THE CHINESE USE TWO BRUSH STROKES TO WRITE THE WORD 'CRISIS'

ONE BRUSH STROKE STANDS FOR DANGER

THE OTHER FOR OPPORTUNITY
– JOHN F. KENNEDY
 ADAPT. ADOPT. IMPROVE.
We’re all experiencing a tough time right now. A novel pandemic is working its way out on the global stage. One third of the
population is in lockdown. It’s a period of unprecedented upheaval and uncertainty.

And yet throughout the world there are the first tentative signs of the green shoots of optimism. This situation won’t last
forever and things will eventually return to some form of new normality. But there’s no doubt that our working lives will be
altered by this experience for the foreseeable future.

At Moxie Pictures, we’re acutely aware that crisis and opportunity are two sides of the same coin and of the necessity to
proactively move forward with our partners to develop innovative and production solutions for our clients’ needs. The
pandemic has given us an opportunity to think collaboratively and experimentally about how we make work together in this
Brave New World.

Inevitably, the briefs have changed, strategies have shifted, how and what we can shoot has been transformed. What hasn’t
changed is the core nature of our business: solving creative communication problems for our clients. This is where we come
into our own.

“This is how we win”

In what follows, we’ve put together a bit of a self-
help guide/playbook for our clients and agency
friends trying to get their heads around just what
is possible production-wise in these turbulent
days.

Starting off we consider what kind of production

is possible in the UK in this time of near-total
lockdown (Hint: Not much, but a lot more than
you’d think!). Then, we look to the future - as
throughout the world lockdown begins to be
relaxed - to discuss how we see the co-ordination
of film production working in the months ahead.
Finally, we share a selection of relevant work from
our global roster of A-list directing talent, who
can answer whatever creative briefs you throw
our way in these trying times.
WHO ARE
MOXIE PICTURES?
Moxie Pictures have offices in London, New York and Los
Angeles and represent a truly global network of directing
talent based all across North America, Europe and the
Middle East.

We have shot films across the globe and as well as

commercials, Moxie are also a force to be reckoned with in
the world of documentary features, a field which makes us
specialists in agile, reactive, small-scale production and
archival research, found footage and repurposing of
existing assets. And as far back as 2005, we made the
award winning ‘Back’ & ‘White’ commercials for AOL that
were 80% found footage, and we produced the first
iterations of the now celebrated campaign for McCain,
featuring candid performances from real families and shot
entirely in their own homes, the length and breadth of the
UK. Recent projects include “AlphaGo”, “The B-Side” and
“Wormwood” for Netflix and the Sundance winning doc
“Dina”.

We have put together a bespoke “lockdown” reel of recent

Moxie work that was or could have been directed either
remotely or with a stripped-back skeleton crew.

Click here to watch our bespoke house reel…

OVERVIEW OF
PRODUCTION
DURING A TIME OF
LOCKDOWN
As of now, the current restrictions in the UK prohibit:

• All unnecessary travel.

• Gatherings of more than two people.
• Any avoidable trips outside the home barring exercise and shopping for food.

Under such stringent limitations, any traditionally-conceived film-production

is of course impractical. Any productions must therefore proceed along more
unconventional lines and rely to the greatest extent on remote management.
Here are a handful of examples of the kind of work that we foresee being
achievable given the current severity of lockdown.

• Remotely coordinated micro-shoots with self-shooting filmmakers.

• Tabletop work and/or Puppetry.
• Found Footage and/or repurposed / re-edited footage (eg: with the addition
of animation).
• User Generated Content.

It is unknown how much longer the current lockdown limitations will apply in
the UK. With each day that passes there are more and more indications that
some lifting of restrictions will occur within the next month or so.
But this does not necessarily follow
for international productions. Whilst
much of the world is still in some form
lockdown with social distancing
m e a s u r e s s t i l l i n p l a ce , m a ny
countries are in the process are lifting
their restrictions and small-scale
productions (remotely managed from
the UK) may well be possible in these
countries with the situation certain to
improve as the weeks pass.

