David Reviews
 "You're not an artist, Peggy. You solve problems." Don Draper.
Latest Work
    • Cuckoo Land ComfortA woman travels into a fantasy realm of comfort in this entertaining outing for Sloggi.
    • The First Clean is The DeepestThis quirky outing for Vanish suggests our carpets are even dirtier than we think.
    • Knives out.This darkly funny short film is a heady blend of murder, northern soul, and sex chat lines.
    • Channel hopper.French immigrant Léa (Alicia Medina) washes dishes in a London cafe and reads Juliet Nicolson in her sparsely furnished flat.
    • Gimme shell-ter.Homebase’s eerily topical ‘Feels Good to be Home’ campaign returns with this 40” creature feature starring Gary the tortoise.
    • Move your feet.While the phrase 'toe jam' may not inspire confidence in viewers, we promise that this quirky commercial from Gala Bingo is a lot more appealing than its title suggests.
    • Team effort.The great British pastime of keepy-uppy takes centre stage in this cheerful film from director Jacques Salmon.
    • Virus Crisis Podcast: Jennifer SheridanDirector Jennifer Sheridan talks about her move to Park Village and some recent non-advertising projects.
    • Julien & Quentin join HAMLETFrench directing duo Julien & Quentin have joined HAMLET for representation in Belgium, the Netherlands, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
    • In the picture: Papaya Rocks Film Festival 2020.Bethnal Green’s Genesis Cinema hosted the second annual Papaya Rocks Film Festival on Thursday 27th February, and there was plenty to keep fans of no-budget cinema entertained.
    • Touching From a DistanceThis stripped-back ad from Channel 4 demonstrates how the commercial industry is adapting to the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.
    • Uncommon enlist Jonas Roth and Rasmus Smith Bech.Danish creative duo Jonas Roth and Rasmus Smith Bech have joined the ranks at Uncommon.
    • Darling Films welcome Daniel Skoglund.New signing Daniel Skoglund brings a “slick visual universe” to the table, according to Darling Films.
    • Virus Crisis Podcast: Sascha Darroch-DaviesWe talk to DLMDD's Sascha Darroch-Davies.
    • Man vs NatureGardening gets the action movie treatment in this enticing outing for Honda.
    • The royal treatment.Cautiously optimistic racing fans can take heart from this 60” plug for Royal Ascot 2020.

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Virus Crisis Podcast: Jennifer Sheridan

In the latest of the 'virus crisis' podcasts, Jason Stone speaks to director Jennifer Sheridan.

Jennifer recently signed with Park Village but the main focus of our conversation was her recent TV and film projects including her debut feature and a series for CBBC called 'The Snow Spider'.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE...
Julien & Quentin join HAMLET

French directing duo Julien & Quentin have joined HAMLET for representation in Belgium, the Netherlands, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

Messieurs Martorell and Garabedian are perhaps best known for their 2019 Puma commercial ‘The Flow’, which demonstrates their ability to wrangle big names and deliver colourful, irreverent visuals.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE...
In the picture: Papaya Rocks Film Festival 2020.

Bethnal Green’s Genesis Cinema hosted the second annual Papaya Rocks Film Festival on Thursday 27th February, and there was plenty to keep fans of no-budget cinema entertained.

A joint effort between organisers Papaya Films and sponsors Twentyfour Seven, Radioaktive Film, Platige Image, and Lemonade Reps, the event featured twenty pieces of work from independent talent, including Best Director winner Wanjiru M Njendu.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE...
The Steph Show
"Staying Indoors"		 20s
25 March 2020

This stripped-back ad from Channel 4 demonstrates how the commercial industry is adapting to the ongoing Covid-19 crisis. With original shoot plans which saw presenter Steph McGovern zipping around cities on boats, bikes, and buses, a radical rethink post-social distancing rules means the final product is a very different affair.

However, this is how the industry needs to move forward if it wants to keep a frustrated and isolated public on-side. Recent outcry over celebrities having ready access to virus tests while others suffer shows that tolerance for 'one rule for the haves and another for the have-nots' is rapidly wearing thin.

By using an extremely minimal crew and making a point to keep an appropriate distance while filming, this campaign appeals to audiences by acknowledging that yes, things are pretty rubbish right now, but we're all in this together. Brands making less genuine gestures of solidarity should take note.

Uncommon enlist Jonas Roth and Rasmus Smith Bech.

Danish creative duo Jonas Roth and Rasmus Smith Bech have joined the ranks at Uncommon.

