The news this morning featured a story bemoaning the fact that English language standards are falling amongst young people due to the rise of text speak (txt spk). It is even popping up in exam papers and job applications.

Given my love of new technology and the development of ideas on the internet, I discovered something recently which will cause these people even more cause to jump about.

Words aren’t always enough to express your feelings. At least, that’s according to the makers of That’s So True, a new site that allows you to convey your emotions with reaction GIFs. Reaction GIFs are short, multi-image animations of people, often celebrities, acting out specific emotions.

That’s So True has a custom builder, which lets you input text and choose from a gallery of categorized reaction GIFs. You can also upload new GIFs for you and others to use in your stories. It seems quite simple  (trust me, I’ve had a go) and definitely plenty of room for creativity.

But as for language? There’s not a lot needed.

Why not try it for yourself HERE.

Noel Coward wrote this wonderful comedy of bad manners in 1924, in just three days whilst staying in New York. Set in an English country house in the 1920s, the play follows the four eccentric members of the Bliss family and their outlandish behaviour when they each invite a guest to stay for the weekend.

Their ridiculous self-centred antics finally drive their guests to flee. Deep in a Bliss family argument, they don’t notice their guests’ desperate escape. Expect misjudged meetings, secret seductions and scandalous revelations.

Olivia stars as Myra Arundel  and the piece is directed by another brilliant UA client,Howard Davies.

You can buy tickets HERE

I’m writing about all of this because UA has two brilliant young actors starring in the six part series (It’s so good a second series has apparently already been commissioned, and one of our actors has been spotted in Heat magazine no less).

Jamie and best friend Mike (played by Dylan Edwards) head towards the sixth form party after finishing their GCSEs. Meanwhile, 18 year old Laura (Scarlett Alice Johnson) breaks her parents’ curfew and sneaks off to the same party. The next morning, Jamie wakes up in the same bed as Laura. Making their excuses the pair part, but a few weeks later, Laura is horrified to discover that she is pregnant and Jamie is only 16. Life is about to begin, but not in the way either of them expected.

From what I’ve seen it looks hilarious – have a look at some clips HERE and see if you agree.

In just six years the site has revolutionised the way we communicate on a global scale and I for one am addicted.

From the way the current US presidential election campaign is managed (social media presence in political campaigns has increased by 78% since the 2008 election); to watching world events as they happen in real time, we are all connected in a way that no-one could possibly have imagined even five years ago.

Twitter is here to stay and will even inform the way we are recruited for jobs.

A site has just gone live which will render traditional recruitment search methods obsolete. 400 jobs a minute are posted on Twitter and new company Workfu intend to harness the opportunities out there.In their own words WorkFu create a beautiful, super simple, free web platform that recommends opportunities and talent to you based upon the networks you use everyday.

Currently we are using Twitter as our principle network and we feel that this is the right network for launch. We are looking to add more but we’re picky about the networks we integrate and how they effect your experience.

All you have to do is sign up, add your own keywords and links to build a description of yourself and your skills. WorkFu will do the rest with their Web app that orders each job posted via WorkFu to Twitter by its relevance to you and lets you apply with one click.

It also works for employers who can accurately match their requirements to the profiles registered on WorkFu.

You can of course follow them on Twitter @workfu

So to all of you social media resisters just look what you are missing. Go and have a walk round Twitter today – I promise it will change your life!

300 was the hugely successful adaptation of the cult graphic novel series by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley set in ancient Greece, featuring an epic array of Persians, Spartans and Greeks.

300: Battle of Artemisia is a prequel centered around the Persian King, Xerxes.

Jamie stars as Calisto, a 16-year-old whose desire to become a hero like his father drives him to lead a small band of soldiers.

Filming is due to start in July but we don’t have to wait too long to see Jamie on our screens as he will be in cinemas this summer with Kristen Stewart in Snow White and the Huntsman and the thriller Uwantme2killhim? which also comes out this year.

Looks like 2012 is going to be good for Jamie.

Bond is a New York-based creative agency and this article is all about what they think will happen in the world when the Youtube Original Channels launch later this year.

They argue that cable channels are going to have to watch out as the blurring of television and internet marches on apace.

Have a read HERE.

Food for thought indeed.

And my fingers were tightly crossed for Eddie Redmayne, nominated for the Rising Star Award. Eddie missed out to Adam Deacon but was in glittering company at the Royal Opera House.

It was an amazing night for another UA client – Olivia Colman. She wasn’t nominated for an award, but Paddy Considine and Diarmid Scrimshaw won the Award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer/Director/Producer for Tyrannosaur.

Olivia stars in the film as middle-class charity shop volunteer Hannah who forms a friendship with  angry, self-destructive loner Joseph, played by Peter Mullan. Their relationship develops to reveal that Hannah is hiding a secret with devastating consequences for both of them.

On collecting his award, Paddy Considine described Olivia as “irrepressible and brilliant”.

That was not the only accolade for Olivia on the night.

Meryl Street won the Award for Best Actress for her performance as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady and in her acceptance speech she paid tribute to her fellow actor “the divinely gifted Olivia Colman” who played her daughter Carol in the film.

Praise indeed and richly deserved by a truly outstanding talent.

