"Shadow Dancer"

Marsh is critically acclaimed for his stunning work on documentaries such as “Man on Wire” and “Project Nim”, which premiered at Sundance 2011 in the World Documentary competition and won the directing award. “I’ve been collaborating with James Marsh for 14 years, and I take real joy in the honest dialogue we have because we know each other so well,” said Godfrey, who edited both films. “James is very hands on in the edit and it’s an active, intellectual collaboration as well as a purely filmmaking one.”

Godfrey, who joined Union in 2009, has vast experience editing documentary and narrative features, including Marsh’s highly praised films: “Wisconsin Death Trip” (RTS Award Best Arts Documentary 2000); “The King” (Selection Un Certain Regard Cannes Film Festival 2005); the film adaptation of David Peace’s novel ‘1980’ as “Red Riding 1980”; and “Man on Wire” (winner of 26 awards worldwide, including the Oscar for Best Documentary, a BAFTA for Best British Film, the Independent Spirit Award, and more).

In addition to her work with Marsh, Godfrey has amassed an impressive portfolio filled with collaborations with Spike Lee, Errol Morris, Tony Kaye, and Mike Figgis, as well as high-profile work for a variety of clients such as Nike, Levi’s, Mercedes, and Pillsbury.

Most recently, Godfrey edited the feature-length contemporary thriller “Page Eight” (BBC2/HeyDay Films) for director Sir David Hare, which was released in 2011. She also partnered with Marsh on the critical hit Project Nim, which has been nominated for a Director’s Guild Award as well as shortlisted for the 2012 Academy Award for Feature Documentary.

“Shadow Dancer” was shot by Marsh in Ireland in May 2011 and edited by Godfrey in Copenhagen and London from May to November 2011.

Created via Deutsch Los Angeles, the spot struck comedy gold this year, winning a slew of awards since its Superbowl premier in February, including a Gold Lion at the Cannes International Festival of Creativity, two AICE awards (“Best Automotive” and “Best of Los Angeles”), and five AICP awards: Advertising Excellence/Single Commercial; Direction (Lance Acord/Park Pictures); Production (Deustch LA); Editorial (Jim Haygood/Union); and Next Viral/Web Film.

The commercial combines a favorite advertising theme with a beloved pop culture theme (children and Star Wars) to create a spot that is as charming as it is effective. It features a little boy dressed in a Darth Vader costume trying to Jedi mind-trick the family dog along with a variety of inanimate household objects. He is unsuccessful until his father arrives home in his Volkswagen Passat and turns the car on from the house with the remote starter just in time to validate his son’s efforts.

The spot’s success with the public was instantaneous after its Feb 6 debut. 45 million YouTube hits and over $100 million in earned media later, the commercial is still going strong. “The Force,” along with Kia “Share Some Soul” (via David&Goliath) – also edited by Haygood – are both currently on the short-list for TBS’ Funniest Commercials of 2011 viewer contest, where fans can vote for their favorites at VeryFunnyAds.com. The winner will be announced on TBS December 14. For a complete list of press clippings, click here.

Click here to view the embedded video.

“After the success of Man On Wire, I felt that the bar was set very high,” said Godfrey, “so it’s rewarding to feel that we managed to make another film to which people have responded so well. I’m thrilled that Project Nim has been shortlisted for an Academy Award.”

“Project Nim” (Roadside Attractions) is the 1970s-era story of a chimpanzee who was the focus of a landmark experiment dedicated to proving that an ape could learn to communicate with language if raised and nurtured like a human child. A story that is at once engaging, entertaining, and unsettling, “Project Nim” reveals as much about human nature as it does that of primates.

“I’ve been collaborating with James Marsh for 14 years, and I take real joy in the honest dialogue we have because we know each other so well,” said Godfrey of the collaborative process. “James is very hands on in the edit and it’s an active, intellectual collaboration as well as a purely filmmaking one.”

AMPAS branch members will select five nominees of the current fifteen, to be announced January 24 at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater. The Academy Award will be presented at the Oscar ceremony February 26 at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood.