The pair join after a successful stint at 4Creative, with highlights including Channel 4’s ‘Complaints Welcome’ campaign and a revamp of social media–based reality show The Circle.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE...
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Recent Promos
(1-25 of 25)
Glass Animals
"Your Love (Déjà Vu)"		 3 mins 58s
1 Apr 2020
The heat is on in this Glass Animals promo, which uses thermal imaging to create a vivid, digitised aesthetic. Director James Whitby’s heat source, as it were, is frontman Dave Bayley, who kindly gives his bandmates a rest by playing every instrument. The result is undeniably striking, as livewire Bayley is saturated in pinks, purples, and reds against a constantly shifting backdrop.
Siimba Selassiie
"Lost Souls"		 4 mins 16s
29 Mar 2020
This economical music video pairs Siimba Selassiie’s incendiary lyrics with slow-burning visuals. Like many of his contemporaries, the Ethiopian-American rapper is concerned by gun violence and police brutality. As Selassiie laments the death of another young black male (“He didn’t have to go out like that”), a grim ‘lump sum’ is slowly revealed.
EOB
"Earth"		 5 mins 04s
24 Mar 2020
This short documentary from director Bafic evokes a more idyllic form of self-isolation: recording a studio album. The artist in question is Radiohead guitarist Ed O’Brien, who provides an easy-going insight into the making of debut solo album ‘Earth’. Shot deep in the Welsh countryside, it’s a gratifying blend of wide open spaces and well-furnished recording suites.
Lola Young
"Pick Me Up"		 3 mins 40s
18 Mar 2020
This intriguing promo for Lola Young's latest track 'Pick Me Up' takes a deep dive into the emotional aftermath of a break-up. Combining a muted colour palette with the singer's confrontational performance, it takes a sideways look at the world through unusual shot composition to represent a life turned upside down.
Mild Minds
"Walls (ft. Boats)"		 4 mins 15s
12 Mar 2020
This fragmentary promo for ‘Walls’ by Mild Minds depicts a father and daughter forced to live on the streets through unknown circumstances. Rather than adopt a prosaic or straightforward approach, director Colin Read uses canny scene transitions and a neat day/night cycle to convey the duo’s fraught existence.
Kekra
"Putain de salaire"		 3 mins 15s
12 Mar 2020
This intriguing promo for French-Moroccan rapper Kekra's latest track 'Putain de Salaire' takes a tour through a dystopian future not a million miles from our present. A totalitarian regime which focuses on work may be all too familiar to some, as this depiction draws on the likes of ‘Blade Runner’ and Bong Joon Ho’s ‘Snowpiercer’ in its portrayal of productivity over population.
Elderbrook
"Numb"		 3 mins 51s
6 Mar 2020
There's a palpable sense of isolation in the opening of this intriguing promo for Elderbrook's 'Numb'. Director Aldona Kwiatkowski creates a real feeling of urban alienation as the distinctive protagonist gets ready and goes out after dark, walking alone through streets which are at once brightly lit by neon signs yet utterly devoid of human warmth.
Greentea Peng
"Ghost Town"		 3 mins 36s
6 Mar 2020
London-born Aria Wells aka Greentea Peng is mad as hell about the state of her hometown, and she’s not going to take it anymore. Like the Specials track of the same name, Peng’s ‘Ghost Town’ focuses on urban malaise and an increasingly disaffected population (“London Bridge is fallin’ down/All my mates walkin’ round with frowns”). It is, as one might say, grim down south.
Jelani Blackman
"Swerve"		 2 mins 45s
5 Mar 2020
X marks the spot in this sepia-toned promo for Jelani Blackman’s ‘Swerve’. Claustrophobic and sparsely furnished, director Brock Neal-Roberts’s promo serves to let Blackman's tale of the hustle ("I just eat, work, and then I swerve") dominate. It's also a salient reminder to never literally dig yourself into a hole.
Four Tet
"Baby"		 4 mins 44s
3 Mar 2020
Ellie Goulding provides the vocals on Four Tet's latest single 'Baby', and Joanna Nordahl has directed a soaring promo to match. The near-five-minute film features sweeping shots of natural landscapes and man-made environments alike, transitioning seamlessly from location to location with ceaseless motion.
Khruangbin
"Texas Sun (w/ Leon Bridges)"		 4 mins 44s
2 Mar 2020
This beautifully shot piece of magical realism for Khruangbin and Leon Bridges shows how far people will go to catch some rays. Literally. Driving across a hefty chunk of Texas (specifically Fort Worth to Amarillo), the protagonist takes a scientific approach to sungazing as he tries to capture the perfect souvenir for his loved one.
Mabel
"Boyfriend"		 4 mins
2 Mar 2020
Boyfriends are made to order in this concept-driven promo for Mabel's latest single. The film sees the British singer and her companions choose suitors from a holographic screen, exploring archetypes like 'The Bad Boy' and 'The Party Guy' as they attempt to find Mr Right... or, alternatively, Mr Right Now.
Metronomy
"Whitsand Bay"		 3 mins 58s
28 Feb 2020
This gently surreal promo for Metronomy's latest single 'Whitsand Bay' travels the UK and looks at familiar landscapes from unusual new angles - including a picturesque slice of the Cornish coast. Casting a disco light (salvaged from an Italian club in the Eighties, no less) in the lead role, directors Sam Davis and Tom Andrews play with light and shadow to soothing effect,