I remember reading the book with all the lights on, and when we worked next to the Fortune Theatre in Covent Garden, we regularly heard the terrified audience screams during the matinees (I kid you not).

The idea of this scary story on film is a whole different ball game, especially as it is directed by our very own James Watkins who excels at making movies guaranteed to keep you sleepless for weeks afterwards. Eden Lake and The Descent being prime examples, and not for those of you, like me, who are lily-livered weaklings when it comes to suspense and all things frightening.

From what I have heard, and looking at the trailer with the sound turned down, he has done a brilliant job with The Woman in Black.

UA also has Shaun Dooley in the cast as Daniel Radcliffe’s landlord Mr Fisher, and Jeremy Woodhead doing the wonderful period make-up and hair design.

Have a look at the trailer HERE and go and see it if you dare!

On closer inspection I discovered that Adam has won the inaugural Hatchet Job of the Year Award bestowed by The Omnivore, a website dedicated to the intelligent round-up of newspaper reviews.

The Omnivore has blossomed with the rise of the internet and they bring us a cross-section of opinion, trawling through everything out there to find well written and relevant professional criticism. In their own words: the Omnivore team scours newspapers, magazines and literary journals to bring you the opinions that matter, from people you’ve heard of.

Our rapidly expanding database of critical quotations and links to full reviews of books, films and plays makes it easier to decide what to read or watch next.

Adam was chosen from a shortlist of eight reviewers for his piece in The Observer in January last year about Michael Cunningham’s book By Nightfall.

This is how the review starts:

Nothing makes a novel seem more vulnerable, more naked, than an armour-plating of literary references. If you’re constantly referring to landmarks, it doesn’t make you look as if you’re striding confidently forward – it makes you look lost.

And it carries on from there. The Award is given to “the author of the angriest, funniest, most trenchant book review of the past twelve months”, and as I kept reading I could see why Adam was a worthy winner.

You can read the review in all its glory HERE.

This is the first time Cravendale has developed a partnership with a brand in its twelve-year history.

I have to admit I think the activity is disappointingly traditional for this brilliantly anarchic brand: a 20 second TV and cinema commercial featuring Kermit and Pepe the Prawn (watch it HERE) running alongside on-pack promotions giving away exclusive Kermit backpacks. Apparently Cravendale are expecting the highest redemption rate of any of its loyalty schemes to date. Lots of Muppets fans out there!

There is also the now-obligatory dedicated online activity via the www.milkmatters.co.uk website involving competitions to win more Muppets paraphernalia.

The commercial is “cute” and it’s always a delight to see Pepe the Prawn, but do you think Cravendale are playing it safe?

Or am I doing them an injustice?

This current batch of wintry weather is the perfect excuse to embrace any latent misanthropy you may be harbouring in order to lock the door, close the curtains, turn off the phone and turn on that television because the incomparable Dawn French is on our screens again.

Series two of Roger and Val Have Just Got In kicks off on Wednesday at 10pm on BBC2. Dawn stars with Alfred Molina in this narrative comedy drama which follows the couple’s first thirty minutes after they walk in through the door at the end of the day.

Home for Roger and Val Stevenson, on the surface at least, is a sanctuary of warmth, security and what can best be described as organised chaos. (Have a look at some clips from series one here.)

Accompanied by copious amounts of tea, the couple concentrate on the issues of the day, from re-hanging the curtains to gearing up to cleaning out the “big drawer”.

However, despite their solidarity and love for each other, is their united front against the rest of the outside world quite as solid as it seems?

You’ll have to wait until tomorrow to find out!

And why on earth am I mentioning this?

I’m writing about the Super Bowl because America whips itself up into a frenzy of anticipation, not just about the impending game, but about which adverts will air during the commercial breaks. There is even a website called www.superbowl-commercials.org

The internet has been awash with speculation and comment for several weeks and last night saw an explosion of activity on Twitter which is still going on this morning unabated.

David Beckham in his pants for H&M has created a mix of opinion, his commercial has been loved or loathed in equal measure.

Chrysler’s offering complete with Clint Eastwood has fared rather better with the general consensus being that it is very good.

And Matt Broderick reprising his role at the beginning of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off for Honda has exercised the minds of everyone in advertising for the last few weeks including, I have to admit, as far away as the UK.

I find it odd that a sporting event can be so inextricably linked to the commercials which break up the action. Does this say something about the relationship Americans have with advertising? Are there any other US fixtures which attract this sort of scrutiny and comment?

I cannot even begin to imagine this sort of hoo ha where adverts get as much media attention as the game itself in say, the FA Cup finals, or …. Wimbledon?

If you want to be part of the action, have a look at some of the ads HERE, and maybe you can explain the phenomenon to me.

Our agents are always organising events such as comedy nights, showcases and meetings with casting directors as well as attending screenings, first nights and industry festivals.

Wednesday night saw our top floor green room filled with people talking hard as Jodie Marsh, got all her children’s illustrators together to showcase their work for publishers.

Crammed to bursting with books, manuscripts and portfolios, along with some drinks to keep it all flowing, the room was transformed!

Sarah McIntyre very usefully wrote about  the whole event in her wonderful blog. Have a read HERE.

She was joined by loads of fellow-clients including Britta Teckentrup all the way from Berlin, David O’Connell, Kim Geyer, Ros Asquith and Jamie Smart to name just a few.

