Richard de Aragüés, one of the UK’s most dynamic, young commercial directors, has joined Original for exclusive representation in the United States. After beginning his career as a documentary filmmaker, Aragüés has built an impressive advertising career in Europe centering on automotive, sports and other types of action storytelling. His latest work includes a European campaign for Land Rover documenting a record-breaking crossing of the “Empty Quarter” in the Arabian Peninsula. Other credits include work for BMW, Nikon, Mercedes and Samsung. He is also the director of the acclaimed documentary TT3D: Closer to the Edge, about a motor sport race in the Isle of Wight.
“Richard is a creative and enormously talented storyteller,” says Original executive producer Bruce Mellon. “He’s directed amazing documentary work and the skills he developed in that arena have translated beautifully to advertising. We are thrilled to now represent Richard.”
For his part, Aragüés says that he has been interested in exploring the U.S. ad market and that the alliance with Original “came along at the perfect time.” “I’d like to do more work out of New York and Los Angeles,” he observes, “and Original offered me a great opportunity. I like what they are proposing and the way they plan to present my work to U.S. agencies.”
Aragüés began his career with award-winning documentary film producer Oxford Scientific Films. Going solo in 1999, he focused on the world of high speed motor spot, filming three seasons of Yamaha World Speedbike and Grand Prix teams, and title sequences for the Formula 1 and World Rally championships. He went onto direct a number of documentaries on formula one racing.
While continuing his documentary work, he expanded into commercials, television and live theater, encompassing a wide range of projects and subject matter. Working with a group of South African children, he produced War Child, a charity film about child soldiers, that won a New York Art Directors Club Award. His viral campaign for Samsung, Millimetres Matter, shows tiny cakes and custard pies being fired by catapult at flies and other insects. It won a Silver Award at the London International Advertising Awards.
Many of Aragüés’s biggest successes in advertising have involved cars. In 2012, he was one of four leading British directors asked by BMW to profile British Olympians and tie their stories to BMW's quest for perfection. Aragues’ delivered an insightful and inspiring portrayal of gymnast Louis Smith, the eventual Silver Medalist.
For the Land Rover campaign, Aragüés led a film crew and driving team on a trek across one of the earth’s most formidable environments. “Filming in Saudia Arabia was extremely challenging,” he recalls. “We were 500 kilometers from a gas station and so had to set up midway refueling stops.” The director recorded the action using an incredible array of production gear including 4K GoPro cameras mounted inside the car, a high speed tracking vehicle (a second Range Rover Sport specially modified for the production) and helicopters.
Aragüés made his debut as a documentary feature director in 2011 with TT3D: Closer to the Edge, which follows Guy Martin, Ian Hutchinson and other racers competing in the 2010 Isle of Wight Motorcycle Race, arguably the sport’s toughest. The film was nominated for a British Independent Film Award and is among the most successful British documentaries of the past decade.
Additionally, Aragüés recently directed the popular HBO/ Cinemax series Strikeback. Starring Sullivan Stapleton, the series focuses on a team of special operatives working for a secretive unit of British military intelligence.
About Original
Original is led by executive producers Bruce Mellon and Joe Piccirillo. For more information, call (310) 445-9000, or visit www.originalfilm.com.
