George Patterson Y&R Sydney's feature film tie up with writer Brendan Cowell will open the 2015 Sydney Film Festival.
The film, Ruben Guthrie, is Cowell's directorial debut and has been announced as the film opening the festival on 3 June. Cowell is a writer, actor and screen writer, who has appeared in several Australian film and TV roles including Beneath Hill 60.
Ruben Guthrie is a black comedy about an advertising guru and is both supported by and partly set in GPY&R's Sydney office. It stars Patrick Brammal as Ruben, an advertising creative director “on the rocks” as he struggling with fame and the lure of the bottle.
Y&R group MD Andrew Dowling said the film represented a “unique opportunity” for agency branded content while supporting the Australian film industry, especially given the agency’s eight decades of history in Australia.
‘Knowing Brendan for some time, we were big fans of his work both on the stage and as an actor on screen,” Dowling said.
“When he presented us with the idea of making a movie that draws on our industry, albeit the more colourful side, there was no question of us getting behind it.”
In addition, GPY&R has assisted with promoting the movie, with the launch of a direct marketing piece to announce the film is opening the 2015 Sydney Film Festival.
The marketing piece, which was mailed to media and ad industry heads, looked like a D&AD pencil, only it had a concealed hip flask containing a nip of Johnnie Walker Double Black.
GPY&R Sydney executive creative directors Bart Pawlak and David Joubert said: “It’s a pretty irreverent film that deserved an equally irreverent announcement. A trophy, that doubles as a hip flask? We reckon Ruben would have approved”.
Cowell said the inclusion of GPY&R added authenticity to the film.
“Having Patts Y&R involved with the film not only led to us owning our own whiskey pencil, but it created the most desirable thing a film can hope for: authenticity,” Cowell said.
“Being involved with the guys in the lead up, having them as sponsors, then eventually shooting all over the building using actual facilities and staff made Ruben’s world so real, so sexy, and so dynamic. It’s the stuff of dreams for a film maker.”
The film opens in cinemas on 16 July.
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.