Click on the image to view Manuel’ s reel

Manuel brings with him a distinctive visual style honed making high-end commercials across Europe, collecting a string of awards along the way. His considerable technical prowess stems from a remarkable range of experience prior to his directing career including a stint as a flame op, work in casting and spells in the production and camera departments.

]]> http://www.hotspurandargyle.co.uk/manuel-werner-2010/feed/ 0 http://www.hotspurandargyle.co.uk/vlog-crazy/ http://www.hotspurandargyle.co.uk/vlog-crazy/#comments Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:30:42 +0000 Argyle http://www.hotspurandargyle.co.uk/?p=342 ..

Hotspur & Argyle CEO Danny Fleet is well known as a genial industry doyen, sage, uber-producer and trophy-winning surfer. But he is also widely recognised in another world altogether. It’s the world of green motoring. A recent glance at the stats for his vlog ‘Danny’s Contentment’ revealed that it gets an average of 20,000 video views each month. And that’s not counting YouTube! Such is his standing in this crucial field of green technology that he is regularly invited to car launches and motor shows the world over to cast his respected eye over new models and concept cars. In fact, he’s just back from Paris where he gave Renault’s Twizy ZE Concept the once over. So if you are pondering a politically correct motoring purchase, you know where to go for the low down.

CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO VIEW GJ’S REEL

GJ Echternkamp studied experimental and narrative film at Bard College and upon graduating immediately began directing music videos for major label bands, including the Mates of State (Polyvinyl) and Giant Drag (Interscope). In 2003 GJ launched bionicfilms.com to showcase a growing and varied body of work that featured music videos and narrative shorts, as well as documentaries and pre-YouTube viral videos. In 2006, FRANK & CINDY, a documentary about GJ’s own dysfunctional family, won the Best Documentary award at Raindance, Seattle, and Calgary film festivals. The film garnered rave reviews from critics, most notably from Ira Glass of “This American Life” fame, who declared, “Every single thing about FRANK & CINDY seems new and fresh and alive. It’s rare to see a documentary that’s so raw and funny and infuriating too.” The Emmy-nominated Showtime series went on to dedicate an entire episode to the making of FRANK & CINDY. The scripted adaptation is now in pre-production at American Zoetrope.

In 2008, GJ produced, wrote, and acted in the controversial film A NECESSARY DEATH, which won the Audience Award at the AFI Film Festival. That same year he also competed in VH1′s reality show “Shoot to Kill”, in which music video directors remake popular videos from the 80′s and 90′s. GJ’s video for “Walk Like an Egyptian” by the Bangles took home the grand prize.

We are very excited to announce the addition of multi-media and animation team Les Freres Moustaches to the burgeoning directors roster at Hotspur & Argyle. Otherwise known as Hugo and Olivier, the duo are already red hot in France where their startlingly fresh ideas and techniques have been harnessed by the likes of Orange, Citroën, Sony PlayStation and Nike. Click the picture above to view their remarkable showreel.

Les Freres Moustache are a truly amazing multi media collective lurking in the depths of Paris. They work with live action, animation, motion graphics and superb graphic design. We are delighted to have them working here with H&A.

Click on the image to view their reel.

And in their own words..
“Back in 1999, two French Parisian moustache met during graphic design course at ESAG/Penninghen. Guided through the channel by the fascinating moving image universe, they decided to grow as traditional English moustache style and in the United Kingdom, they lived for a while. Later, as they came back to their original wild and gallic country, they grew by their own: one in agency and the other as director for some years. But they missed each other, and decided to join their combs: Moustache was born.”

CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO VIEW LES FRERES MOUSTACHE REEL

As lead director of Channel 4‘s Fresh Meat, David C. Kerr set the style and assembled the cast for a show described by The Sun as “brilliant new comedy drama” and by The Guardian as “smart, sympathetic and pretty much adorable from the get-go.”
In December 2011, Fresh Meat was named “Best New Comedy” at the British Comedy Awards – and Fresh Meat’s Jack Whitehall, in his first screen acting role, was nominated for “Best Comedy Actor.”

David himself has been nominated twice for the BAFTA Best Comedy Award. He won the BAFTA in 2007 for Series One of That Mitchell & Webb Look, described by The Guardian as “the best sketch show in a decade,” and by The Hollywood Reporter as “uproarious and cleverly cheeky.”