As of now, the following countries are

in the process of lifting to a greater or
lesser extent their social distancing
restrictions:

• China • Poland
• Germany • Norway
• Spain • Estonia
• Italy • Finland
• Denmark • Latvia
• Austria • Lithunia
• India • Netherlands
• Australia • Ukraine
• Sweden
FLATTENING THE CURVE
– DOMESTIC (UK)
FILM PRODUCTION IN A
TIME OF LOCKDOWN
PRE-PRODUCTION
Of all the aspects of the production process, pre-production is the most simply and
easily adapted to the current lockdown. As the recent surge in popularity of tools such
as Zoom demonstrates, modern technology makes the prospect of remote,
collaborative working not only possible, but attractive. We imagine that even after the
COVID-19 pandemic recedes into memory, the low-cost, speed and convenience of
these ways of working will remain a permanent feature of the industry moving forwards.

As ever, Moxie Pictures are as committed to the spirit of easy, accountable collaboration
as we were before the pandemic. The fact that we cannot necessarily all be in the same
room at the same time will not affect the integrity of the creative process and our
passionate dedication to making the very best work. If anything, these modern ways of
remote working will streamline and optimise our workflow.

Broadly speaking, the current period of social distancing forces us to work with either
directors or talent who can generate content in their own homes. This provides
unforeseen creative advantages in the spontaneous authenticity, credibility and
naturalness of the footage – so often a North Star in advertising production.
 CASTING
• We work with specialist real-people
casting directors who have a national
research network and who have been
casting remotely via self-taping and
online auditions/re-calls for years.
COSTUME
& STYLING
All costume and fitting sessions can be
conducted remotely.

• Our stylist will run virtual one-on-one

fittings with the talent.
• Wherever possible we would rely on the
talent’s personal wardrobe.
• If necessary, we could augment this
through online purchases shipped directly
to the talent prior fitting.
LOCATION RECCES
The normal procedure for recceing a location would be followed, but remotely.

• Virtual tech recces will be conducted with all department heads.

• A location document will be prepared with preferred locations for set dressing and lighting.
• As any lighting equipment or props that the talent does not own will need to be shipped to
them, we will look to maximise our use of ambient or natural light and available props.
PRODUCTION
There are countries in the world that are beginning to lift their
social distancing restrictions so there are already opportunities
for limited location filming in other parts of the world. Whilst
international travel to those countries from the UK may not be
possible, we can put together and manage the entire process
remotely, using video conferencing tools to allow production,
agency and client to ‘virtually’ attend and oversee the shoot. We
have long-standing relationships with service companies across
the globe – we’ve shot with them for years and they know exactly
how we like to work.

So whether it’s a remotely managed international shoot or a

domestic micro-shoot featuring self-shooting talent in their own
homes, our roster of directors, alongside their DPs, Art Directors
and production teams can guide the talent through their required
performances from the comfort of their own homes. Similarly,
agency and client will be able to review, feedback and comment on
the shoot live as if they were on set with the talent.

We can provide the talent with equipment to enhance the capacity

of their own tablet/smartphone/camera and set dressing to enrich
the overall production values.

At the end of each shoot day, the talent will be guided through the
process of sharing their rushes with our post production partners,
who – it goes without saying – will also be working remotely.
 BEYOND THE CURVE
– BEST PRACTICE FOR
SAFE PRODUCTION AS
THE RESTRICTIONS LIFT
Looking forward to when the lockdown restrictions begin to lift, production
will slowly but surely start to return to normality. However, this is bound to
be a gradual, process with social distancing incorporated into production
for the foreseeable future.

Here is an idea of what safe and responsible might look like once the UK
gets back to work.
OVERALL
Our priority is the safety and well being of
the people we work with.

