Framestore has added Gareth Smy as creative director to its growing global immersive team. He brings to his new roost more than a decade of experience in the themed entertainment industry.
Prior to joining Framestore, Smy served as sr. creative manager of Location Based Experiences (LBE) at Moonbug Entertainment, where he led global creative development for LBE and themed attractions, working on projects such as Blippi and Cocomelon Family Entertainment Centres. Additionally, Smy worked at Scruffy Dog Creative Group and the LEGO Group. With a degree in architecture from the University of Plymouth, Smy specializes in storytelling and concept development, with a focus on narrative treatments, scriptwriting, storyboarding and design direction.
In his new role, Smy will be focused on leading and developing client relationships for new projects as Framestore expands its footprint in the immersive entertainment and theme park sectors.
Framestore’s global head of Immersive Karl Woolley, commented, “Since its inception, our immersive division has consistently focused on how we extend our clients’ stories and IP beyond the traditional screen, reframing expectations for both IP owners and their guests with creative technology, LBE, and mind-blowing theme park rides. Our exceptional team of artists in all disciplines has meant we’ve realized some incredible projects from the ground up, so it is with great excitement and honor that we welcome Gareth to the team, recognizing this achievement and bringing with him a depth of client-side experience in the LBE and Attractions field.”
On joining Framestore, Smy added, “I’m super excited to be part of the team as a creative director for Immersive. I have always been impressed by Framestore’s innovation and excellence in visual storytelling and how they have been behind some mind-blowing theme park attractions, and some of my all-time favorite movie moments. This role fits my love for creating immersive experiences, and I can’t wait to contribute to Framestore’s pioneering legacy.”
Review: Director-Writer Megan Park’s “My Old Ass”
They say tripping on psychedelic mushrooms triggers hallucinations, anxiety, paranoia and nervousness. In the case of Elliott, an 18-year-old restless Canadian, they prompt a visitor.
"Dude, I'm you," says the guest, as she nonchalantly burns a 'smores on a campfire next to a very high and stunned Elliott. "Well, I'm a 39-year-old you. What's up?"
What's up, indeed: Director-writer Megan Park has crafted a wistful coming-of-age tale using this comedic device for "My Old Ass" and the results are uneven even though she nails the landing.
After the older Elliott proves who she is — they share a particular scar, childhood memories and a smaller left boob — the time-travel advice begins: Be nice to your brothers and mom, and stay away from a guy named Chad.
"Can we hug?" asks the older Elliott. They do. "This is so weird," says the younger Elliott, who then makes things even weirder when she asks for a kiss — to know what it's like kissing yourself. The older Elliott soon puts her number into the younger's phone under the name "My Old Ass." Then they keep in touch, long after the effects of the 'shrooms have gone.
Part of the movie's problem that can't be ignored is that the two Elliotts look nothing alike. Maisy Stella plays the coltish young version and a wry Aubrey Plaza the older. Both turn in fine performances but the visuals are slowly grating.
The arrival of the older Elliott coincides with her younger self counting down the days until she can flee from her small town of 300 in the Muskoka Lakes region to college in Toronto, where "my life is about to start." She's sick of life on a cranberry farm.
Park's scenes and dialogue are unrushed and honest as Elliott takes her older self's advice and tries to repair... Read More