From the photographs I can see that the evening was obviously hugely enjoyable and very successful – there is a very evident buzz about the place!

On Tuesday night he made a secret dash up to Manchester where his client Samantha Barks was getting ready to go on stage as Nancy in Cameron Mackintosh’s production of Oliver! at the Palace Theatre.

What Samantha didn’t know was that Kirk, a TV crew and Cameron Mackintosh himself were in the theatre. At the end of the show producer Cameron Mackintosh walked onto the stage and said to a very surprised cast and audience that Tom Hooper’s quest for his Eponine in the new Les Miserables film was over.

Names like Taylor Swift, Lea Michele (Glee) and Scarlett Johansson have been all over the press in recent months, so you can imagine Samantha’s reaction when Cameron calmly announced that Tom Hooper (of King’s Speech fame) had found the person to play Eponine and turned to her when he said those words.

Have a look at the moment and a BBC interview with a delighted Samantha HERE.

Samantha came to public notice as a teenager when she reached the finals of I’d do Anything, the BBC’s search for a new Nancy in 2008. She was chosen to play Eponine in the 25th Anniversary Concert of Les Misérables at the O2 Arena in 2010 by Cameron Mackintosh, after he saw her play the role in her opening night at the Queens Theatre in London’s West End.

HUGE congratulations to Samantha who will be joining a stellar cast which includes our very own Eddie Redmayne, Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway and Amanda Seyfried.

I noticed that Alain de Botton has published a new book (“one for my Kindle?” I thought).

Alain’s books have been described as a philosophy for everyday life and his views on love, travel, architecture and literature are always thought-provoking and a fascinating read. Not only is Alain an author and essayist, he also founded The School of Life in Bloomsbury which titles its courses according to things we all tend to care about: careers, relationships, politics, travels, families rather than the abstract categories we are traditionally taught (Alain uses the examples of ‘agrarian history’ ‘the 18th century English novel’)

His latest offering looks like it will be no exception:

Religion for Atheists boldly argues that the supernatural claims of religion are of course entirely false – and yet that religions still have some very important things to teach the secular world.

The publicity blurb on the book states that, rather than mocking religions, agnostics and atheists should instead steal from them – because they’re packed with good ideas on how we might live and arrange our societies. Blending deep respect with total impiety, Alain (a non-believer himself) proposes that we should look to religions for insights into how to approach all aspects of our everyday life.

You can go and see Alain talking about his book tomorrow night at the LSE in London as part of a tour over the next couple of months which includes Australia, Canada and America.

I will definitely be buying it …

Ben, James, Andy and Elliott are hilarious AND wonderfully efficient when it comes to marketing. Not only do they have their own Youtube channel, they also let me know every time they upload a new sketch and obviously I have to tell you about it.

In the spirit of yesterday’s post, I like the fact that the Idiots can reach literally millions of fans without going anywhere near terrestrial television and I can share their work with you just by the click of a button.

Their new sketch is called Make Football, Not War and you can click that button HERE.

Funny isn’t it?

First I discovered the Kindle, brilliant for carting many books around, delivered to the device in a whisker of time. Now it is my Ipod Touch. The (free) Kindle app syncs with the original device and means I can keep reading in the dark; whilst commuting in a personal space the size of a rabbit hutch; or take my pile of books on a plane without worrying about weight restrictions or making room for them in an over-packed suitcase.

Genius!

But there are millions out there for whom the book itself is as important as the words they read. They could not imagine giving up the experience of physically holding a book, smelling the print, turning the pages, leafing through it at will. The idea of abandoning that experience is unimaginable.

There’s a film doing the rounds on Youtube at the moment which beautifully celebrates the book and the bookshop. Watched by over 2.5 million people already, it reminds all us keen readers of the joys of the traditional reading experience.

You can see it HERE.

I watched it, enjoyed it and then picked up my digital device.

It also didn’t escape my notice that the traditionalists chose a modern platform to air their views. Without that platform, they would not have been able to share their views with such a huge global audience …

Instead of writing about it though, I thought I’d provide you with a haven away from all that with a look at Adweek’s Freakiest Ads of 2011. After all it is Friday and I’m sure everyone could do with a little light relief at the end of the week.

Here are the top 30.

Their choice of Number 1 is actually a series of commercials for an American product called “Help I can’t Sleep”.

With the description on the company’s website as:  A cheese sandwich contains pickles and if you don’t feel like eating pickles, you can open up your cheese sandwich and remove the pickles. But when a sleep aid contains pain medication, and you don’t feel like taking pain medication, you can’t open up your sleep medication and remove the pain medication. Help I can’t sleep contains 16 uncoated and uncolored diphenhydramine caplets. No pain medication, and no pickles, you just know their commercials are going to be weird.

Have a look here.

Not nearly as odd as Number 2 though. A four-minute film of David Lynch talking to a dismembered Barbie head in the palm of his hand to advertise his own range of coffee …. I kid you not – you can watch it here.

My personal favourite is Number 26 for a pest control company called Orkin featuring two very cool rocking rats and a frightened family.

Let me know which one you think should have gone to Number 1.

This time it is Katherine Kelly. Last night she won the award for Best Serial Drama Performance at the National Television Awards for her portrayal of Becky McDonald.

