This week’s Top Spot is actually a narrative short for mountain bike band YT Industries, marked by feature filmmaking sensibilities which include ambitious storyline, production values and visual effects–as well as a cast which includes acclaimed actor Mads Mikkelsen.
Titled Return of the Goat II–New World Order, the film was directed by Otto Bathurst–known for his feature (Robin Hood, a 2018 release) and TV (Peaky Blinders) exploits–via production house SMUGGLER for agency SHIFT Active Media.
The branded entertainment film–which launches YT’s CAPRA bike–follows three seemingly unconnected but parallel stories of avid mountain bikers, each eerily aware of the ever-present looming of goat-like creatures. The suspenseful and engaging storyline, alongside high-octane action sequences, offers the perfect opportunity to explore the brand’s dynamic ethos and sense of adventure. Otto injects his trademark intentionality through subtle details, to create a visceral–yet nuanced–viewing experience.
CreditsClient YT Industries Andreas John, Markus Flossmann, Otto Bathurst, Toby Leslie, writers. Agency SHIFT Active Media Matt Doman, executive creative director; James Dando, Tom Bowes, producers. Production Company SMUGGLER Otto Bathurst, director/executive producer; Otto Bathurst, Patrick Milling-Smith, Brian Carmody, Fergus Brown, Sara Wallace, Toby Leslie, exec producers; Claire Jones, producer; Luca Chapman, production manager; Jallo Faber, DP; Theo Park, casting director, Luca Chapman, production manager; Miha Knific, production designer; Andrew Hulme, editor; Kurosh Shabany, edit assistant. Production Services, Slovenia Division Film Rok Bukovec, exec producer/line producer; Urska Vardijan, production manager; Kangjing Ziu, head of production. Stunts Marko Knafelc, Dean Forster, stunt coordinators. Locations Polona Kumelj, Matic Kosorok. Audio Martin Jelovsek, head of sound. Special Effects Joze Zalar, head of SFX. Postproduction Absolute James Coore, VFX supervisor; Sean Donaldson, storyboard artist; Ran Manolov, Pedro de la Puente, concept artist; Matt Turner, colorist. Ameen Abbas, Craig Healy, Ahmed Ghazy, CFX artists; James Coore, Guliz Demiray, Sersha Lawrence, Ameen Abbas, Craig Healy, Ollie Grant, Matt Lowery, Dan Baiton, Matt Burn, CG artists; Scott Simmonds, 2D lead; Carl Godwin-Alvarez, Gustavo Ribiero, Lucas Warren, Chris Tobin, Chris Chitty, Katie Rhodes, 2D artists; William Smith, Lawrence Scanlon, graphics; Danny Duke, exec producer; Dale Amanda Heron, Matt Supersad, producers. Sound Design Wave Studios Jack Sedgwick, supervising sound editor & re-recording mixer; Jack Patterson, assistant sound editor; Rebecca Boswell, executive sound producer.
NHS England, M&C Saatchi UK, Director Tom Tagholm Team On PSA Highlighting The Overlooked Signs Of A Stroke
National Health Service (NHS) England has unveiled a multichannel campaign, “Act FAST,” to raise awareness of the individual signs of a stroke and get people to call 999 as soon as they suspect they may be experiencing any one symptom. The push, which is part of the ongoing “Help Us, Help You” campaign, was developed in partnership with M&C Saatchi UK.
The campaign depicts everyday situations where everything might seem relatively normal, but where there’s the sign of someone experiencing a stroke.
A key component of the campaign is this :30--directed by Tom Tagholm of Various Films--which sets up the idea that initially, a stroke might not seem like much, highlighting key symptoms: from struggling to use a paint roller, to not being able to smile when watching TV, to slurring your speech when reading a story to your grandchild. The PSA emphasizes that time is critical, ending with the line: “Face or arm or speech, at the first sign, it’s time to call 999.”
Jo Bacon, Group CEO, M&C Saatchi UK, said, “We want to ensure people take action on the first symptom, rather than waiting for more conclusive signs. To help them understand that even when everything seems normal, something serious might be happening.”
Matt Lee, executive creative director, M&C Saatchi UK, commented: “This is important work. We wanted to explore that precise moment when your world shifts, quietly yet powerfully, off its axis during a stroke. We highlight how a tiny external moment can actually be seismic—an extraordinary gear change, framed in a really ordinary way.”
Director Tagholm shared, “My Dad suffered a stroke a few years ago and was saved from the worst by acting quickly, and by the work of the NHS. So there’s... Read More