Director DP Damien Toogood has signed to Accomplice Media, and stepped straight into working with DDB San Francisco.
Creative Director Sam Brown is a new fan. “Damien’s visual style and quirkiness, when it came to casting, were exactly what we were looking for,” Brown says. “Utilizing his skills in cinematography, in addition to his directing talent, made our collaboration a smooth and exciting process. He’s also a very funny guy!”
Toogood has directed spots for Dodge, Samsung, Ford, Nescafe and Hyundai among others. His work has been recognized in awards from Cannes to One Show, D&AD and others as well as garnering millions of views online.
“Damien is a storyteller. He’s a funny guy and his work lands very naturally in the comedy and performance world,” observes Accomplice Media executive producer Jeff Snyder. “He also has a lot of range and interests. You see it in projects like UNOS that have touches of humor but tend toward the heart-warming. He is brimming with ideas and energy.”
As well as being a director and cinematographer, Toogood has worked with both agencies and clients on ideation and scripts. Among his recent efforts is a spot for the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). Produced in conjunction with Publicis, New York, the spot has generated more than 45 million unpaid views. His Guilt Trips spot for the Australian rail company V/Line was part of a broader campaign out of McCann’s, Melbourne, that won a Cannes Festival of Creativity Grand Prix for Creative Effectiveness.
“Script and cast, that’s all that matters,” says Toogood. “Comedy is binary and elusive. It’s either funny or it’s not, which is why I have a strong vision and love working closely with the team as the spot evolves in pre-production.”
Toogood says that he was impressed with Snyder’s commitment to his directors and assessment of the current advertising market. “He loves the craft, and he’s a producer I can bounce ideas off. I love that. What drives him is making good work, and with his experience, he makes it happen.” he says.
For more information about Accomplice Media, visit http://www.accomplice-media.com/