• All relevant advice from the Department

of Health, Public Health England and the
UK Government will be monitored and
adhered to.
SOCIAL DISTANCING
• All personnel on set will follow NHS social
distancing guidance and maintain a 2 metre space
between each person at all times.
• Crew numbers will be kept to a minimum.
 MEDICAL
STAFF
• There will be two paramedics on set for
the duration of the shoot.
• Paramedics will take the temperature
of all personnel on arrival and anyone
with a temperature over 38 degrees
Celsius will be sent home.
• Signs to be placed on set to remind
crew and cast of COVID19 symptoms,
social distancing rules and good
hygiene practices.
•
HYGIENE
PPE will be provided for everyone on set by us. All crew to wear surgical masks and gloves.
Crew who work at close contact such as make-up artists & hairdressers will be provided
with multiple PPE so they can have fresh PPE for each actor. Disposable equipment will be
used such as make-up brushes etc.
• All cast and crew will receive basic hygiene training to reduce the chance of spreading viral
particles.
• All cast & crew to have completed a form confirming that they are not experiencing any of
the know symptoms of Covid-19.
• In due course, as antibody testing becomes more widely available, we may request that
everyone attending the shoot have a test to establish existing immunity to SARS II
Coronavirus.
• All cast and crew will be required to wash their hands on a regular basis, including but not
limited to arrival, departure, before and after eating and after coughing or sneezing.
• Everyone on set to be provided with hand sanitiser. Dedicated hand sanitiser stations to be
located on set and at catering stations.
• Hand soap and paper hand towels to be provided in all washrooms.
• Wherever appropriate, crew will be provided with dedicated tools and sharing of tools
between crew members will not be permitted.
CREW NUMBERS
& BACKUPS
• Total number of crew on set at any one time to be strictly limited.
• Only key crew to be on set during filming.
• We will increase the number of playback screens/walkie-talkies to
facilitate communication at a distance.
• Where possible call times to be staggered so as to reduce the number of
crew working on set at any one time.
• We will have back-ups in place for all heads of department in case they
fall ill immediately prior to the shoot.
RUNNERS
• R u n n e rs w i l l h ave t h e a d d i t i o n a l
r e s p o n s i b i l i ty o f e n s u r i n g s o c i a l
distancing protocols on set, controlling
crew numbers and ensuring personal
hygiene standards are being upheld.
CAST
• The same hygiene protocols that apply to the
crew will apply to the cast too.
• We will not cast high-risk individuals such as the
elderly, pregnant women or those with underlying
respiratory and/or immunological conditions.
• We will have back-ups in place for all key cast in
case they fall ill immediately prior to the shoot.
• Initially, cast numbers will need to be kept to a
minimum to scenarios that include lots of people
(Our creative and post partners will have to take
up the slack here).
LOCATION,
STUDIO &
EQUIPMENT HIRE
• All studios and/or locations to be medically sanitised
before and after shoot.
• Studio shoots to be preferred as more controllable.
• If a location shoot is unavoidable, prioritise less
populated settings such as rural areas where public
access can be strictly controlled.
• Location manager to advise permitted crew sizes to
respect social distancing at each location.
• All equipment to be medically sanitised prior to and
after the shoot.
C ATERING
• To reduce eating numbers at any one time,
mealtimes will be staggered. If this is not
possible then multiple catering stations
will be established at a distance from set.
• Caterers to serve individual hot boxes to
avoid contamination of communal dishes.
• No communal dishes.
• All reusable cutlery and crockery to be
sanitised (autoclave) after use.
• All catering stations will have a hygiene
station to allow cast and crew to wash
hands and/or apply hand sanitiser.
OUR GLOBAL ROSTER OF
DIREC TING TA LENT
While you can always see full reels on our website, we have compiled bespoke reels for a selection of
our directors that we feel are especially appropriate for stripped-back and self-sufficient filmmaking.
Ivan Bird Tunbr idge Wel ls, U K
Ivan Bird is one of the UK’s most admired commercial directors and
cinematographers with a diverse and genre-defining career that takes in some
of the most iconic and award-winning work in the history of advertising.

Being both a cinematographer and director, Ivan lights all his work himself and
owns an extensive kit of cameras and lenses. This self-sufficiency makes him
perfectly placed to work in the current climate – there’s no-one more suited to
remote production than him.

Ivan’s work is famed for its exquisite cinematography, dynamic precision,

technical sophistication, and pitch-perfect natural performances, often with
A-List celebrity talent. He has worked with the likes of Dustin Hoffman,
Harrison Ford, James Gandolfini and Samuel L. Jackson amongst others.

As a DP he was the cinematographer of choice for the Great and the Good of
British commercial directors – most notably Jonathan Glazer, Danny Kleinman
and Frank Budgen. His iconic and much-emulated includes the legendary
Guinness commercials “Surfer” and “Swimmer” and also Jonathan Glazer’s
debut feature – the BAFTA and Oscar nominated – “Sexy Beast”. As a director
he has worked with numerous global brands including Nike, Mercedes, HSBC,
American Airlines, McDonald’s and the BBC.