Click on the image above to view David’s reel.

David has worked with some of the biggest names in British comedy, including Steve Coogan, Matt Lucas, David Walliams, Vic Reeves, Johnny Vegas and Griff Rhys-Jones.
He has also helmed some of Britain’s most talked-about comedy drama: BBC1’s Cutting It, starring Sarah Parish; ITV’s Footballers Wives starring Joan Collins; and Whites, starring Alan Davies for BBC2 / Hulu.

David is currently working with BMB – putting the finishing touches to a series of TV commercials for Laterooms.com.

Later this year, he will be returning to lead direct the eagerly-awaited second series of Fresh Meat.

These likely lads are the stars of our new campaign for McDonald’s ‘Great Taste of America’ promotion directed by Theo Delaney for Leo Burnett. The four commercials feature rising comedy stars Charlie Baker and Spencer Jones, childishly mucking around on an American theme. Watch out for idiotic behaviour inspired by New York, Chicago, Arizona and Miami. The two were so brimming with brilliance that there is an abundance of extra, non-scripted material that may seep out virally. (Yuck). The ads were written by Graham Lakeland and Richard Robinson and produced for Burnetts by Lois Mould. Linsey Romano took charge for Hotspur and Argyle.

Click on the image to view the first two films now running. “New York” & “Chicago”

‘Two Rays’ is Contentment Worldwide’s latest film for The Football Association’s Respect Programme. Written and directed by Theo Delaney the film stars the one and only Ray Winstone as an over-zealous soccer Dad and, umm, another Ray Winstone as his cool alter-ego. Already spreading like wildfire across the web it’s popping up in news programmes and papers the length and breadth of the land. But you can see it right here by clicking on Ray’s boat race.

Click on the image to watch the video.

It’s official, our new ‘Talk to Frank’ campaign for Mother breaks tonight. Having been locked away with a stuffed dog and a load of other incriminating objects for weeks. We’ve created a TV & Cinema 60, 3 web films and 2 virals. Click on the image to view video.

 ’Get in! We’ve only got pick of the week. We’d like to thank our Mums and Dads, our agents, Bev and Simon at The FA, Gary Mabbutt for his exemplary chinese burn etc and so on …..’

The Call from Hotspur and Argyle on Vimeo.

Our short film The Call won several major awards at Boston, Kino film, NPA and many others. It stars Louise Lombard and Joel Trill and was directed by Theo Delaney. Written by John McNally, it boasts photography from Ben Butler, production design by Roger Hall, original music from Water Music’s Peter Lawlor and editing by Final Cut’s Struan Clay. Eagle-eyed productionistas will also spot 2am producer Candice Chubb in a cameo role. Click the image to view – it’s about eleven minutes long.

Martin Aamund’s film career started in making documentaries. He worked on many respected films for stations such as Channel 4 in the UK and Channel Plus in France.

Since then he has moved into commercials where he has established himself as a director of the highest calibre, working all over the World.

Martin has made Worldwide campaigns for clients such as McDonalds,
Nokia and the United Nations.

He has won several awards in festivals such as Cannes, Epica awards, and
New York film advertising awards.

Click on the image to view Theo’s current reel

Theo Delaney is a prolific, award-winning commercials director. He has made ads all over the world earning a reputation for versatility but is best known for his performance and comedy work.

He has won awards at The Cannes International Festival, D&AD, British Television Advertising Awards and Creative Circle among numerous others.

Click on the image to view Theo’s Classics reel.

After spells at Tony Kaye Films, Spots and Tomboy Films he set up Hotspur and Argyle in 2002 with producer Danny Fleet.

A keen sports fan with a particular love of football he also makes sports documentary films and works across a range of new media through Hotspur and Argyle’s sister company Contentment Worldwide.

He also directed the award-winning short film drama The Call.

His Coca Cola campaign for Mother scooped seven diplomas at the 2008 British Television Advertising Awards as well as the year’s Best Viral Award. His Nokia nGage virals for Work Club were nominated at the 2009 D&AD awards and the ‘Two Rays’ viral film he wrote and directed for the Football Association’s Respect Programme won a 2009 Shark Award at the Kinsale Festival.