Limey's Nick Jones Shoots Walmart
LIMEY Director Nick Jones recently shot a new campaign for Walmart in the U.S., via ad agency Global Hue. The London-based Director -- well-known for his recent Agent Provocateur Film Chase, which has received over a million views on YouTube, as well as new European work for Ariel (Tide in the U.S.) via Saatchi London and P&G -- has been working steadily in the U.S. and internationally this year.
“It was great working with Nick. Funny guy,” says Cathy Antoniello, Producer for Global Hue.
“For this Walmart commercial, we did a big casting of about 80 people to get the four roles just right,” says LIMEY Director Nick Jones. “It was lovely working with the agency; they were full of bright ideas. It was a little challenging shooting the two spots in one day, in a store that was still open for business. But I like working fast and light, so it wasnt a problem. We did lots of different scripted dialogue and endings, and also improvised a bit too, so the agency had a whole host of different ways to play the scripts in the cutting room. But I suppose the biggest challenge was getting the dialogue, action and humor across in just 15 very tight seconds.”
“The Walmart campaign was one of those very fast projects: booked one week, shot the following week all in Chicago,” says LIMEY Owner/Executive Producer Andrew Denyer. “We really enjoyed working with Global Hue and their client; its our second project collaborating with the agency and client. Nick was a great, if not perfect choice, as his talent and experience is in casting. He can easily take a script that has been through many corporate levels, and is able to tweak it to get the performances that truly sell the joke and the idea.”
Denyer also notes that Nick’s new work for P&G and Ariel (Tide in the U.S.), via a European production company, is another example of his casting and performance direction. While very well-known and respected in the U.K., Nick has never truly concentrated on the U.S. market, concludes Denyer. Our hope and belief at LIMEY is that he really can become an asset and a go-to Director for U.S. agencies.
“As for the Ariel spots, they were great fun to cast, and shoot,” adds the Director. “The dialogue and performances were mostly improvised on the day, with just a nod to the script that we had. Again, I shot multiple endings and gags and lots of coverage. It’s a global re-launch of the brand, via Saatchi & Saatchi London, which is doing very well in the U.K.”
Currently, Jones is in the midst of shooting two more Ariel spots. He is also directing two 30-second spots for an online betting site for the U.K. called JACKPOTJOY. The new commercials feature a comedic martial arts fight between TV Celebrities, all fighting to get hold of a Red Clown Nose, the well-known icon for the charity, Comic Relief.
Walmart Best Auntie Ever :15
Client: Walmart
Agency: Global Hue
Chief Creative Officer: Vida Cornelius
Associate Creative Director: Tony Ktause
Copywriter: Tiffany Joseph
Agency Producers: Cathy Antoniello, Rebecca Landeros
Production Company: LIMEY
Director: Nick Jones
Executive Producer/Producer: Andrew Denyer
Director of Photography: Robert Chappell
Editorial Company: The Whitehouse/Chicago
