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AGENCIES Which agency has the best ratings when you add 'em all up and average it out?
DIRECTORS And if you do the same thing with directors, who's top of that list?
CREATIVES Are you one of the twenty-five creatives who's won a coveted place on this list?
AGENCY PRODUCERS Or are you one of the most highly regarded agency producers in the UK?
FILM PRODUCERS You may have worked out that there's a bit of a theme developing by now.
BRANDS Mind you, this one's a bit different as it looks at the brands themselves.
FILM PRODUCTION COMPANIES Another company list - is your place of employment one of those on this list? If so, demand a pay rise - you're obviously doing something right.
POST / EDITING / SOUND COMPANIES We've bundled together all the tertiary companies into a single list. There are a few prominent companies on here that don't subscribe to DAVID. The fools.
DIRECTORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY Are you one of the best twenty-five cinematographers working in advertising? You are? Then you should be on this list.
B & Q take a stand against inertia in this compelling animated commercial. Directed by Sam Gainsborough, the film sees a dad paralysed by inaction who finally manages to shake off the accumulated dust of putting things off 'for later'. It's an inspiring sight for those who didn't embrace the home improvement trend during lockdown.
Tactile animation means viewers absorb the grime and muck of jobs unfinished or more importantly un-started, while a storybook format hammers home that an improved environment benefits the whole family. This film is bound to motivate audiences to take baby steps towards sorting out their homes before winter sets in.
Anime takes a risque turn in this entertaining film for Netflix comedy-drama Sex Education. Director Yibu Hu embraces fan fiction at it's finest as an alien finds herself discarded by her society... and seeks salvation in the wasteland in a myriad of different ways.
Crisply drawn animation draws viewers into the sci-fi world on display, while matter-of-fact narration reminds us that we're in a very consciously created narrative. It's a compelling take on fantasy and fan work, and will spark interest from audiences of all stripes.
A synth-driven soundtrack emphasises the film's retro feel, while the sexual content is rendered tastefully enough to remain on the 'show not tell' side of things. Fans of Laurie Nunn's witty series will enjoy the brief foray into content outside of live action.
Dubai's tourism board continue their expensive bid to entice visitors with another glossy film trailer. Oddly disconnected from previous instalment 'A Five Star Mission', Zac Efron and Jessica Alba return to tease another nebulous action movie with non-specific dialogue, sleek action shots, and very little else.
There's also a token attempt at nodding to progressive(ish) values here, as Efron intones "If you make this, you'll be the first woman to ever do it" and Alba confidently replies "Or man." We're meant to applaud the 'empowering' nature of the film at this point... but, in light of the Princess Latifa saga, we can't quite bring ourselves to.
Loop Talent swoop for Tom Turley.
Loop Talent's hefty roster now boasts the intrepid cinematographer Tom Turley.
A nuanced operator across film, television, and advertising, his credits include 'The Art of Political Murder' - a well-received HBO documentary and Turley's feature debut. Expect to see more feature-length work from him soon.
HAMLET have nabbed Alan Masferrer for their roster for representation across Belgium, France, China, the Netherlands and Japan.
The Catalonia-born director is known for his dreamy visual approach, creating enthralling films which draw the viewer into uniquely beautiful worlds. His award-winning music promos, commercials, and short films have delighted audiences all over the world, and he intends to expand his international reach further with HAMLET's help.
B & Q take a stand against inertia in this compelling animated commercial. Directed by Sam Gainsborough, the film sees a dad paralysed by inaction who finally manages to shake off the accumulated dust of putting things off 'for later'. It's an inspiring sight for those who didn't embrace the home improvement trend during lockdown.
Breast cancer awareness charity Coppafeel encourage boob-owners of all stripes to get to know themselves in this delicately shot commercial. Director Jess Kohl captures bodies of all shapes, sizes, and genders with a forensic eye for detail, ensuring that every wrinkle, roll, and fold is presented with loving care.
Toyota mark seventy years of trucking with this sturdy commercial from Saatchi & Saatchi and director Antoine Bardou-Jacquet. Like a racing video game with all stages unlocked, the ad drives through snow storms, dust clouds, stampedes, and - in an emotional nod to current events - wildfires.
The mental health crisis running rampant among healthcare workers is brought into the spotlight by this poignant film. Directing duo Novemba zero in on the toll taken on those treating victims of the Covid-19 pandemic, bringing untold stories of post-traumatic turmoil out of the shadows throughout the film's two-minute runtime.
Childhood imagination meets grown-up ingenuity in this intriguing commercial for Lego. The film presents a seemingly simple problem - how do you get a knight in full plate armour across a lake? - and then tinkers with solutions over the course of 85". From emergency swimming lessons to creative construction, an entire village of mismatched characters comes together to get the job done.
Sergei and Alexsandr gain a coterie of animated counterparts in this amusing effort from Compare the Market. A dastardly panda, mad scientist squirrel, and jewel-thief ostrich are among those featured in the new rogues gallery, as Alexsandr attempts to persuade them to use their financially fishy powers for good instead of evil. It's a tough sell, but the silk-robed meerkat is on the case.
As the Bezos and Zuckerbergs of the world chop the internet into increasingly rigid portions which mine user information for all it's worth, it can feel like merely hopping online means signing your soul away to the devil of late-stage Capitalism. Avast antivirus and VPN providers intend to change that, promising viewers their privacy in this entertaining film.