Katherine was voted for, not by a panel of judges, but by the general public. Sadly she couldn’t be there to collect her award as she was onstage at the National Theatre.

A fitting end to Katherine’s time on the cult soap. I wrote about her departure from Coronation Street earlier in the week when her character jetted off to sunny Barbados with on-screen boyfriend Jeremy Sheffield.

And whilst I’m on Coronation Street I might as well tell you it won Best Serial Drama. UA has a host of regulars, most of whom were on the stage last night to celebrate, including Antony Cotton (who also popped up on stage collecting the award for Best Reality TV Show for I’m a Celebrity Get me Out of Here), Charlie Condou, Ben Price and Michelle Keegan.

OK, I’ll stop now and maybe tomorrow the word “award” will not be mentioned, but who knows with our client list …

Andrew beat the bookmakers’ odds-on favourite Matthew Hollis, Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy, Christie Watson, and first-time author, Moira Young, to win the overall prize.

Set in pre-revolutionary Paris in 1785, Pure is the story of Jean-Baptiste Baratte, an ambitious young engineer, who is assigned the task of emptying the noxious, overflowing Parisian cemetery Les Innocents, and of demolishing its church.

You can buy Pure HERE.

It was taken by Charlotte Knee, an extremely talented artist, who is increasingly in demand due to her consistently wonderful work.

I love her pictures, she manages to convey the subject’s character effortlessly:

This is one of my favourite photographs by Charlotte:

All her pieces are arresting and unusual, the sort of images you have to look at several times – once is never enough:

If you want to see more of Charlotte’s work have a look at her website HERE. I’m sure you will agree that she is definitely someone to watch.

I can’t quite believe it is six years since Katherine landed the role of Becky McDonald, the feisty barmaid at the Rover’s Return, and one of the soap’s most popular characters.

Katherine is moving on from the cobbles of Corrie to the stage at the National Theatre starring as Miss Hardcastle in She Stoops to Conquer. The National describes the play as one of the great, generous-hearted and ingenious comedies of the English language, Oliver Goldsmith’s She Stoops to Conquer is a celebration of chaos, courtship and the dysfunctional family.

You don’t have to wait long to rush down there as the show previews from tomorrow and you can buy tickets here.

If you can’t make it to the theatre, you will still get the chance to see the play as She Stoops to Conquer will be broadcast in cinemas across the UK and around the world on 29 March 2012 as part of the brilliant National Theatre Live programme.

And for all you Corrie fans Katherine’s episodes air tonight on ITV1 at 7.30pm and 8.30pm.

My attention is always turned to the future of commercials, I spend my time talking about how brands are engaging with consumers in different ways; looking at the rise of the internet and how companies are now using social media to reach their fans. I’m often heard declaring that in 5 years time we won’t be watching television in the same way, the traditional commercial will become a thing of the past.

I’m absolutely sure this is true, but then McCann Erickson Manchester go and make some more ridiculously funny TV commercials for Aldi and I think maybe the art of the traditional advert isn’t dead quite yet.

As wonderful as their Christmas offerings, the ones gracing our screens at the moment perfectly capture the Aldi brand and surely must engage their target audience (just wondering does that mean I am the archetypal Aldi customer?).

Have a look HERE and HERE, and if you want to see all of them, which I’m sure you will, go to the Aldi WEBSITE (I particularly like the one with the older woman and the tea).

9pm Sunday 22nd January on BBC1 – unmissable.

George is an architect, currently presenting Restoration Man on Channel 4. I find myself glued to this programme – there’s something about watching members of the public going through agonies to bring life back into an old building. Who doesn’t want to live in a water tower or a beautiful church and have the help of talented George to make that into a reality?

George is a man of many parts, not only does he rescue restoration projects, he is also using his profile to help tackle Britain’s empty homes crisis – there are currently 350,000 long-term empty properties in the UK while 2 million families desperately need a home.

And you can get the benefit of George’s advice on his website, Channel 4′s website, his web series … I do like a man keen to share his expertise

The next episode of Restoration Man is on Channel 4 tonight at 9pm. This week it’s thechurch in Eden Valley Can’t wait!

Taking for granted the daily commute with one accessory the size of a small ryvita, got me thinking about where the world is heading. No wonder I’m exploring the world of branded content, looking at ways to exploit the new relationships consumers have with technology. I am one of those consumers.

I don’t buy paperbacks any more, I watch television programmes when I choose to on a platform of my choice (and yes, the quality of the BBC iplayer on the ipod is brilliant!) and I too have a relationship with the brands I like on Facebook, via the internet and sponsored initiatives.

Before Christmas there was a short film from Microsoft doing the rounds on Twitter which I revisited this morning – have a look as I now think it shows an entirely realistic view of the future (closer than we think?)

Watch it HERE.

My colleague Jess Alford sent an email at about 8am this morning with the full list – I’ll put together the UA clients who have been nominated when I’ve had a chance to plough through it properly.

In the meantime, I can tell you that Eddie Redmayne has been shortlisted for the Orange Rising Star Award.