For more on the film, visit: http://www.project-nim.com/

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Client: Mazda
Title: Prison Break
First Air Date: October 13, 2011

Agency: The Garage/Team Mazda
Chief Creative Officer: Harvey Marco
Creative Director, Copywriter: Sandra Luciano
Creative Director, Copywriter: Napper Tandy
Creative Director, Art Director: Dino Spadaveccia
Producer: Dominique Anzano

Production Company: Independent Media, Inc./LA
Director: Janusz Kaminski
Executive Producer: Susanne Preissler
Head of Production: Marc Siegel
Line Producer: Denise Rocchietti

Editorial Company: Union/LA
Editor: Jim Haygood
Assistant: Dylan Firshein
Producer: Lynne Mannino
EP: Megan Dahlman

Telecine:  CO3/LA
Colorist: Stefan Sonnenfeld

Online: resolution la
Online editor: Evan Guidera

Audio Mix: Eleven

Kia “Share Some Soul” (David&Goliath) opens on robots battling it out in a post-apocalyptic world. What better way to diffuse the situation than hamsters dancing it up to LMFAO? The cool rodents ride up in their Kia Soul and bring the party with them, turning this war scene into a good time. Leaving the robots doing backflips and breakdancing, the hamsters drive away in their lime green Kia Soul, happy with their job well done. The commercial quickly shot to #1 in October on the Viral Video Chart, and it’s now a strong contender on the TBS list.

Haygood has already racked up numerous awards for his work on the ever popular and elegantly simple spot for Volkswagen. “The Force” (Deutsch LA) is about a mini Darth Vader who has a little trouble accessing the power to move objects around the house. There’s a cute scene where the family dog is unmoved by his attempts. When his dad gets home in the Volkswagen Passat, the kid runs right past dad to try his magic on the car. This time dad turns on the engine with the key fob from inside the kitchen. The payoff is obviously the kid’s utter surprise, which is only obvious through his gestures, and the over-sized Darth Vader helmet he wears only adds to the charm. “The Force” debuted during this year’s Super Bowl broadcast, garnered 43 million+ views on YouTube, and won a Gold Lion at the 2011 Cannes International Festival of Creativity, among other honors.

The winner of Funniest Commercial of 2011 will be decided by the public, who can vote for their favorite at VeryFunnyAds.com. TBS will announce the winner December 14th on TBS.

BMW Canada’s “Hole in the Wall” – produced by Bandito Brothers, directed by Mike “Mouse” McCoy, and edited by Bandito’s Jacob Rosenberg with VFX by partner company Cantina Creative – made the TV/Cinema/Online Film Shortlist in the Sound Design category. The spot was created via Cundari, Toronto.

Jim Haygood of Union has garnered a slew of awards and accolades for VW’s viral sensation “The Force,” and more of his Volkswagen work is being noticed by LIA. In the TV/Cinema/Online Film Shortlist – Visual Effects category is Volkswagen “Black Beetle,” helmed by Dante Ariola and created via Deutsch.

Full credits for both projects appear below.
BMW 1M Launch
“Hole in the Wall”
Credits:
Television, Cinema or Online Film: Online Film
Corporate Name of Client: BMW Canada
Client Account Director: Designer – Johan Idesjö
Agency Account Directors: Daryn Sutherland/Ranjan Gil
Agency: Cundari, Toronto
Chief Creative Officer: Brent Choi
Associate Creative Director: Raul Garcia
Copywriter: Brian Murray
Art Director: Raul Garcia
Agency Producers: Daryn Sutherland/Cherie O’Connor

Production Company: Bandito Brothers, Los Angeles
Director: Mike “Mouse” McCoy
Executive Producer: Jeff Rohrer
Producer: Ryan Slavin
Cinematographer: Vic Huber

Post-Production Company: Bandito Brothers/Cantina Creative, Los Angeles
VFX Supervisors: Sean Cushing/Stephen Lawes
Editor: Jacob Rosenberg

Sound Design Company: Dramatic Audio, Los Angeles
Sound Designer: Jamey Scott

Performer: Greg Tracy
Other Bandito Brothers: Jacob Rosenberg/Lance Holte/Sean Cushing/Stephen Lawes

Volkswagen Beetle
“Black Beetle”
Credits:
Television, Cinema or Online Film: Television
Corporate Name of Client: Volkswagen
Agency: Deutsch
Creative Directors: Mark Peters/Jim Dipiazza
Associate Creative Directors: Paul Oberlin/Matt Sherman
Agency Producer: Marisa Wasser

Production Company: MJZ
Director: Dante Ariola
Executive Producer: Natalie Hill
Producer: Gemma Smith (Post)

Post-Production Company: The Mill, London
Additional Effects By: The Mill
Animation Company: The Mill, London
Animator: The Mill