Lilla Vargen
"Cold"		 3 mins 09s
27 Feb 2020
Director Lochlainn McKenna aka Locky offers a suitably unnerving yet tasteful depiction of an abusive relationship in this Lilla Vargen promo. Shot in and around a remote cabin, the sense of claustrophobia is tangible as the female lead endures unwanted physical contact and cold-eyed looks from her boyfriend.
Red Moon
"Dogma"		 4 mins 10s
21 Feb 2020
There’s a pleasingly autumnal look to this Red Moon promo, wherein the Norwegian-Swiss artist is joined by a contemporary dance troupe. As dead leaves lie on the ground and muted tones dominate the screen, Red Moon responds with powerful vocals and corporeal lyrics ("Breathe all my flaws and all my strength/I am the secret and the senses").
The Howl & The Hum
"The Only Boy Racer Left on the Island"		 4 mins 33s
24 Feb 2020
A charged portrait of an Australian town and its inhabitants accompanies The Howl & The Hum's latest track, ‘The Only Boy Racer Left on The Island’. Director Matthew Thorne returned to his hometown for the project, and his intimate knowledge of local culture pairs beautifully with DP Adric Watson's considered shots - framing the people and their raw landscape as inextricable from each other.
Oliver Malcolm
"Switched Up"		 2 mins 33s
21 Feb 2020
This edgy promo for Oliver Malcolm's 'Switched Up' sees the powerhouse producer debut as a solo act. Fusing R&B, rap, and electronica, the artist gives an enigmatic performance as he rolls around in the snow, hangs out in a neon-lit truck cab, and rides the track's sleek beats with ease. It's an energetic, intriguing debut for the twenty-year-old, leaving us keen to see what he comes up with next.
Tim Burgess
"Empathy for the Devil"		 4 mins 28s
17 Feb 2020
The Rolling Stones had sympathy for the devil; now former Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess has empathy for the beast. Sure enough, AB/CD/CD’s accompanying promo suggests we give Satanism a chance… or at least ask if he was bullied at school and could really use a friend right now. The devil that greets us, however, is a snarling, thrusting beast with a tongue that seems desperate to break free and run wild
Salvatore Ganacci
"Boycycle (ft. Sébastien Tellier)"		 4 mins 02s
19 Feb 2020
This surreal, sinewy promo for Salvatore Ganacci's 'Boycycle' just gets - as Alice in Wonderland once said - curiouser and curiouser as it goes along. Vidran Rupic’s film combines the story of a found family, a quest for belonging, and, er, fleshy motorcycle men all at once. Think centaurs with wheels and you won't be far off.
Eden
"Love Death Distraction"		 4 mins 51s
18 Feb 2020
This atmospheric promo for Eden's 'Love Death Distraction' takes us out on the open road. The film follows a truck driver as he carts the wreckage of a small aircraft across the wide Kazakh plains, miles of open sky and mountains interspersed only by pit stops, cigarette breaks, and the rhythm of dawn and dusk.
HRVY
"Me Because of You"		 5 mins 33s
18 Feb 2020
HRVY (or Harvey Cantwell, if you’re not into the whole brevity thing) receives a neon-soaked promo for ‘Me Because of You’ courtesy of Matthias Hoene. The result is a familiar but vibrant mix of ‘Blade Runner’ and ‘Power Rangers’, as the one-time CBBC star escapes into a futuristic metropolis through a glowing red MacGuffin.
Declan McKenna
"Beautiful Faces"		 3 mins 42s
18 Feb 2020
There's a touch of David Bowie about Declan McKenna's latest single 'Beautiful Faces', and a colourfully quirky promo only helps cement the association. With director Will Hooper at the helm, the film sees McKenna decked out like a modern-day Freddie Mercury - leading his band in a bedazzled leather jacket as digital glitches begin to suggest this is more than your average live performance.
Courteeners
"Hanging Off Your Cloud"		 5 mins 46s
13 Feb 2020
This cryptic promo for the Courteeners' 'Hanging Off Your Cloud' is based on a short story by British novelist Emma Jane Unsworth. The film follows a woman as she journeys into the depths of her own psyche, exploring her inner world through a shadowy dreamscape before resurfacing with a deeper sense of who she is. A lovely central performance and restrained direction from Joe Connor ensures audiences are enthralled throughout.
Arlo Parks
"Eugene"		 3 mins 44s
13 Feb 2020
Directing duo the Coyle-Larner Brothers make their debut with this stripped-back promo for Arlo Parks' latest single 'Eugene'. The film sees a relationship evolve from the top down, taking a bird's-eye view on a couple's bed as their romance plays out in both laid-back and overt ways. Of course, it's not long before there appears to be trouble in paradise.
Celeste
"Stop This Flame"		 4 mins 50s
13 Feb 2020
British soul artist Celeste takes to the streets of New Orleans for this stylish promo for latest track 'Stop This Flame'. Directed by Leonn Ward, the film evokes the location's place in the storied history of jazz - featuring brass bands, military dance troupes, and shots of the city's iconic and instantly-recognisable architecture.
Recent Promos
(1-25 of 25)
David Reviews - Lovely Lenzie Ltd, Woodbourne House, Seven Sisters, Lenzie, G66 3AW. Telephone: +44 141 776 7766. Editor: Jason Stone.