I talked about Eddie after seeing MY WEEK WITH MARILYN. Not only has Eddie shone in that film; he can currently be seen on the stage playing the title role in Michael Grandage’s sell-out production of RICHARD II at the Donmar Warehouse (The Independent said A thrilling lead role… Eddie Redmayne’s brilliant Richard); he also plays Steven Wraysford in the upcoming adaptation of the Sebastian Faulks’ novel BIRDSONG which starts on BBC1 at 9pm this Sunday; and if that wasn’t enough, he is set to play Marius in Tom Hooper’s film adaptation of LES MISERABLES.

A rising star indeed, and you can vote for Eddie here.

Hosted by our very own Ricky Gervais for the third time, the Hollywood Press Association’s Award ceremony takes place every January and many believe it is an indication of what is likely to happen at the Oscars.

Kate won the award for her role in the HBO TV drama Mildred Pierce based on the 1945 film starring Joan Crawford about a long-suffering mother and her ungrateful daughter.

Have a look at an extract here and you can see the press room interview with her here.

Congratulations Kate!

Yesterday I wrote about Simon Reeve, world adventurer and documentary-maker and today I wanted to mention Will Merrick who has just joined Chris Keen.

Will is only 18 and you can see him in Skins playing Aloysius Creevey, one of the main characters (loves his dog and his van). He sat on the stripy sofa in our office and his funny, intelligent conversation totally belied his tender years.

Will has always been passionate about acting and was chosen for his role in Skins from an open audition in Bristol where 7,000 hopefuls turned up for 5 parts!

And not only does Will possess brains, he has a really interesting look and beautiful red hair which is totally arresting.

Definitely one to watch I’d say.

Simon has been to almost every country in the world, and calling him a travel presenter doesn’t come close to describing his work. His background in investigative writing gives added depth to his travel documentaries and we are given a rich mix of current affairs and travelogues in every programme.

His series include Equator, Tropic of Capricorn (described by the Daily Mail as 5 Stars…a series that will go down as one of the high points of the television year…brilliant…hugely enjoyable…eye-opening…amazing sights…a fascinating, illuminating journey), Explore and Tropic of Cancer (watch a clip here).

I for one will be watching Simon’s new 6 part series for BBC2 which will be on our screens in a couple of months (he’ll be off for a month shortly to finish filming the last episode).

Indian Ocean is an extraordinary adventure taking Simon to 16 countries, as he braves the horrors of Mogadishu in Somalia, perhaps the most dangerous place on the planet, and travels on to the beautiful Maldives, Mauritius and the Seychelles.

On his journey Simon encounters pirates, dives with sharks, patrols with Dutch Special Forces, goes underwater spear-fishing, dines in an underwater restaurant, stumbles into a seedy drug-den, visits a 5-star seaside palace housing thousands of refugees, meets a Yorkshireman on his Seychelles island paradise, and has close encounters with the amazing wildlife of the Indian Ocean, including lemurs, penguins, dolphins, elephants and dozens of manta rays.

Sounds amazing doesn’t it? And I have to admit that having met Simon in the flesh, I think he will definitely be giving Dr Brian Cox a run for his money.

Comedy fans are now choosing to engage with the performers they enjoy in a completely different way. The Idiots don’t have an established terrestrial TV presence, or a number 1 tour under their belt, but they are an internet phenomenon. One of their sketches Wii Breakfast has had over 1.2 million hits on their Youtube channel, and their other offerings are viewed by a loyal audience of many thousands.

I see this as an example of the rise of the web as a prime platform for entertainment. In five years time will any of us be choosing to watch our favourite performers and programmes on TV in the way we do now?

Here is the Idiots’ sketch in all its glory, a must for anyone who enjoys Call of Duty – enjoy!

Whilst I’ve been away I see that UA clients have been busy winning awards and appearing on stage, screen and radio.

The 2011 British Comedy Awards saw Horrible Histories (starring wonderful Jim Howick) pick up yet another gong, this one for Best Sketch Show.

Dan Renton Skinner won the award for Comedy Breakthrough Artist. Shooting Stars in which he also appears won Best Comedy Panel Show.

Joe Thomas collected two awards on the evening.  Fresh Meat won Best New Comedy Programme and The Inbetweeners won The British Comedy Academy Outstanding Achievement Award.

On stage, James Corden is off the Broadway to wow American audiences in Richard Bean’s hot comedy One Man, Two Guvnors. Fellow cast members Suzie Toase, Claire Lams and Fred Ridgeway are going too. Lucky New York!

And for all you book-lovers, The London Train by Tessa Hadley has been selected for the new Waterstones Book Club launching on Thursday.

Have a look at our home page for more stories – you’ll see that The Iron Lady is awash with UA talent – guess who is playing Carol Thatcher?

Of course it was amazing and I did the usual “what can I do to live here”. Richard was right – I absolutely didn’t want to come back to the UK!

Wellington is a great city, a bit windy I grant you, but international, cultured and definitely a thriving hub of creativity. It felt very European – like a more relaxed London with an unbelievably beautiful backdrop of sea and mountains thrown in.

Richard was in fine form and it was really lovely to see him. I spent an afternoon on the Hobbit set and Richard gave me a guided tour of behind the scenes before everyone finished work for Christmas.

Peter Jackson really has created an entire world and the loving attention paid to every single last detail was breathtaking. The care and thought that goes into the production at every level is literally awe-inspiring and I cannot wait to see the finished film. I can assure you we are all going to be in for something incredible.

