GSD&M IDEA CITY “UNSCREWS AMERICA” Austin, Tex.-based ad agency GSD&M Idea City has turned out an integrated campaign, “UnScrew America” spanning TV print, online media, viral videos and a website. The genesis for the project came when Leslie Chilcott, a producer of Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth, approached Idea City CEO/cofounder Roy Spence about developing a campaign that would encourage people to make the switch to energy-efficient lighting.
“Not everyone can rush out and buy a hybrid [vehicle], especially if you’re 13 years old,” said Chilcott. Changing a lightbulb is great, but what happens when we all change five? Ridiculously good things.”
In one TV spot, “Dead Serious,” actor Paul Reubens surprises actress Missi Pyle as she is changing her closet light bulb to an energy saving Compact Florescent Lightbulb (CFL). The comedian then surprises her by being uncharacteristically humorless when it comes to the subject of global warming. The commercial then ends with a voiceover saying, “If we all switch to CFLs and LEDs (Light-Emitting Diode), it will have the same effect as taking millions of cars off the road. Learn more at unscrewamerica.org.
“Dead Serious” was one of two TV campaign spots directed by Mark Palansky of Company, Los Angeles. Editor was Scott Philbrook of Fluid, New York.
For Idea City, Jeff Nixon and David Stanton were group creative directors; Mitch Bennett was associate creative director/writer; Wes Whitener, associate creative director/art director; and Paul Golubovich the producer.
MJZ’S DANTE ARIOLA FINDS A CHAIR Director Dante Ariola of MJZ has been named executive chairman of the 2008 Clio Awards’ Technique Jury. Ariola won the DGA Award last year as the best commercial director of 2006.
Ariola joins a roster of ’08 Clio executive jury chairpersons that includes Content & Contact chair Johnny Vulkan, partner in Anomaly, New York; TV/Cinema/Digital chair Tony Granger, chief creative officer, Saatchi & Saatchi, New York; Print, Poster, Innovative and Integrated chair Jeremy Craigen, executive creative director of DDB U.K.; and Interactive chair Matias Palm-Jensen, creative president of Farfar, Stockholm. The Clio Fest is set for May 14-17 in Miami….
PEOPLE IN THE NEWS Deluxe Vancouver Ltd., a division of Deluxe Entertainment Services Group Inc., has appointed Mark Atkinson as VP/general manager. Atkinson will be responsible for the new direction of Deluxe Vancouver, the former postproduction unit of Rainmaker recently acquired by Deluxe. He will segue from his current role as general manager of creative services for Deluxe Digital Studios, to his new position at Deluxe Vancouver effective March 1. Prior to joining Deluxe, Atkinson spent six years at DreamWorks SKG in a senior postproduction capacity. Deluxe has split the former Rainmaker post and effects company into two divisions. Atkinson will direct all motion picture lab, telecine, editorial and media management operations under the Deluxe Vancouver umbrella while Marianne O’Reilly continues to manage the visual effects division as president of the new CIS Vancouver entity. CIS Vancouver and the newly named CIS London, formerly Rainmaker U.K., are part of CIS Visual Effects Group. President of CIS Visual Effects Group is Don Fly who also leads CIS Hollywood….
“Conclave” Tops BAFTA Film Awards With 12 Nominations, One More Than “Emilia Pérez”
Papal thriller “Conclave,” which stars Ralph Fiennes as a cardinal overseeing the election of a new pope, leads the race — just — for the British Academy Film Awards, with nominations in 12 categories, one more than the genre-busting trans musical “Emilia Pérez.”
But with the wildfires in Los Angeles over the past week fresh in the minds of everyone in the movie industry, Wednesday’s announcement of the latest BAFTA nominations was understandably subdued.
“We are very much thinking of our colleagues, friends, community over there,” said BAFTA chair Sara Putt. “It’s devastating what’s going on.”
She wouldn’t be drawn on whether the fires may impact the BAFTA ceremony, which is due to take place on Feb. 16.
“The ceremony is a month away, it would be inappropriate and far too early to say anything about that,” Putt said.
The five films nominated for the prestigious best film award were “Conclave,” “Emilia Pérez,” the 215-minute postwar epic “ The Brutalist,” the Palme d’Or-winning comedy/drama “ Anora “ and the Bob Dylan biopic “ A Complete Unknown.”
“The Brutalist” ended up with nine nominations, including leading actor for Adrien Brody, who faces stiff competition from Fiennes and Timothee Chalamet, who plays the young Dylan in “A Complete Unknown.”
The other actors nominated are Hugh Grant for his creepy role in the horror film “ Heretic,” Colman Domingo in real-life prison drama “ Sing Sing “ and Sebastian Stan for his portrayal of a real estate mogul — a certain Donald Trump — in “ The Apprentice.”
“Anora,” the sci-fi epic “Dune: Part Two” and “Wicked” each received seven nominations. “A Complete Unknown”... Read More