Seen+Noted: Nick Ball directs the Incredible Untold Tale of Isabelle Simi in new U.S. campaign
Independent San Francisco agency Venables Bell + Partners have tapped the talents of highly acclaimed Australian MJZ director Nick Ball to tell the extraordinary story of SIMI winery’s most fearless leader.
Ball and two-time Academy Award nominated cinematographer Seamus McGarvey (Anna Karenina, Atonement) have brought to life Isabelle Simi’s story via a riveting 4.5 min short film. With echoes of Sergio Leone and the iconic Ennio Morricone, the film features an original score which was written, recorded and produced in Melbourne and in Berlin, by music house Stare Crazy.
The film is the centrepiece of the “Goodness from Grit” campaign which chronicles the story of this relatively unknown pioneer of the Sonoma winemaking world. Simi overcame personal tragedy to successfully lead and grow her family’s winery through many highs and lows, including prohibition in 1920. When most other wineries were foundering after a decade of legalised temperance, Simi soared. And the film beautifully captures her resilience, tenacity and never-say-die spirit.
The film was also coloured by another expat Australian, the legendary colorist Peter Doyle. (The Lord of The Rings, The Matrix, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs).
The campaign is running nationally throughout the U.S.
Nick Ball is represented by FINCH in Australia. To view more of Nick’s work, click here.
CLIENT NAME: SIMI
BRAND: SIMI Winery
AGENCY: Venables Bell & Partners
CHAIRMAN: Paul Venables
CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER: Will McGinness
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Gus Johnston
ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Ryan Hoercher
ART DIRECTOR: Megan VanDagens
JUNIOR ART DIRECTOR: Alyssa Lee
JUNIOR COPYWRITER: Marisa Valente
SENIOR ART DIRECTOR: Aisha Hakim
SENIOR DESIGNER: Dani Saputo
HEAD OF INTEGRATED PRODUCTION: Hilary Coate
SENIOR PRODUCER: Sasha White
PRODUCER: Jenna Van Deventer
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER: Livia Biedermann
HEAD OF BRAND MANAGEMENT: Michael Chase
BUSINESS LEAD: Justin Pitcher
BRAND DIRECTOR: Sara Shields
BRAND SUPERVISOR: Paris Clark
SR. BRAND MANAGER: Purva Kogie
PROJECT MANAGERS: Jessica Youssefia, Cameron Vaile Business Affairs
STRATEGY DIRECTOR: Michelle Spigner
SOCIAL + CONTENT STRATEGIST: John Principe
COMMS ARCHITECT: Alex Oztemel
PRODUCTION COMPANY: MJZ
DIRECTOR: Nick Ball
PRESIDENT / EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: David Zander Executive Producer
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Emma Wilcockson
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Seamus McGarvey
PRODUCTION DESIGNER: Matias O’Donnell
FIRST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Max Morales
CHILE PRODUCTION SERVICE: Labhouse
FINISHING + VFX: Method Studios
VFX SUPERVISOR: Jesse Bradstreet
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Scott Boyajan
CG SUPERVISOR: Hiltesh Solanki
PRODUCER: Laura Duncan
LEAD FLAME ARTIST: Matt Welch
FLAME ARTISTS: Cecile Tecson Broas, Cody Edwardson, Kelly Bumbarger 2nd Compositor
MATTE PAINTING: Matt Conway, Ed Mustaros
ANIMATION: Bradley Morris, Julie Jaros
TEXTURE ARTISTS: Kendrick Khoo, Sudipto Nath, Santosh Kumar k Modeling Artists
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR: Aswathi S
PRODUCTION MANAGER: Kartiki C Patil
EDITORIAL: Stitch Editing
EDITOR: Leo King
ASSISTANT EDITOR UK: Chris Wilson Assistant Editor LA
MUSIC HOUSE: Stare Crazy
FINAL MIX LONGFORM: Stare Crazy
SOUND DESIGN: RNDM ORDR
FINAL MIX SHORTFORM: RNDM ORDR
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Rani Zarina Vaz
SOUND DESIGN: Bill Chesley (Henryboy)
SOUND DESIGN EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Kate Gibson (Henryboy) Mixer Shortform
TELECINE: Postworks
COLORIST: Peter Doyle
COLOR ASSISTANT: Eric Waldorf, Katy Gilmore, Brian Woos Finishing Producer
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Barbara Jean Kearne