I was very sad to leave Wellington, but the rest of the north island was equally wonderful.

The advertising was interesting – with a population of 4 million people in a country the size of the UK it is never going to be an enormous industry. Many of the TV commercials felt regional and rather old-fashioned but I really liked the fact that the country has a really strong identity and the majority of the adverts were obviously made in NZ or Australia rather than just lifted from us or the USA.

And there was one fabulous gem I’ll leave you with – watch it here – whilst I try to persuade the New Zealand tourist board to give me a job …

My first stop is Wellington to spend a few days with Richard Armitage and Adam Brown who are shooting on Peter Jackson’s much-anticipated film of The Hobbit.

Both are playing dwarves: Richard is Thorin Oakenshield, leader of the Company of  Dwarves, and Adam plays Ori, one of the twelve companions of Thorin and Bilbo on the Quest of Erebor.

I’m back at my desk on Monday 9th January 2012 so will report back on all things Middle Earth then.

Unless of course I decide not to come back which Richard assures me will happen!

Have a great festive season everyone

Joanna

Based on the “mediaeval fantasy” books of George R R Martin called Song of Ice and Fire, Game of Thrones is set in the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, where “summers span decades and winters can last a lifetime,” the series chronicles the violent dynastic struggles among the kingdom’s noble families for control of the Iron Throne.

Great stuff and just happens to feature seven United Agents clients – it must be good!

Returning for Season Two are Kit Harington (Jon Snow), Gethin Anthony (Renly), James Cosmo (Commander Mormont) & Eugene Simon (Lancel Lannister).

Natalie Dormer, Gwendoline Christie and Tony Way join the wonderful cast for the new Season.

I got very excited when I saw that news on our website – the second series going ahead, my long, dark winter evenings sorted.

However, when I read the piece more closely I was very disappointed – we have to wait until APRIL 2012. That’s not winter, that’s the end of Spring. What on earth am I going to do until then?

I suppose we will all just have to be patient – something I’m not very good at. In the meantime here’s the TRAILER to whet your appetite.

If I think about the companies sponsoring the show I assume they are Talk Talk and M&S. The former because they were all over the ad breaks (OK, I admit, I did watch a couple of programmes at the start) and the latter with their horrible Christmas commercial.

However, if you dig a little deeper, I can tell you that a staggering NINETY NINE brands are involved in this year’s show. (And looking at the picture of Little Mix, I think they made more than full use of vita liberata: sunkissed, golden, bronzed goddess, Moroccan princess are all within your reach.)

I have no idea of the figures involved but the brands range from Rimmel (“find out the beauty tricks that make Marcus look so darn HOT!”), Walton’s Garden Buildings, Andrex, Greece Tourist Board, Iain the Piper (why ??), Melt Candles and Britvic to Formahouse whose products featured in the X-Factor house and included the burnt orange Guzzini espresso coffee maker, funky animal coat hooks, doggy doorstoppers, bird fridge magnets, Guzzini salad spinner, Zuperzozial biodegradable salad bowls, wicked Wasp trap, triple herb pot and the stunning collection of lunch totes by BUILT from New York City.

Did any of you notice any of that over the course of the last however many weeks it was?

Probably not, but the brands involved saw it as a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness of their products to a targeted audience who would be glued to the television for several hours each Saturday and Sunday. No need to spend enormous amounts of money on a traditional ad campaign, when your doggy doorstopper could feature in a shot from the X Factor house. And you get to talk about it all over your website and feature on the X Factor site as well.

Genius!

You are going to have to get a move on buying tickets though, as I see that they are already selling out.

Buy them here.

For those of you who don’t know Tim’s work, I’m afraid it is almost impossible to describe – he is a stand-up, performance poet, author, actor, radio writer, panel show creator; he knows a lot about athletics and Andre Agassi and has the ability to keep me on the phone for far longer than any other client.

A couple of reviews might help:

[The Slutcracker] … has a kind of artistry and strange beauty that is unlike any other hour of stand-up you are likely to see. – The Observer

There’s something marvellously sly about the way he assumes consensus around his off-kilter take on the world. Music underscores the show; Key’s delivery is fluting and calm: the result is like a practical joke in relaxation-tape form. At times it’s like a windup; elsewhere, it’s so lovely you could bathe in it. – The Guardian

And have a look at this excerpt from Tim Key. With A String Quartet. On A Boat., his album of poetry, prose and conversation; an examination of the highs and lows that come from hiring a string quartet and a boat without really thinking it through …

I think he is a genius, but you’ll have to go to Soho Theatre to see for yourself.

You’d have thought I’d have been off for a couple of weeks from the amount of new stories that had popped up.

Don’t quite know where to start, but here’s a sample:

TYRANNOSAUR triumphs at BIFAs

TYRANNOSAUR was the biggest winner at this year’s British Independent Film Awards. At the awards ceremony held on Sunday night, Olivia Colman picked up the Best Actress award. The film also took home the award for Best British Independent Film, and the award for Best Debut Director.

