Agency awarded by Creativity as Stand Out Production Company of 2012; directing duo Mark Albiston and Louis Sutherland grabs Grand Prix at Berlin film fest
ASIA-PACIFIC – AUSTRALIA, FEBRUARY 26, 2013 – Ben Dawkins has joined The Sweet Shop for commercial and branded content representation worldwide. His vast experience in photography, print graphics and 3D animation has made him an exciting and in demand director with a wealth of high profile brands to his reel.
After graduating from Bournemouth College of Art and Design, Dawkins worked primarily in the music industry. It was there that he got the opportunity to direct the music promo for electronic artist Bodgan Raczynski, resulting in a number of industry award nominations. After this success, Mother approached him to direct 3 films for Orange.
He has worked with some of the world’s top brands, including Play Station, Adidas, Nike and the Met Police, which saw him pick up two Cannes Lions for his spot ‘Knife City’.
Founding partner/CEO, Paul Prince said: “Ben Dawkins is a special talent. He’s a great storyteller and craftsman, technically brilliant across different film language and technology. I’m very pleased he has chosen The Sweet Shop to manage his international career.”
Executive producer Claire Davidson noted: “With Ben’s vast capabilities and beautiful artistry we can’t be more eager to get to him working with Asian and Middle Eastern agencies. It’s great to be growing our International roster with such powerful talent.”
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The Sweet Shop has also been named by U.S. magazine Creativity as one of the Stand Out Production Companies of 2012, the only company in Australasia to be selected.
It was the stand out work from Steve Ayson, Stuart McDonald and Melanie Bridge that caught Creativity’s eye. Work such as DDB Auckland’s MySKY ‘Father Time’ and their Instant Kiwi campaign, Clemenger BBDO Melbourne’s Carlton Draught ‘Beer Chase’, Fallon Minneapolis’ The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas ‘Let Me Go’ and Clemenger BBDO Wellington’s Dulux ‘Weather’.
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In other news, The Sweet Shop’s directing duo Mark Albiston and Louis Sutherland, collectively known as "Mark & Louis", have picked up a Grand Prix at the Berlin International Film Festival for their feature "Shopping".
"Shopping", the duo’s first feature film is set in 1981 in a world of muscle cars, racial tensions and a thieving bird, all of which inform the small town life of brothers Willie and Solomon. After a chance encounter with charismatic thief Bennie and his close-knit gang of "shoppers", Willie is seduced into a criminal world that allows him to escape mounting tensions with his volatile father. But as Bennie’s hold over him grows Willie finds himself in over his head; and when Solomon is left to fend for himself at home, Willie’s two worlds collide with shattering consequences.
Before Berlin, the film has made its rounds in the States and UK, premiering at the Sundance Film Festival and being privately screened at SoHo House in Los Angeles and the Curzon SoHo in London. “It’s fantastic to have our work recognized sat the Berlinale. It’s such a wonderful festival filled with people who know and love their film. Also, we really want to thank Princey and all The Sweet Shop team in LA and London for making us feel at home on tour. Especially Amanda and Morgan who did a brilliant job at organizing everything for our Shopping screenings. Now, lets make some commercials,” said Sutherland.