Click here to watch Ivan’s reel…

Michael Cumming London, UK
Michael Cumming is a living legend in the world of TV comedy. He has
worked at the cutting-edge of British comedy since the 1990s when he
directed Chris Morris’ ground-breaking satire “Brass Eye”.

Michael went on to direct dozens of TV series, including the iconic “Mark

Thomas Product” and the cult-classic “Snuff Box”, starring Matt Berry and
Rich Fulcher. More recently he has directed all three series of Matt Berry’s
BAFTA-winning sitcom “Toast of London”, and has just wrapped his first
feature documentary “King Rocker”, which was co-directed with cult
stand-up comedian Stewart Lee and which Michael shot himself.

Michael’s latest project is “Sandylands” a new comedy series starring

David Walliams, Sanjeev Bhaskar & Hugh Bonneville which premiered in
March 2020.

Hailing from the world of TV comedy Michael is used to working fast, to

tight deadlines and even tighter budgets - but the results are always
hilarious.
Click here to watch Michael’s reel…
Ben Wheatley Brighton, UK
A multi-award-winning independent filmmaker with a
devoted cult following, Ben Wheatley has been making films
of a remarkably singular vision at an intimidating pace since
his breakthrough feature debut “Down Terrace” in 2009.

“Kill List” and “Sightseers” swept the boards at festivals

worldwide to ecstatic reviews, whilst “High Rise”, starring
Jeremy Irons and Tom Hiddleston premiered at the Tribeca
film festival in 2015 to widespread critical acclaim.

They came “Freefire”, co-written by Wheatley and his wife

Amy Jump and starring Brie Larson and Arme Hammer and
Exec Produced by Martin Scorecese.

Ben has just completed Netflix’s forthcoming feature-length

adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier’s “Rebecca” starring
Armie Hammer, Lily James and Kristen Scott-Thomas which
premieres this year and is in preproduction for next year’s
“Tomb Raider 2” starring Alicia Vikander.

Ben began his career as the creator of a dazzling array of

hilarious viral videos and has since worked on numerous
commercial projects for brands including Premier Inn, Tomas
Cook, Clearscore & Go Compare.

Click here to watch Ben’s reel…

Benjamin Caron London, UK
Benjamin is the executive producer and lead director of Netflix’s
award-winning smash-hit “The Crown”.

In 2012 Benjamin directed “Skins” earning himself an RTS

nomination for Best Director. The debut season of “My Mad Fat
Diary” followed and his first feature film, “Tommy Cooper: Not Like
That, Like This”, was released in 2013 and was BAFTA nominated.

In 2015, Benjamin directed the BAFTA, Emmy and Golden Globe

winning detective series “Wallander” for the BBC, and followed this
in 2016, directing the finale episode and one-off special of
“Sherlock”, starring Benedict Cumberbatch & Martin Freeman.

As the lead-director and executive director of “The Crown”,

Benjamin is uniquely responsible for the entire cast, overall
creative vision and direction of Netflix’s flagship property.

Just because we are all working from home, doesn’t mean we can’t
think big. Benjamin’s your man for that.

Click here to watch Benjamin’s reel…

Matthew Holness Norwich, UK
A multi-talented director, writer and performer, Matthew Holness began
his career in comedy as part of the Cambridge Footlights line-up
alongside Richard Ayoade and David Mitchell. He went on to work on some
of the most influential cult British-comedies, including co-writing and
starring in the genre-defying comic-horror of “Garth Marenghi’s
Darkplace” and “Man to Man With Dean Lerner.”

In the commercial world, Matt’s fastidious eye for detail and knack for
whip-smart comic dialogue has led to him directing acclaimed campaigns
for global brands such as Nando’s and Tango.

In 2018, his debut feature-film “Possum” - which he wrote and directed –

received critical acclaim at its global festival premiere at Edinburgh and
was released theatrically in October 2018.

Bringing together his skills as a director, writer and actor, Matthew is a one
man, walking, talking film studio.

Click here to watch Matthew’s reel…

Richard Ayoade London, UK
A hugely popular British writer-director-performer. His iconic role as Maurice Moss in
Graham Linehan’s cult sitcom “The IT Crowd,” rightly won him the 2014 BAFTA for
Best Comedy Performance.