A game of keepie uppie at an office leaving do quickly turns feral in this amusing ad for Ladbrokes. The energy dials up to eleven from the first mad dive across a table to reach the red balloon - cake flying in the process - and things only get more intense from there. Poor Carol probably just wanted a quiet send-off.
Burt's Bees "For Lips, With Love (Director's Cut)"
50s 17 Sep 2021
Lip treatment brand Burt's Bees present this winsome commercial directed by Emilie Thalund. After so long hidden behind face masks, lips are ready for the limelight once more. Thus, Thalund crams as much kissing, blowing, breathing, and even spitting into 50" as possible...and it's a graceful effort from the Dane.
Comfort-forward underwear brand Sloggi aim to appeal to a Gen-Z audience with this body-positive commercial. Featuring boob-owners who dance, skate, create art, and more, the high-energy ad focuses on the versatility of the brand's heat-activated 'body adapt' bra.
The New York Times celebrates the grit, determination, and ingenuity of journalists in this engrossing film. From amusing camera mishaps in the field to the very real business of reporting on protests and environmental decay, Camille Summers-Valli's film is proof that it takes a certain type of person to relish documenting life from all angles.
With the issue of adult and particularly elderly isolation thrown into stark relief by the COVID-19 pandemic, Sky are attempting to give back with their latest phone scheme. The media giant is pledging to connect with thousands of potentially vulnerable people via its Befriending service, which offers a weekly phone call as a way to facilitate much-needed social contact.
Supermodel and activist Gisele Bündchen and her husband, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, are on a mission in this entertaining commercial for crypto exchange FTX. The high-profile duo are phoning around to find out who's interested in investing, and having presumably exhausted friends and family, they are contacting some of Tom's old adversaries.
Mobile network giffgaff's latest animated outing rises to the challenge of creating an ad which fully embraces deaf and hard of hearing viewers. The brand use an animated incarnation of Aleks, who first approached them with the request for more inclusive communication, which addresses the audience via crisply rendered BSL. For those unable to interpret, there are text-like subtitles to translate.
Casting a celebrity with a dedicated fanbase can often be a boon for a commercial campaign, and this strange outing for Burberry makes the most of Adam Driver's, er, forthright admirers. The Jonathan Glazer-directed piece sees the distinctive-looking actor race a horse across a beach, all but keeping pace with the animal until they both plunge into the depths.
IKEA mark twenty-five years in the Spanish market with 'Trapped in the 90s' - an eight-part reality show that strips twenty-somethings of their mod cons. It may not breach the Geneva Convention, but, as this 40" trail shows, a house without recycling bins, cutlery trays, and linen bed covers may push some to breaking point.
Toolstation return with another creature feature in this amusing instalment of their latest campaign. Once more directed by the formidable Guy Manwaring, the film shows an engineer from the advertised company arriving at a farm to fix an electrified fence. However, it quickly becomes apparent that it's no docile livestock animal they're trying to keep contained...
This spectacular new film for Sony PlayStation centres around a game of chess being contested by two extravagant characters sitting in an ivory tower high above an apparently dystopian city. As they move their pieces around the board, live figures representing chess figurines fight it out in the urban landscape below.
Amazon try to get their audio streaming service on the public's radar with this pacy commercial. Director Owen Trevor explores the nature of storytelling throughout the 40" piece, which sees friends, colleagues, and partners relay their latest audiobook or podcast experience second-hand. As it's how many of us choose our media in an endless sea of choices, harnessing the power of personal recommendation is a canny move.
For many, a silver lining of the pandemic has been a new appreciation of nature. Now there are more bird feeders, bird baths, and nest boxes than you can shake a tail feather at. Yet, as this fetching RSPB film shows, humans have also been a menace to avian society.
There aren't many wordy commercials these days, prompting many of the industry's old lags to bemoan the death of copywriting. The main cause of this, it seems to us, is not a paucity of skill among the graduates emanating from Watford and the other institutions supplying the ad industry with young talent, but the determination to create commercials which can be used in multiple territories.
With the eagerly anticipated James Bond film 'No Time to Die' about to hit the silver screen after being delayed by the pandemic, DAVID can't help feeling that DHL have missed a trick. Surely they could have riffed on the idea of a late delivery, With DHL finally bringing the long-awaited movie to cinemas around the world.
Cadbury target both the heartstrings and sweet teeth whenever possible, like in June's excellent 'Bus' commercial. This ad for Cadbury Fingers is pacier and more nimble in comparison, but also includes some clever emotional beats for good measure. Shot by director Neil Gorringe and DP Jim Jolliffe, the close-up film celebrates busy hands and fingers.
A takeaway owner gets the celebrity client of his dreams in this well-judged ad for Barclaycard. Restaurateur Wasel Ali expresses his pride in treating his guests to the 'Paradise experience' before what seems like a straightforward interview to camera morphs into a slow-motion sequence complete with spangly sitar soundtrack.
Stone skipping - or skimming, depending on your preference - is a dicey art at the best of times, and the bloke in this ad for Fox's mints fantasises about hitting the distance jackpot. Far outstripping the current world record of one-hundred-and-twenty-one metres, the droll film sees this particular stone go on a round-the-world tour... only to return to its point of origin in mere moments. That's some aim.
