What does international film production company, Smith and Jones Films offer?
Smith and Jones Films is a multi-award-winning film production company in LA and London. Working closely with advertising agencies and direct to client, we offer the ability to create incredible content for brands. We change the paradigm of thought. We inspire and connect with audiences to increase brand recognition, sales and ultimately success.
Who is commercial film director Ulf Johansson?
Ulf Johansson is a visual alchemist and the film director of Smith and Jones Films. He won the Grand Prix Cannes at just 25 years old, whilst still at art college, for his director debut for Diesel Jeans.
Ulf has gone on to become one of the Most Award-Winning Commercial Director in the world and has garnered every single one of the eight most prestigious awards in the fields of advertising and commercial film, including Emmy nominations, over 250 international awards such as the coveted Cannes Grand Prix twice (the equivalent of the Palm d’Or in the advertising world). In recognition of his directing talent Ulf’s work is on permanent display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
What kind of TV and social campaigns do you make?
Smith and Jones Films create engaging successful award-winning international campaigns that resonate with the consumer, thereby increasing brand awareness and increasing the sales and value of the brand.
What is Smith and Jones Films’ approach to film production?
Smith and Jones Films’ approach is to ensure successful film production stems from creativity, communication and teamwork. For the past 20 years, we have worked with an incredibly talented crew, who have won many an Oscar and BAFTA between them. Most importantly we all enjoy the journey and give 110% of ourselves.
How does Smith and Jones Films work with brands for TV and social campaigns?
Smith and Jones Films works collaboratively with brands so that they can reap the rewards of hard-hitting successful advertising campaigns. No client is too big or too small. Our role is to break through the noise and connect with the target audience.
What is some of the brand work that Smith and Jones Films has done?
Google
Old Spice
Nike
Coca-Cola
Adidas
Pepsi
Mars
GEICO
KFC
CarMax
What are some of the iconic TV commercials and campaigns that Smith and Jones Films made?
For CarMax: BeetleMax, a ground-breaking 360-degree content branding campaign for Warner Bros. on the new Tim Burton Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice franchise launched September 2024.
For Mountain Dew: PuppyMonkeyBaby, one of the most successful Super Bowl campaigns reaching 10 million views on YouTube in 24 hours and driving Mountain Dew’s marketing sales up by 34%.
For Coke Energy: The Dots, another fun-filled Super Bowl ad that enlisted none other than director Martin Scorsese and the actor Jonah Hill to promote Coca-Cola’s brand-new energy drink.
For Nike: Angry Chicken, one of their boldest campaigns for the brand’s Air Presto, in which the shoe was worn by Sébastien Foucan, the pioneer of quickly rising street sport Parkour. The commercial won Gold at the Cannes Awards, Andy’s Best Campaign, and was nominated at the Emmy’s in 2003.
Who is executive producer Philippa Smith?
Philippa Smith is an Oscar nominated producer who has made over 2000 commercials in her illustrious career to date. Out of the top six commercials produced in the last twenty years, Pippa produced four of them. She has worked with many established directors such as Ridley Scott (director of Gladiators, Blade Runner, Alien), Tim Burton (Batman Returns, Beetlejuice), Mel Gibson (Braveheart, Lethal Weapon) and high-level acting talent such as Brad Pitt.
Philippa Smith created and founded Smith and Jones Films in 2003, which as a woman was a courageous move that defied the convention of the time. But like her productions, Philippa relishes nothing more than breaking down boundaries and changing perception.
Is Smith and Jones Films a female-led production company / founded by a woman?
Smith and Jones Films was created and founded by Philippa Smith in 2003. Philippa was ahead of her time as in the early 2000s very few production companies were founded by women and female-led. Her hard work, tenacity and belief that anything is possible if we work together has stood both her and Smith and Jones Films in good stead for a long and successful career.
Do Smith and Jones Films create direct to client campaigns?
Smith and Jones Films do create 360o campaigns directly with clients, and love working collaboratively with brands to ensure that their vision and messaging is marketed in innovative and unique ways.
Some of our clients include Google, Hershey’s and Leia.
Is Smith and Jones Films a green environmentally conscious company?
Throughout each step of any project, Smith and Jones Films endeavours and continues to encourage sustainable practices and behaviours. We strive to minimise our carbon footprint by following the Union industry guidelines (APA and AICP) but Smith and Jones Films also has its own in-house green policies both during the development and actualisation of projects. We employ a Green PA and sustainability advisor during any production, working in coordination with the community and crew.
The founder and executive producer of Smith and Jones Films, Philippa Smith, is passionate about all things green and organic. So much so that she has developed an organic and biodynamic vineyard in the South of France, P’tit Domaine, which produces wine, olive oil and honey. When Philippa and Ulf are not on a film set, they can be found on a tractor tending to nature.
Do Smith and Jones Films embrace diversity and inclusion?
Smith and Jones Films absolutely embraces diversity and inclusion with a female owner and founder, a disabled blind woman within the production team, and multi-ethnic crew members. Our sole criteria is creativity and talent.
Do Smith and Jones Films make sport campaigns?
Smith and Jones Films have created many iconic Superbowl and Football World Cup campaigns for several leading brands including Nike, Coca-Cola, MountainDew, Adidas, Snickers to name but a few. We love the challenge of capturing the essence of a brand in a moment of sporting history.
What music videos has Smith and Jones Films done?
Smith and Jones Films are crackers about everything music. Working with artists is always an inspiring and creative journey, which offers a different dimension and even more crazy twist to our work. A selection of our award-winning music videos can be found below.
Fatboy Slim ‘Ya Mama’ – Won Best International Video of the Year at the 2002 International Music Video Production Awards.
Basement Jaxx ‘Where’s Your Head At’ – Won Best Music Video at the Soho Shorts International Film Awards in 2002, as well as Best Electronic Video of the Year and Directorial Debut at the International Music Video Production Awards that same year.
James Walsh ‘Start Again’ from the Lullaby Album made for the movie of the same name, based on Chuck Palhnuick’s book, author of Fight Club – Won Gold for Direction and Silver for Editing at the London International Awards in 2013.
Does Smith and Jones Films make music?
In conjunction with their film and commercial work, Smith and Jones Films are also passionate about, and invested in the creation and production of music.
Keep your ears open for the stand-alone music album, Lullaby – co-written with Sacha Skarbek, Ivor Novello Award two-time winner and Grammy nominated songwriter, and James Walsh, former lead singer of Starsailor selling over three million albums globally – to be released in 2025.
Where do Smith and Jones Films get their creative inspiration?
Both Executive Producer, Philippa Smith and director, Ulf Johansson, are passionate about nature. They created a haven of tranquillity in their organic vineyard, P’tit Domaine. This is the place, where off set, they find their inspiration, where their ideas are planted and innovations nurtured.