RICHARD II opens to rave reviews at The Donmar

That’s Eddie Redmayne in fine form again. Last week I talked about his role in My Week with Marilyn, this week he’s a Shakespearean hero:

“Eddie Redmayne confirms his status as one of the most exciting young actors in Britain today with his often mesmerising performance as Richard II.” The Telegraph

Gareth Jones Nominated for the Blue Peter Book Award

I was really pleased to see that Jodie Marsh’s client Gareth Jones has received this nomination for his book THE CONSIDINE CURSE. I’m working with him on a brand partnership project and have been so impressed by his writing – fingers crossed!

Tariq Anwar wins European Film Award 2011

Lynda Mamy’s client, Tariq Anwar won the EUROPEAN EDITOR 2011 category of the 24th European Film Awards for his fantastic work on The King’s Speech.

And lastly,

Craig Brown Receives 11 Mentions in Christmas Round-ups

ONE ON ONE (Fourth Estate, £16.99) by Craig Brown has so far received 11 mentions in the Books of the Year Christmas round-ups.

The book describes 101 chance meetings, juxtaposing the famous and the infamous, the artistic and the philistine, the pompous and the comical, the snobbish and the vulgar, each 1,001 words long, and with a time span stretching from the 19th century to the 21st.

Maybe I need to go away more often!

Last night New York hosted the premiere of Steven Spielberg’s film version with a screenplay jointly written by Lee Hall and UA client Richard Curtis, featuring Ruth Young and Jess Alford’s Matt Milne as Andrew Eaton.

If you are not familiar with the story, it starts on a farm in Devon rented by the Narracott family. When the father buys a beautiful horse his son Albert names it Joey.

As someone working in a world where social media is seen as an important resource, I was forced to take the plunge.

My only reaction? Why on earth did I resist for so long? Twitter is a wonderful community where you hear about everything that’s going on in your chosen world as it happens.

And I get to see what the clients are up to.

To persuade those Twitter agnostics or even atheists out there, have a look at Twitter’s Top 10 Remarkable Tweet Stories of the Year first tweeted by @mashable aka Pete Cashmore.

Mashable is brilliant – based in New York, it’s the largest independent news source covering web culture, social media and tech http://mashable.com.

So if you’ve never tried it, give it a go. Within a couple of weeks I’m sure you’ll be a convert just like I was.

And you can always get in touch with me @joannascarratt to let me know how you’re getting on.

A few weeks ago I wrote about the start of adland’s festive season and the poor showing from M&S with their decision to include the X Factor finalists.

Things have not got much better over the last 3 weeks and I shall move swiftly over the offering from Morrisons (what is that random cameo from Sir Bruce Forsyth about?) and Iceland, which should come with a health warning it is so horribly sickly.

But out of all this saccharin schmalz comes a star from the East, and the unlikely source is Aldi.

Simple, funny, not a B-list celebrity in sight, their Christmas commercials actually make me want to get on my camel and hot foot it down to the nearest store to buy some Irish Cream Liqueur to thank them for helping me enjoy the run up to the big day again.

Thank you Aldi and McCann Erickson Manchester!

And I couldn’t leave you without the opportunity to enjoy them.

So have a look here and here.

Tim Corrie’s client Paul Seed directed Just William for CBBC which received three nominations: Best Drama, Best Performer and Best Writer, and won the 2011 British Academy Children’s Award for Best Drama.

The series focuses on the hillarious antics of a rebellious schoolboy, based on the classic novels by Richmal Crompton, first published in 1922 and still going strong today.

Congratulations to Paul!

And yet again, Jim Howick was on the podium to pick up an award for Horrible Histories. Last year he won Best Performer, this year, Horrible Histories won Best Comedy for the second year running.

You can watch Jim in action at the ceremony here.

One of the films you can see in the cinema at the moment has no less that three creative crew members, all looked after by Silvia Llaguno.

They are Steven Noble who designed the costumes – you can also see his designs on Never Let me Go, Helen Scott (production design) and Emma Scott who designed the make-up.

And the film is Wuthering Heights, directed by Andrea Arnold.

This version is wonderfully bleak, dark and stripped to the bone – the sense of place is overwhelming.

The Telegraph said: Arnold’s film cleaves fiercely to the wild spirit, if not the word, of Brontë’s unsettling text, steering a ragged course far removed from the conventions of period romance. There’s no swooning here, no happy endings. “My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight, but necessary… I am Heathcliff,” says Cathy in Brontë’s novel.

Go and see it and admire the creative collaboration which produced such a fine film.

The Emmy, BAFTA and Golden Globe award winning co-creator of The Office and Extras is on his first stand-up comedy tour since 2007 and plays at the Apollo until Saturday.

He’s the darling of critics and audiences alike:

His material covered his issue with women (of lack of) and height. Hard to say too much without giving things away. However, it has got to be one of the best stand up gigs I’ve ever been to. If there’s any chance you can still see this show, book tickets now. He’s worth more than every penny. If you missed it, I’d urge you to buy the DVD – mine is already pre-ordered!

You will have to be quick if you want to catch him. That’s all I need say!

And of course … You can book tickets here.

He started filming this week and there is a wonderful headline in the Scottish Sun I had to share with you: I’m Driving Girls Insane in Ukraine. The art of journalism is obviously flourishing north of the border.

I thought you might like to see the picture of Francis with that white horse again.

Prince has just returned from a trip to Amsterdam courtesy of the company, whose Denim and Supply range were hosting a gig for the emerging British electropop indie band Metronomy.

