Veteran commercials producer David Mitchell named managing director of RSA
Jules Daly, president of RSA Films since 2001, has struck up an independent producing deal with sister company Scott Free Productions under her own banner, Big Red Films. With Daly’s move, long-time commercials producer David Mitchell has been named managing director of RSA.
“We are very grateful to Jules for the 28 years of dedication and guidance she has given RSA,” said Ridley Scott, RSA’s co-founder. “The formidable skill set she brought to RSA will serve her well as she starts this next chapter as a film producer at Big Red. RSA will be under the direction of David Mitchell. David has produced many projects with Tony Scott and Jake Scott over the years, and has developed excellent industry relationships. He has a great instinct for the future of the company and the transformation of branded content. I’m very much looking forward to working with him as he leads the next phase of RSA.”
Daly stated, “It’s been amazing to have been part of RSA for so many years, and to work across so many different facets of advertising and entertainment with some of the most outstanding talent in the world. I couldn’t be more excited to focus on making films, something I’ve always been passionate about, and to continue working alongside Scott Free.”
For Daly, the move to Big Red Films marks a return to making movies, where she has enjoyed success previously producing such critically acclaimed hits as The Grey (Liam Neeson) and Oscar-nominated western, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, Sam Shepard). Daly started at RSA producing commercials in 1990 for Ridley and Tony Scott, and has served as the company’s president since 2001. She has been an industry leader and advocate throughout her career, recently serving on the Cannes Entertainment Lions and Brand Film Festival juries, and as chairperson of the AICP Awards and judge for AICP’s Diversity Program.
Mitchell has spent the majority of his career producing high-profile commercials for RSA, including much of Jake Scott’s award-winning work. Highlights include Johnnie Walker’s “The Gentleman’s Wager” films with Jude Law, Budweiser’s Super Bowl favorite “Lost Puppy,” experiential juggernaut HBO “Voyeur,” and Emmy Award-winning Nike’s “Awake.” He has also produced for Jordan Scott, Michael Mann, Terence Neale, Samuel Bayer, Chris Cunningham and both Ridley and Tony Scott, including Tony Scott’s iconic “Beat The Devil” for BMW Films featuring Clive Owen, Gary Oldman and James Brown.
An “Unstoppable” Premiere At The Toronto Film Festival
A few hours before the film about his life, "Unstoppable," was to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Anthony Robles, sitting alongside the actor who plays him, Jharrel Jerome, was remembering the moment he won the NCAA wrestling national title.
He had done something that was, by any measure, extraordinary. Robles was born without his right leg. Through grit and determination, Robles had risen to be the best 125-pound wrestler in the country. But the last thing on his mind at that moment was Hollywood.
"I was sitting there showering off after the match," Robles says. "I was excited and then I was like, 'I gotta find a job. I gotta start getting my resume together.' I never got into any of this for the attention."
"Unstoppable," which premiered Friday night in Toronto, was one of the most-anticipated premieres of the festival partly because of outside drama. The film is produced by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon and co-stars Jennifer Lopez as Robles' mom, Judy. But if all the talk going in was about who would turn up between Affleck and Lopez (Lopez did), the talk after the movie belonged to Robles and Jerome.
The film, directed by the Oscar-winning editor William Goldenberg ("Argo," "Heat") and which Amazon MGM will release in December, is in many ways a conventional sports drama, with an uplifting message and terrific supporting performances from Lopez, Don Cheadle, Michael Peña and Bobby Cannavale. But it also, rather than building toward one big challenge, takes a more naturalistic path. Robles, as played by Jerome, doesn't face a hurdle or two. He faces continual adversity, at home and on the mat.
"That's honestly how I felt going through my life," says Robles, who redshirted as a freshman at Arizona State... Read More