As a director, Richard’s work is remarkable in its diversity. In TV he co-wrote, directed

and starred in the critically acclaimed “Garth Marenghi’s Dark Place” and his debut
feature “Submarine” premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2011 to widespread
critical excitement, whilst his eagerly awaited follow-up feature “The Double” was
released in 2013.

Richard’s superlative accomplishments as director, writer and actor mark him out as a
triple-threat, equally at home as the talent in front of the camera as he is behind it. A
perfect match for any production where small crews and multifaceted talent are
required.

Click here to watch Richard’s reel…

 Henry + Rel New York, USA
Directing partners Henry Joost & Ariel “Rel” Schulman
broke into the film world with their first feature
documentary “Catfish”, which premiered at the Sundance
Film festival and became one of the most talked-about
films of the year. They were responsible for “catfish”
becoming part of the vernacular and they created the #1
MTV show of the same name on which they are Exec
Producers.

In addition, Henry & Rel have helmed two instalments of

the Paranormal Activity franchise and their latest hit film
“Nerve” for Lionsgate, created a video game and cemented
their talent for social media integration within their work.

Their celebrated MOMA short film, ‘A Brief History of John

Baldessari’ is one of the most referenced films in
advertising and the duo have lent their unique voice to
clients such as Vogue, Google, Harry’s, Facebook and Nike.

Click here to watch Henry + Rel’s reel…

Martin Granger New York, USA
Martin Granger is one of the world’s most sought-after comedy
directors. He was born in London and raised in Winnipeg, Canada,
before he landed in NYC. It was during Martin’s time as an actor
(alongside Mike Myers) with the legendary Second City Theatre
Company in Toronto where he discovered his passion for improve
comedy. His love of cinema and talent for making people laugh
inevitably led to a career as a director.

Martin lives and breathes funny, and his work is characterised by

brilliant comic performances and he is known getting the very best
out of celebrities.

Over the years Martin’s work has garnered a dizzying array of the
most coveted advertising awards, including the prestigious Cannes
Gold Lion. Several of his commercial campaigns are in the
permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

With recent award-winning films for beloved British advertising

royalty Marmite and Pot Noodle, Martin works as much on this side
of the Atlantic as in the US. For him, remote working is just working.

Click here to watch Martin’s reel…

Maged Nassar Cairo, Egypt
Maged is a highly awarded creative, with numerous Cannes
Lions and D&AD pencils to his name. After working at JWT
Cairo and FP7 Dubai, Maged became a Creative Director at
DDB Berlin, before turning to directing full-time.

Maged has directed award-winning campaigns for a host of

global brands such as Coke, Vodafone, Orange, and more
recently Du Telecom Dubai. More recently, his highly
acclaimed Coke campaign scooped a Grand Prix at the
London International Awards along with Gold at the Cannes
Lions.

Maged’s work is bewilderingly inventive; characterised by

bold, kinetic imagery and dynamic cinematography, with a
blisteringly left-field sense of visual humour and an
experimental approach to mixing film formats. A brilliant
creative meets an impassioned visual storyteller.

Maged is a genius at blending found live-action footage with

photography, animation, and typography. He’s a perfect
match for creative briefs that require a dazzlingly original
reinterpretation of found or archival footage.

Click here to watch Maged’s reel…

Frank Todaro LA, USA
Frank Todaro is a master of comedy. Beginning his
career as a celebrated copywriter, Frank took to
directing like a duck to water.

Frank’s ability to combine subtle humour with a

signature cinematic flair has garnered him awards
including Cannes Lions, Emmys, and D&AD pencils
for campaigns for Nike, FedEx, Budweiser, Snickers,
amongst others.

Click here to watch Frank’s reel…

Travis Hanour Idaho, USA
Recently hailed by SHOOT magazine as one the of the industry’s top 5
Up-And-Coming directors, Travis Hanour is an award-winning director
whose work is defined by a unique blend of raw documentary purity,
effortless cinematic style and nuanced storytelling.

Having spent 10 years as Creative Director at an agency, Travis

attributes his holistic creative approach to collaborating closely with
clients from conception to completion.