Ralph Lauren gave Prince some clothes to wear. According to Prince, the collection is aimed at a creative youthful market and offers individuality with contemporary bohemia. Yet the style remains classic and impeccable with a touch of the American heritage and authenticity.

Don’t think I’m the target market there as I’m wondering why it’s called “Denim and Supply”. Why the Supply?

Prince Cassius looked amazing though:

It’s a 14 episode comedy web series about George Osborne’s personal journey towards tackling global hunger which was created by Hoot for The World Development Movement and is designed to raise awareness of the damaging effects of food speculation ahead of a European Union vote in 2012.

It stars Rufus Jones as George Osborne and Ruth Young’s client Rebecca Johnson as his advisor Vicki Reed, (you may remember her from The Trip with Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan).

Duncan Hayes’ client Tony Way makes a cameo appearance but you’ll have to keep watching to catch him.

It was written and directed by Ben Bond and James Rawlings, and produced by Ben Thompson and Annis Waugh.

As with all Hoot’s work it is brilliant – using comedy to convey a serious message.

Do have a look HERE and let me know what you think.

But we also look after a host of technicians as well, including directors of photography, production designers and editors.

The Royal Television Society Craft and Design Awards is an opportunity for the industry to recognise those often unsung talents. They cover the huge variety of skills and processes involved in programme production, from editing and lighting, to costume design and digital effects.

UA had two clients win at this year’s ceremony, both for their work on the BBC series The Crimson Petal and The White.

Annie Symons won best Drama Costume Design and Grant Stewart Montgomery best Drama Production Design.

The jury said The winning programme simply took you to another world with its stunning imagery of Victorian life. Nothing was sacrificed transferring this novel to the small screen.

And of the costumes: Stunning, highly designed with beautiful detail.   The jury thought the heightened reality was like nothing they’ve ever seen before, showing the underbelly of a period with extraordinary use of colour.

We’ve got everything under one roof here!

Imagine sneaking away to spend seven days with the most famous woman in the world? This is just what Colin Clark did with Marilyn Monroe in 1956.

Fresh from Oxford University, 23 year old Colin Clark (played by Eddie) began work as a lowly assistant for Sir Laurence Olivier on the set of The Prince and the Showgirl. Clark recorded it all in two unforgettable diaries, the first a charming fly-on-the- wall account of life on the set; the other a heartfelt, intimate, and astonishing remembrance of the week Clark spent escorting Monroe around England, earning the trust and affection of one of the most desirable women in the world.

England was in a fever of excitement when Monroe arrived to shoot The Prince and the Showgirl with her third husband Arthur Miller (Dougray Scott).

At a certain point, feeling isolated and overwhelmed, Monroe turned her attention to Clark, who became her confidant and ally. Before long however, Colin was in over his head, and his heart may well have been broken by the world’s biggest film star.

Eddie and Dougray are joined by an amazing cast, including Kenneth Branagh, Dame Judi Dench and Michelle Williams.

You can have a look at the trailer HERE.

You know you just want to settle in the dark with a big pile of popcorn and watch it!

I’m sure I’ll miss someone out (have a look at our website later on to check) but, Richard Bean won Best Play for two of his creations: The Heretic (Royal Court) and of course, One Man, Two Guvnors.
Best Director went to Mike Leigh for Grief at the National’s Cottesloe.
Adam Cork won the Best Design award for his sound design of Anna Christie and King Lear at the Donmar Warehouse.
The Moscow Art Theatre’s Golden Seagull went to Tom Stoppard for his contribution to Russian theatre and the international stage.

And finally, the Charles Wintour award for Most Promising Playwright was won by Giles Smart’s client Penelope Skinner for her play The Village Bike which was a runaway success at the Royal Court in the summer.

Designed by Helen Goddard, the show followed the on-edge Becky in the summer of her first pregnancy, in a darkly comic exploration of romance, intimacy and sexual frustration.  The play also won the 2011 George Devine Award.

The reviews were wonderful:
Penelope Skinner’s new play The Village Bike at the Royal Court is mercilessly funny and savagely insightful.
The Telegraph

The Royal Court has harvested a strong crop of female writers in recent years, although no playwright has put women themselves centre stage with quite such bravado as Penelope Skinner.
The Metro

This is a wickedly wise, furiously funny play that freewheels among the mess and indignities behind the many myths about sex.
The Times

The wonderful new play from Penelope Skinner… this bicycle’s path, one feels, has only just begun.
New York Times

Well done everyone at United Agents!

His alter-ego Angelos Epithemiou is an award-winning burger van owner, who refuses to let anyone know where exactly his burger van is situated because, as he puts it, “I don’t want anyone coming up to the van and mucking around with my generator because it’s just been fixed and it cost me a fortune to do it”.

He not only created mayhem as Vic and Bob’s sidekick on Shooting Stars, but has also toured the UK.

Here’s a clip of him in action on Shooting Stars.

Channel 4 has ordered a full six episode series from Angelos’ creator Dan Renton Skinner.

Made by Reeves and Mortimer’s production company Pett, the show promises slapstick, jokes, high energy dancing, catchy singing and sophisticated magic as well as studio audience interaction, new comedy characters and celebrity guests.

I can’t wait!