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Jake Scott’s Filmic Narratives

Jake Scott has garnered a formidable reputation as an exceptionally talented filmmaker of compelling storytelling.

He started his highly successful filmmaking career directing music videos for many famous bands and pop-stars, that include Soundgarden, The Smashing Pumpkins, Blind Melon, Tori Amos, Radiohead, Lilly Allen, No Doubt, Oasis, The Supernaturals, The Verve, R.E.M.,U2, and George Michael.

The featured ‘mini-movies’ by Advertising Agencies; M/H VCCP San Francisco, GTB (Global Team Blue), previously known as Team Detroit, and Anomaly New York, bear ample testimony of Jake’s highly accomplished filmmaking, and directing skills, across a variety of advertising genres.

A previous ACES storytelling menu item, featured Anomaly New York and Jake Scott’s famous, multi award-winning, advertising campaign series, about Budweiser’s beloved Clydesdales that universally received rave viewer acclaim.

1. NCMEC, Runaway Train

Advertising Agency: M/H VCCP, San Francisco, California, USA

NCMEC, The National Centre for Missing & Exploited Children, is a private, non-profit corporation.

Directed by filmmaker Jake Scott, ‘Runaway Train’ is an emotive and powerful public call to action and civic mobilisation.

The film’s resonating message is driven by the soundtrack of American singer-songwriter, Skylar Grey, British singer-songwriter, Jamie N Commons, and American singer-songwriter Gallant’s collaboration in a new rendition of ‘Runaway Train’.

Alternative rock band Soul Asylum’s ‘Runaway Train’, was one of the few hit music videos of the early 90s, to make a social statement about missing children, by featuring 36 identifying vignettes.
2. Ford Edge, Le Fantôme

Advertising Agency: GTB (Global Team Blue), previously known as Team Detroit

Filmed in Croatia, the intriguing scenario of ‘Le Fantôme’ involves a couple under witness protection for exposing a weapons smuggler.

They are unaware however, that in spite of undergoing plastic surgery and acquiring new identities, they have been tracked down by the gangster’s bounty-hunting assassin ‘Le Fantôme’ (The Ghost), played by renowned Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen.

Masterfully directed by filmmaker Jake Scott, the cinematically entertaining send-up of gangster revenge plots, does require some smiling suspension of belief when ‘the ghost’, eyeing a preferred bounty reward, decides instead to protect the couple from another dispatched assassin.

The reward he requires for saving them from fatal harm, is the acquiring of their Ford Edge as bounty, in exchange for two plane tickets to Peru, and his old two-seater motorcycle.

3. Johnnie Walker Blue Label, The Gentleman’s Wager

Advertising Agency: Anomaly, New York, USA

Directed by filmmaker Jake Scott, the cinematic scenario stars Jude Law and Giancarlo Giannini as two friends amusing one another in a gentleman’s wager, simply for the sake of their own friendship.

On a yacht in the British Virgin Islands Jude Law declares that he wishes to acquire Giancarlo’s prized possession of the extremely rare sailing vessel, that was built in 1928 by the renowned Baglietto boat yard in Varazza, Italy, but alas, it’s not for sale.

He has to win the priceless Baglietto masterpiece in a wager that involves a dance routine. Jude consequently embarks on staging a musical in London, and delivers an impressive performance of a jazz score by Smith & Elms titled, “The Madison Time”.

The long-form storytelling, mini-movie, motivated 45 million online views, was shared 120,000 times on social media, and resulted in a 41% increase of Johnnie Walker Blue sales. A remarkable achievement for a premium priced, niche brand.

4. Johnnie Walker Blue Label, The Gentleman’s Wager II

Advertising Agency: Anomaly, New York

Johnnie Walker’s ‘The Gentleman’s Wager’ sequel features Jude Law in a wager that involves a race from Italy to Monaco in Giancarlo Giannini’s classic Delahaye.

The film’s priceless Delahaye 135S vintage racing-car is a Walker heirloom from the 1930s, and to win it Jude has to cross the finish line of Formula 1’s iconic Monaco track by noon the following day.

Directed by filmmaker Jake Scott, the cinematic, long-form storytelling commercial also stars Chinese actress Wei Zhao, and cameo appearances of Formula 1 stars Mika Häkkinen and Jenson Button.

The soundtrack features Belgian musician, songwriter, producer, editor, and television presenter, Plastic Bertrand’s 1978 international hit single, “Ça plane pour moi”.
5. Budweiser, Lighting Up FIFA

Advertising Agency: Anomaly, New York, USA

Filmmaker Jake Scott directed an epic commercial as part of Budweiser’s integrated advertising campaign for FIFA’s 2018 World Cup in Russia. The spectacular scenario featured hundreds of red drones leaving the Budweiser headquarters, in St Louis, USA, each carrying a commemorative red bottle of Budweiser.

After flying across the world, through Rio de Janeiro, Shanghai, London and Lagos, the drones delivered them to their indented destination, the football fans in Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium.

An amusing episode in the commercial appears, when one of the drones had to go back after forgetting to pick up a Budweiser for female fan, and apologises for the delayed delivery with a frivolous wink.

The accompanying soundtrack of “Stop The Rock”, is by the English electric rock band, Apollo 440.