“The Thing That Happened,” a documentary short directed and produced by IDENTITY director Andrew Walton, won the Grand Jury Prize for best documentary short at the United Nations Association Film Festival (UNAFF) in Palo Alto, Calif last week and will also have its New York premiere at New York’s Documentary Festival, Nov 2-10. nnThe 20-minute documentary profiles the Hope North Secondary and Vocational School in northern Uganda. Founded by Okello Sam, a victim of Rebel attacks, the school is a refuge for children caught in the crossfire of Uganda’s civil war – those who were orphaned, forced to be child soldiers, or left in abject poverty. The film focuses on the many challenges facing Hope North‘s teachers as they try to help the children overcome their pasts and build a positive future. nnWalton, a commercial director represented by IDENTITY, produced “The Thing That Happened” independently with the help of private donors and fiscal sponsorship from non-profit Arts Engine, who also helped the director finance his first full-length feature documentary, Arctic Son in 2007. The director raised $10,000 to cover travel costs for himself and DP Jeff Stonehouse to spend three weeks filming at the school in Uganda, and collaborated with many other talented individuals and organizations who donated time and resources including Whitehouse Editorial, IDENTITY, Gramercy Post, Adam Horovitz of the Beastie Boys, musician Michael Rohatyn and others. nnnnIn keeping with his trademark realism and humanistic storytelling style, Walton spent the first few days at Hope North getting to know the students and teachers and building up a sense of trust before shooting. Walton and Stonehouse shot with Canon 5D and 7D cameras and used natural lighting throughout to make the experience less invasive for their interview subjects. The film captures not only profound stories of loss and suffering, but also the incredible natural beauty of the region and the hope and optimism of the school’s teachers and students. nn”This school is incredibly remote, it has no electricity, no technology, and around 200 students sharing 4 textbooks. Even if you don’t know anything about the civil war in Uganda or the Lord’s Resistance Army, you watch this film and understand immediately that this is simply a school that needs help. And the goal with this film is to help them out,” explained Walton. nn”I feel incredibly lucky in my job as a director, and this film not only allowed me to experience the creative freedom I don’t usually experience in the advertising world—but also an opportunity to apply my filmmaking skills towards a very great cause, not to mention work with so many amazing people. From cinematographer Jeff Stonehouse, to editor Steve Jess to composers Adam Horovitz and Michael Rohatyn who all generously donated their time and talent to this film,” Walton concluded.nnWalton was introduced to Hope North as a potential film subject by Cause Effect Agency, a media and marketing firm dedicated to promoting good causes; click here for more information about Hope North or to donate money to the school.nnCreditsnnTitle: The Thing That HappenednDirected and Produced by: Andrew WaltonnEdited by: Stephen JessnCinematographer: Jeff StonehousenOriginal Score by: Adam Horovitz & Michael RohatynnColorist: Matt SchwabnRe-Recording Mixer: Joel RaabennEditorial services provided by: The Whitehouse PostnVisual Effects provided by: Carbon VFXnSound facilities provided by: Grammercy PostnnFiscal sponsorship provided by: Arts EnginennMajor Funding provided by: The San Francisco FoundationnAdditional Funding provided by: The W.K. Kellogg Foundation; Chris & Betty Christ; Jim & Lucy Mooney; Jonathan & Salome Walton; Dan & Judy GuynnPresented by: Walton Films in association with Identity MediannAbout IDENTITYnIn a world where sameness is on the rise, IDENTITY wins by imprinting every project with visual sophistication and refreshing individuality. Leveraging a highly-sought after directorial roster, Owner/EP Joe Masi has made his mark on award-winning work for Nintendo, Honda, Budweiser, 7UP, Tommy Hilfiger, Infiniti, and Gucci. IDENTITY fosters and supports an environment where creativity can flourish. Headlining the visual-style genre, IDENTITY‘s directors cover the complete range of storytelling and effects. IDENTITY‘s directorial roster includes: Anthony Atanasio, Javier Blanco, Laurent Chanez, Scott Corbett, Pierluca de Carlo, Sophie Caretta, Mathilde De L’ecotais, Fortune Cookie, Leo Kocking, Robert Leacock and Andrew Walton. www.IDENTITYid.com
Karen Raz Raz PR for IDENTITY 310.450.1482 Contact Karen via email
Creative Trailblazer Javier Campopiano Returns as Executive Jury President For The 2025 NYF Advertising Awards
New York Festivals Advertising Awards is thrilled to announce that Javier Campopiano, Global Chief Creative Officer at McCann Worldgroup and McCann will return as the 2025 Executive Jury President. In January, NYF’s Advertising Awards will kick off a spectacular new season, once again spearheaded by industry innovator Javier Campopiano. He will continue to build on the success of last year’s event by pulling together a carefully curated mix of both creative and brand leaders to ensure that a diverse array of viewpoints and perspectives are brought together. Through thoughtful discussions and expert evaluations, this coveted group will establish the benchmark for creative excellence in 2025. “We’re honored to have Javier Campopiano return to lead the 2025 Executive Jury,” said Scott Rose, President, New York Festivals Advertising Awards. “With his seasoned global perspective and mastery in crafting campaigns that push creative boundaries, Javier’s insight will once again inspire a bold standard of excellence within our jury sessions.” Campopiano has built a reputation as an innovative creative, consistently standing out on the global stage. His achievements have garnered international acclaim, including over 200 Cannes Lions, which feature prestigious accolades such as Titanium Lions and Grand Prix. Additionally, he has received top honors at numerous renowned international competitions. Campopiano said, “Serving as Executive Jury President for New York Festivals is its own reward, and I am honored to be taking on this important role again. Together with an incredible group of accomplished industry peers, we will be looking for creativity rooted in human truths that generate... Read More