Editing Facility: Union
Editor: Jim Haygood

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Credits:

Product Name: 2012 Kia Soul
Client: Kia Motors America
First Air Date: August 28, 2011
Campaign Elements: TV, In-Cinema, Digital, Promotion, and Experiential
Spot Title:  “Share Some Soul”

Agency: David&Goliath
Chief Creative Officer: David Angelo
Executive Creative Director: Colin Jeffery
Creative Director: Steve Yee
Senior Copywriters: Greg Buri, JC Abbruzzi
Senior Art Directors: Basil Cowieson, Tim Delger
Executive Producer, Managing Director: Carol Lombard
Executive Producer: Paul Albanese
Producer: Jennifer Mersis

Production Company: Anonymous Content
Director: Mark Romanek
Director of Photography: Jeff Cutter
Executive Producer: Dave Morrison
Line Producer: Suzie Greene Tedesco
Choreographers: Rich+Tone

Editing House: Union Editorial
Editor: Jim Haygood
Executive Producers: Michael Raimondi, Megan Dahlman

Telecine: Company 3
Colorist: Stefan Sonnenfeld

Visual Effects: Method, Los Angeles
Executive Producer:  Gabby Gourrier
Head of Production: Stephanie Gilgar
VFX Producer: Mike Wigart
VFX Supervisor: Nordin Rahhalie

Sound Design: Brian Emrich

Audio Mix:  Eleven
Mixer:  Jeff Payne

Since 2001, California Tourism has mounted a string of hugely successful campaigns working with some of the most notable directors in the industry. The new spot capitalizes on Prince William and Kate Middleton’s visit to California this past weekend. The ad showcases California’s most attractive natural sites and activities, envisioning an action-packed three days for the royal couple. While some sit on a hill looking out on the beach with a cup of coffee, others kayak, bike, camp, fish, raft, swim, surf, golf and hike.

On the shoot, Spooner, Malina, and their crew traveled by bus from Los Angeles to Palm Springs, Morro Bay, Paso Robles, Yosemite, Mammoth, Hearst Castle, Lake Shasta and Mendocino. “We assembled an amazing crew with guys like Mike Ozier, an extreme sports DP known for his beautiful camera work,” Malina explained. “The weather cooperated perfectly and we really did see the state in its beauty.” “It definitely beat the hell out of shooting on a stage,” Spooner confirmed.

“Royal Visit,” which broke July 1, is airing nationally in the US, as well as in Canada, England, Australia and New Zealand.

The project was shot on the Arri Alexa and other HD formats, and transcoded on location. Chop House Post handled all offline editorial, composite shots and conform. During the shoot, the team worked closely with editor Dean Gonzalez, pulling selects and working on the edit. “With a fast turnaround like we had, we did everything to make the process as seamless as possible,” said Chop House partner/artist Stephen Hens. “With our in-house editor, Jaime Arze, on the road for the entire shoot the agency was able to view color corrected dailies each morning. We backed up on multiple hard drives, allowing the gang to pick up in LA with Dean so we could hit the finish line.”

Credits

Client: California Tourism
Spot Title: Royal Visit

Agency: Mering Carson
Creative Director: Dave Mering & Greg Carson
Art Director: Robert Petrie
Copywriter: Kerry Krasts
Agency Producer: Liz Ross

Production Company: Beef Films
Director: Nick Spooner
DP: Great Guns: Michael Ozier
EP(s): Ashley Adams & Michael Yessian
Producer: John Malina

Editorial Company: Peepshow
Editor: Dean Gonzalez

Post/Effects Company: Chop House Edit

Music Company: Yessian
Composer: JJ Appleton & Andy Grush

L to R: Michael Raimondi & Vic Palumbo

June 28, 2011 – Editor Jim Haygood and bicoastal Union had good reason to celebrate Saturday night, as VW “The Force” took home a Gold Lion at the 2011 Cannes International Festival of Creativity. The spot, directed by Lance Acord an created via Deutsch LA, has garnered more than 40,000,000 views on YouTube, and has been receiving awards and accolades since its debut on this year’s Super Bowl broadcast. Haygood won two AICE awards for his work on “The Force,” which also collected five AICP honors. To check out additional coverage of “The Force,” click here.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The spot has built tremendous momentum since its premiere during the Superbowl broadcast in January. The YouTube video now has over 39 million views and “The Force” won CBS’s Clash of the Commercials, taking home the award for the greatest commercial of all time.

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