Director Rob Devor–whose controversial, critically acclaimed documentary Zoo created a major stir at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival–has just made his spotmaking debut with a campaign produced by bicoastal commercial house Nonfiction Unlimited (formerly Nonfiction Spots) for Florida-headquartered restaurant chain Bonefish Grill out of Cliff Freeman and Partners, New York. Devor is one of the select helmers in this year’s SHOOT New Directors Showcase (see separate story and profiles in this issue).
Headed by executive producer Loretta Jeneski, Nonfiction brought Devor on board its roster following Zoo’s premiere at Sundance and recently procured the Bonefish assignment for him.
After research and securing locations in Grenada, Malta, Iceland and Buenos Aires for the “Taste The Pursuit”-themed Bonefish campaign, Devor shot with his crew over the course of three months, capturing footage for spots and the web in his signature visual, documentary style. The task was to explore the people, the food and the sensuality of exotic cultures and in doing so invite the viewer to see Bonefish Grill in that same light–a place that is exciting to visit, where a good meal and good time go hand in hand. The campaign also depicted the lengths that Bonefish goes to in order to find great seafood, spices and recipes from around the world.
“Visiting a new culture and seeing it for the first time is fantastic,” Devor related. “I wanted to capture the sense of being exposed to a totally new environment for the first time and I think we did.”
The spots are about experiencing something new and include everything from stunning Mediterranean exteriors to locals on the street (or in the lava heated waters of Iceland), impromptu festivals, exciting nightlife, friends sharing meals and local fishermen bringing in the day’s catch from the sea.
Along the way Devor and crew had a few adventures of their own. On a short flight to a remote part of Iceland, one of the windows on the six passenger plane they were aboard blew out at 10,000 feet, concerning the crew that they were going to freeze or the flight would go down. The pilot finally landed with a polite “Sorry about the inconvenience” and the story showed up in the local paper the next day. In Malta, the crew’s arrival was greeted by one of the worst storms the country had seen in 50 years. Throughout it all, Devor and crew kept shooting, resulting in such spots as “Spices/Grenada” and “Recipes/Malta,” with more commercials from more cities on the way.
Besides his documentary exploits, Devor also has experience in narrative features, prime examples being Police Beat and The Woman Chaser, which had both been previously screened at Sundance.
Nonfiction Unlimited specializes in handling noted documentary filmmakers for commercials and new media advertising. The shop’s spot directorial roster consists of Devor, Rob Bindler, Paul Crowder, Steve James, Robby Kenner, Barbara Kopple, Stacy Peralta, Jessica Sanders, Ondi Timoner, Peyton Wilson and Jessica Yu.
Apple and Google Face UK Investigation Into Mobile Browser Dominance
Apple and Google aren't giving consumers a genuine choice of mobile web browsers, a British watchdog said Friday in a report that recommends they face an investigation under new U.K. digital rules taking effect next year.
The Competition and Markets Authority took aim at Apple, saying the iPhone maker's tactics hold back innovation by stopping rivals from giving users new features like faster webpage loading. Apple does this by restricting progressive web apps, which don't need to be downloaded from an app store and aren't subject to app store commissions, the report said.
"This technology is not able to fully take off on iOS devices," the watchdog said in a provisional report on its investigation into mobile browsers that it opened after an initial study concluded that Apple and Google effectively have a chokehold on "mobile ecosystems."
The CMA's report also found that Apple and Google manipulate the choices given to mobile phone users to make their own browsers "the clearest or easiest option."
And it said that the a revenue-sharing deal between the two U.S. Big Tech companies "significantly reduces their financial incentives" to compete in mobile browsers on Apple's iOS operating system for iPhones.
Both companies said they will "engage constructively" with the CMA.
Apple said it disagreed with the findings and said it was concerned that the recommendations would undermine user privacy and security.
Google said the openness of its Android mobile operating system "has helped to expand choice, reduce prices and democratize access to smartphones and apps" and that it's "committed to open platforms that empower consumers."
It's the latest move by regulators on both sides of the Atlantic to crack down on the... Read More