Much of Travis’ work elevates the traditional forms of found-footage

documentary commercial production to works of exceptional and
breath-taking beauty. He’s the perfect match for creative briefs that
call for a director to stamp their unique artistic personality and vision on
repurposed documentary content.

Click here to watch Travis’s reel…

Tomas Leach LA, USA

Tomas honed his voice as a documentarian and storyteller

working on short-films, feature documentaries, branded
films and commercials. In 2013 Tomas directed his first
feature, a self-shot biopic of the iconic reclusive US
photographer Saul Leiter – “In No Great Hurry” which has
delighted art fans across the globe.

In 2016 his second feature film, “The Lure”, a breath-taking

documentary about Forrest Fenn’s legendary hidden
treasure in the Rocky Mountains, premiered at New York’s
DOC NYC. The film was Executive Produced by Errol Morris
and produced by Moxie Pictures.

A pure documentarian and self-shooter at heart, Tomas is

perfectly placed for our times. Notable recent work is a
stunning brand film for Channel 5 that was shot throughout
the British Isles with a tiny documentary crew.

Click here to watch Tomas’s reel…

Henry Lu Toronto, Canada
A multiple-award winning documentary director
and photographer, Henry began his career as a
producer at Wieden + Kennedy, before jumping
ship to direct full time.

Since joining Moxie, Henry has put his impeccable

storytelling skills and acute photographic eye to
work helming global campaigns for Google, Nike,
ESPN, Skype to name a few. His work has garnered
an impressive haul of awards worldwide, including
D&AD and the Cannes Lions.

Henry’s work is characterised by humane and

immediate storytelling, a commitment to
documentary truth and impeccable photographic
composition. As a documentary filmmaker, he is
accustomed to working swiftly with minimum
crew (often just him!).

Let’s just call him the one-stop shop for all your
360 documentary needs.

Click here to watch Henry’s reel…

Christopher Werner New York, USA
Christopher Werner is the comedy wunderkind behind HBO’s
Emmy Award-winning Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.

His work on Last Week Tonight has given him the opportunity to
work in every conceivable cinematic genre, working to punishing
schedules and tight deadlines.
If you want funny, fast and great – with a soupcon of celebrity
performance, then Christopher is your man.

Click here to watch Christopher’s reel…

Giles Lovell-Wilson London, UK
Giles Lovell-Wilson is a London based fashion and beauty
filmmaker and photographer.

He began his career in stills and swiftly moved into directing.

His work for high fashion brands is characterised by beautiful
clean-cut photography, playful dynamic choreography and a
slick cutting edge style.

He has made films for some of the biggest global brands in

fashion including Gucci, Max Factor and Tommy Hilfiger.

Giles’ preferred way of working is fast, agile and with a

minimum crew (often just himself). He loves to roam the
streets of London with his camera, but is also very comfortable
with remote shooting.

Click here to watch Giles’s reel…

 Nida Manzoor London, UK
A Broadcast Magazine “Hotshot”, Nida Manzoor is a prolific
and award-winning genre-comedy writer and director. Her
work has been commissioned by UK broadcasters including
the BBC, SKY & Channel 4.

With a stellar background in short-film, in 2018 Nida directed

the first series of hit BBC comedy series “ENTERPRICE” –
written by and starring Kayode Ewumi and in 2019 she
directed two critically-acclaimed episodes of the cult BBC sci-
fi show “Doctor Who” starring Jodie Whittaker.

Nida’s latest pilot for Channel 4/NBC – “LADY PARTS” has

been developed into a series by Working Title and is currently
in production. The show, which Nida also wrote, is a daring
comedy about the trials and tribulations of an all-female
Muslim Punk band. The show premieres late 2020.

Nida’s work has the energy and flair of a young Edgar Wright
and her experience in TV and short-film gives her a wealth of
experience at working fast with tiny crews and on tight
schedules, whilst delivering comedy gold in spades.

Click here to watch Nida’s reel…

 THANK YOU FROM YOUR
FRIENDS AT MOXIE PICTURES
24TH APRIL 2020
 GET IN TOUCH…

Dawn Laren Marilou Bakkenist

Managing Director Joint Head of Sales
0774 865 2525 07539 102 116
dawn@moxiepictures.com marilou@moxiepictures.com