many well-regarded documentaries produced by Channel 4. With the resurgence of music videos, Simpkiss soon found himself doing a great deal of freelance editing on such top music videos as Primal Scream’s “Loaded,” eventually segueing into directing music video segments himself. After spending a few years freelance directing music videos and music documentaries, he began filming cars, serving as a director for numerous high-profile car shows.
Hearing through the grapevine that BBC’s Top Gear–which had been dropped by the U.K. network–was being revived and in need of a fresh new take, Simpkiss employed his extensive skills in both automotive and documentary filmmaking, as well as his desire to make the show more cinematic, to land a job as a series director. Through his Top Gear acclaim, where he continues to direct today, Simpkiss was chosen to helm commercials for many of the U.K.’s top automakers.
Though highly experienced in automotive directing, his passion lies in his documentary film roots. Simpkiss said, “I would like to move in the direction of making more documentary-style commercials where people express their passion about what they do.”
Simpkiss recently directed the BAFTA-nominated South America Special documentary, where he led the production through a Bolivian rainforest under the debilitating effects of high altitude and the terrifying sheer drops of the infamous Death Road.
Simpkiss currently resides north of London.
Trump Asks Supreme Court To Delay TikTok Ban
President-elect Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court on Friday to pause the potential TikTok ban from going into effect until his administration can pursue a "political resolution" to the issue.
The request came as TikTok and the Biden administration filed opposing briefs to the court, in which the company argued the court should strike down a law that could ban the platform by Jan. 19 while the government emphasized its position that the statute is needed to eliminate a national security risk.
"President Trump takes no position on the underlying merits of this dispute. Instead, he respectfully requests that the Court consider staying the Act's deadline for divestment of January 19, 2025, while it considers the merits of this case," said Trump's amicus brief, which supported neither party in the case and was written by D. John Sauer, Trump's choice for solicitor general.
The argument submitted to the court is the latest example of Trump inserting himself in national issues before he takes office. The Republican president-elect has already begun negotiating with other countries over his plans to impose tariffs, and he intervened earlier this month in a plan to fund the federal government, calling for a bipartisan plan to be rejected and sending Republicans back to the negotiating table.
He has been holding meetings with foreign leaders and business officials at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida while he assembles his administration, including a meeting last week with TikTok CEO Shou Chew.
Trump has reversed his position on the popular app, having tried to ban it during his first term in office over national security concerns. He joined the TikTok during his 2024 presidential campaign and his team used it to connect with younger... Read More