David Reviews
 "You're not an artist, Peggy. You solve problems." Don Draper.
Latest Work
    • 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.
    • An important takeaway.Chat shows as we know them have quickly become a thing of the past, but ITV stalwarts Ant and Dec are keeping things ticking over.
    • Virus Crisis Podcast: Steve Davies and Toby TomkinsAs we enter a new week of the virus crisis, we get the lowdown from the APA's Steve Davies and Cheat's Toby Tomkins.
    • Mum's the word.Such unprecedented times make this Not On The High Street commercial all the more affecting.
    • Last call.This emotionally charged short film evokes ‘Bronson’ and ‘Starred Up’ in its depiction of solitary confinement.
    • Going for GoldOlympic sponsors Bridgestone take an unusual approach with this introspective film starring Taekwondo silver medalist Lutalo Muhammad.
    • Virus Crisis Podcast: James Sindle and Sorcha ShepherdIn the second of our virus crisis podcasts, we hear from James Sindle of ETC and Sorcha Shepherd of Caviar.
    • Pundersons Gardens: a view from the bunker.DAVID speaks with Pundersons Gardens executive producer Thomas Viney.
    • Balls to that.Over two years after his acclaimed ‘Madness’ spot for McDonald’s, director Tony Barry returns for another playful jibe at try-hard coffee shops.

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Virus Crisis Podcast: Sascha Darroch-Davies

In our latest so-called 'daily' podcast, we largely shift away from discussing the direct ramifications of the virus crisis and concentrate instead on some developments in the world of audio.

DLMDD co-founder Sascha Darroch-Davies is our interviewee and he tells us about a new initiative, as well as explaining how audio identities are all the rage in screen-less searches.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE...
Honda
"Power On"		 60s
24 March 2020

Gardening gets the action movie treatment in this enticing outing for Honda. The brand focus on their range of mowers and other plant-pruning apparatus, as they encourage gardeners with stamina to get stuck in. Given the current circumstances, there may be a lot of passionate new plant-tacklers joining the fray.

Director Tom Day brings a cinematic sheen to things here, as garage doors are raised, boots are laced, and coffee is consumed in preparation for the latest round of man vs nature. It's a welcome breath of fresh air for the sector, encouraging those with yard work on their mind to get the right equipment for the job.
Ascot
"Be Part of the Drama"		 60s
24 March 2020

Cautiously optimistic racing fans can take heart from this 60” plug for Royal Ascot 2020. Cut in the style of a glossy movie trailer, director Yonatan Weisberg’s film is part high society romance and part ode to one of the most famous race meetings on the planet. How organisers must hope for similar scenes come June 18th.

Like so many other events on the sporting calendar, it’s difficult to imagine Royal Ascot taking place behind closed doors. This may be a heightened (or perhaps knowingly overblown) look at the Berkshire showpiece, but the target market will lap up the pageantry on offer here. Given what's happening in the world right now, a little OTT pomp goes a long way.
ITV
"Apart. But Never Alone."		 60s
24 March 2020

Chat shows as we know them have quickly become a thing of the past - live audiences are in lock down, celebrity guests are self-isolating, and topics are limited to survival in the age of Covid-19 - but ITV stalwarts Ant & Dec are keeping things ticking over. This 60” communication sets out their stall in forthright fashion, as they explain their intention to keep the nation talking.

It's a canny move from ITV, providing content without putting production teams at risk while also offering the public a way to raise spirits during these difficult times. Messages of love filmed from quarantine may not be ideal, but they're far more valuable than famous personalities trying to carry on like nothing's wrong. A new normal is being established in television, and this might be the way forward.

Virus Crisis Podcast: Steve Davies and Toby Tomkins

As we enter a new week of the virus crisis, we get the lowdown from the APA's Steve Davies and Cheat's Toby Tomkins.

If you'd like to participate in one of these podcasts then please get in touch and we'll set up an interview. And it doesn't have to be about the crisis... we could all do with something else to think about, so please feel free to spend twenty minutes telling us all the reasons why your dog is "a good boy".
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE...
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Recent Promos
(1-25 of 25)
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.
Foals
"Neptune"		 10 mins 20s
11 Feb 2020
This slow-burning Foals promo is the most fetching episode of Countryfile we’ve seen for a long time. Shot in and around Kent’s Botany Bay, the ten-minute film sees frontman Yannis Philippakis resemble a younger, moodier John Craven as he delivers a lament for the dead and our impending doom: "Now in the vastness of pines/Where my ghost lies in loose-limbed array."
Recent Promos
(1-25 of 25)
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