BLINDEYE FILMS - Key Persons
Biography
Cutting his teeth in the world of music videos, Blake learnt the art of creative resourcefulness and was able to hone these skills working agency side for a number of years.
Fueled by the excitement of starting a new journey, Blake loves reviewing briefs and delights in the challenges of elevating an idea to the next level.
This passion has seen Blake's projects receive numerous nominations - and victories - for awards such as Cannes Lions, Webby's, UKMVA's and MTV.
But for Blake it's not about accolades "They're nice, but it's about the people I've met (the team), the stories I have been apart of and the friends that I've made, because they don't just sit on a shelf. That's also why I say the work that I have been a part of as this industry is teamwork".
Biography
Ian Roderick Gray is a Dutch/Indonesian/American/British director (Yes, it really is as confusing as it sounds) based in South East London.
He has collaborated with and directed icons such as Nile Rodgers, JLS and Idris Elba, making adverts and content for the likes of Sky, BBC, ITV, Nike, Huawui, Gillette and many others. His work has been screened at many BAFTA and Oscar-qualifying film festivals around the world and featured in publications such as Mass Appeal, Complex, The Fader and Nowness.
His first feature film, a comedy-documentary hybrid called The Banksy Job, made by Ipso Facto Films and in association with Pulse, had its world premiere at the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival in New York and was listed in The Hollywood Reporter's choice of best films, critics picks and Vogue Magazine's selection of "Documentaries to watch". It recently had its television premiere on Sky Arts after being distributed in the US, Australia, France and Germany.
His music Video "Lost in the Memory" for Charlie Winston was shortlisted by the UK Music Video Awards in 2020 and picked up an assortment of prizes, including "Best Music Video" at the 10 year anniversary of the Paris Art and Movie Awards 2020. It was later selected as one of the videos of the year by Promo News.
Jack Lightfoot - Founder, Managing Director
Job Titles:
- Founder
- Managing Director
- Owner
- Dir
Biography
Founder and Owner of Blindeye Films, Jack began his directing work in the late-90s filming his friends trying to kickflip over traffic cones. Fast forward 10 years, and a passion for music led Jack down the music promo route, directing videos for clients such as Sony, Parlophone, Universal and Warner.
Jack's work was soon picked up by agencies and broadcasters, and he began shooting branded content across the globe, from New York, to China, Miami, Iceland, and beyond. He has led several TV productions for the likes of Sky, MTV and Comedy Central, and recently directed a series for ITV2. He still can't kickflip.
Biography
Long-time friend of BlindEye, award-winning director James Barnes came through the ranks at MTV (didn't everyone), now working across multiple formats from single-camera filmic projects to larger-scale multi-camera productions. James directs music videos, documentaries and commercial/branded content.
He has written and directed content for music artists including Dua Lipa, Sam Fender, Tyler The Creator, Burna Boy, Ellie Goulding, Dave, J Balvin, The 1975 and Glass Animals. He has worked on some of the biggest music events in the world including EDC Las Vegas, Ultra Miami, Tomorrowland, The MTV EMAs, The MOBO Awards and won a UKMVA in 2020 for his livestream with legendary UK act The Streets.
Most recently he has collaborated with BlindEye on live work with Jessie Ware and Rina Sawayama for Spotify, and music videos for Scarlxrd.
Biography
James is driven to discover and capture heartfelt stories. Using a creative combination of technical understanding and a passion for engaging content; James finds a balance between playful, yet provocative storytelling.
Working with a whole scope of clients, James has a proven track record of bringing a refreshing and creative approach to stories that brands want to capture, making them stand out from the noise of online and social.
Biography
Jamie Thraves is an award winning writer and director working across features, shorts and music promos.
Responsible for some of the most iconic music videos of our time, Coldplay's the Scientist and Radiohead's Just, he debuted with the Blindeye family directing James Smith's Rely On Me.
Job Titles:
- Business Development Manager
Biography
Rob Brown is an award winning writer-director whose work has been screened at the Edinburgh International Film Festival and broadcast on BBC TV.
He has worked with Emmy and Golden Globe winning actress Joanne Froggatt (Downton Abbey, Filth) and BAFTA and Olivier award winning actor Andrew Scott (Fleabag, Black Mirror).
His debut feature film, SIXTEEN, premiered at the BFI London Film Festival 2013. SIXTEEN was nominated for Best Debut Feature, while Rob received a nomination for Best British Newcomer.
Rob has directed promos for artists ranging from Turin Brakes to Status Quo.
Job Titles:
- Dir
- Producer - Commercial and Content
Biography
Savvas Stavrou is a Cypriot film director and a Sundance Lab alumni. His short films have screened internationally at festivals and as a music video director, his work was pinned amidst the likes of Massive Attack and Florence + the Machine, with SIRENS winning the Best Music Video award at Aesthetica Film Festival. More recently, his film SUBMISSION was picked and presented by NOWNESS.
Savvas is currently developing his first feature.
Biography
Theo Watkins is a director working in film and music video. His work often has an eye on the off-kilter and absurd, always with a dose of the comedic.
He has directed music videos for acts such as IDLES and Bring Me the Horizon, with his short film work screening at multiple Oscar and BAFTA-qualifying festivals. His next film, currently in post-production, is backed by BFI.