SMUGGLER - Key Persons
Adam Berg has directed award-winning films for some of the world's leading brands, establishing himself as one of the most versatile, genre-defying directors in the industry. With a keen ability for diverse, visual storytelling, Adam creates emotionally charged, deeply human and entirely original work across all genres, often incorporating dynamic and elegant visual-effects to enhance his craft.
Berg boasts a prolific career, having situated himself as a major force in advertising and filmmaking. His work spans brand categories, regions, and markets, with projects ranging from tech startups to Fortune 10 companies alike, with an enviable client list including Apple, Nike, Playstation, Uber, Mercedes-Benz, Delta, and Lexus, to name a few. Berg made history winning the Cannes Lion Film Grand Prix for his Philips "Carousel," marking the first time an online spot breached the walls of that TV-centric award category. He's one of the most decorated filmmakers with accolades from all major award shows, including multiple Cannes Lions, D&ADs, Clios, British Arrows, and many AICP and Ciclope wins.
Other recent work includes Berg's DHL "License to Deliver", an action-packed, high-octane joyride that is quintessentially Bond and highlights the brand's partnership with the 007 series. Berg also recently marked his arrival on the international film and television scene with his feature film directorial debut Black Crab, a dystopian thriller, based on the Swedish novel, which premiered as the number one film on Netflix. He also Executive Produced Tales from the Loop, the sci-fi drama series for Amazon Prime.
Adam's tireless work ethic and dogged pursuit of his creative vision is inspiring, energizing and infectious. Whether he's directing a poignant love story, a poetic visual metaphor, or a dynamic and engaging action sequence, Adam transcends genre conventions, creating work uniquely attributable to only his hands. Throughout his career, he's successfully redefined the limits of reality and altered the entertainment and advertising landscape for the better in the process.
Allie Avital is a New York-born and raised director whose work is visually arresting, conceptually bold and original. She draws inspiration from the music video auteur generation of the 90's and represents a new class of conceptually driven filmmakers using craft and technique in service of the idea.
Avital has quickly become one of the most sought-after music video directors working with some of the industry's most bold artists, including Olivia Rodrigo, Moses Sumney, Kesha, Jidenna, Serpentwithfeet, and Kelsey Lu, to name a few. Allie's viral music video Deja Vu for Olivia Rodrigo, earned a Ciclope shortlist and has amassed over 200 million views on YouTube since its premiere.
Allie's work has been been Vimeo Staff Picked eight times, featured in the New York Times, NPR, Nowness, Buzzfeed, Promonews, "Best Of" lists, and has been nominated for Camerimage awards (Best Music Video and Best Cinematography), the UKMVAs and Ciclope. Her work has screened at SXSW (receiving the Jury Recognition Award twice), Sundance NEXT, BAM, IFC, BUG, Havana Film Festival, and many more.
Allie has that rare, unique ability to tell stories that are equal parts timeless and modern. Her thoughtful command of the camera captures her subjects with style and precision. She embraces the conceptual along with keeping an assured focus on narrative, creating story-worlds entirely her own.
Writer and director Andre Muir is the son of Jamaican immigrants, born in Chicago, and now living in Brooklyn, NY. Andre Muir creates spiritual stories that explore the importance of language as it pertains to culture and its use for communication (or lack thereof) throughout his work. He often relies on a naturalistic, absurdist approach to speak to deeper truths, utilizing drawn-out moments and uninterrupted shots to bring tension to his scenes.
Andre Muir has won and been nominated for numerous awards including AICP Awards, 1.4 Awards, and Booooooom TV's Best Short of the Year, to name a few. Andre was also part of the SHOOT New Directors Showcase and shots Black Directors Showcase. Most recently, Andre was selected as a recipient of the Sundance Institute's inaugural Uprise Grant Fund for his screenplay The Predicament, a satire of America's prison-industrial-complex. He was also selected as one of the Sundance Institute's annual Screenwriters Intensive fellows.
Aoife McArdle is an award-winning writer and director whose original concepts, bold visual style and uncompromising dedication to craft have brought her acclaim across a variety of mediums, with success in film, television drama, music videos and commercials.
After her studies in literature and film, Aoife began her journey directing short films and music videos, winning a UKMVA for her breakout Open Eye Signal for Jon Hopkins and a nomination for Best International Short film for Italy, Texas at Raindance film festival. This led to opportunities collaborating with some of the world's biggest musical acts, becoming a Vimeo Staff Pick Alumni and directing bold commercials which have promoted social equality and received awards at Cannes Lions, British Arrows, D&ADs and Clios. Equal Love for Absolut won the coveted Graphite Pencil for Best Direction at the D&AD Awards and Aoife has been repeatedly named in leading industry publications' annual Best Director lists.
Aoife's wholly original and powerful debut feature Kissing Candice premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival and emerged as a critics' favourite. The summer of 2021 brought the premiere of McArdle's short film and full-scale immersive art installation All of This Unreal Time, starring Cillian Murphy, at the Manchester International Festival. The film and installation received glowing reviews. The Guardian wrote, "Intense and all-encompassing, the piece never feels overdramatic or insincere. Its sense of despair is accompanied by a glorious, quiet celebration of the ordinary, the regular, the taken-for-granted".
2021 also saw Aoife's continued work in television drama, directing and producing Severance for AppleTV+. The show stars Patricia Arquette, Adam Scott, John Turturro, and Christopher Walken and has received universal acclaim.
A powerful voice with an arresting aesthetic, Aoife is currently developing her next feature film Monuments with BFI.
Barry Jenkins was born and raised in Miami, FL. A Florida State University graduate, Jenkins's feature film debut, Medicine For Melancholy, was hailed as one of the best films by The New York Times and received several Independent Spirit and Gotham Award nominations.
Jenkins's second feature film, Moonlight, won dozens of awards, including the Academy Award for Best Picture. Jenkins and co-writer Tarell Alvin McCraney also won Best Adapted Screenplay. Overall, the film received eight Oscar nominations, including Best Director. Additional accolades include, Best Picture at the Golden Globes, Best Picture and Director at the Gotham Awards and Best International Film by the British Independent Film Awards. Jenkins is the recipient of a DGA Best Director nomination and a WGA nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
Jenkins's follow-up, If Beale Street Could Talk, the adaptation of James Baldwin's novel was released to critical acclaim and garnered numerous accolades, including Best Supporting Actress wins for Regina King at the Academy Awards and Golden Globes. Jenkins received an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. The film won Best Feature and Jenkins won Best Director at the Independent Spirit Awards.
Jenkins directed the miniseries adaptation of National Book Award winner Colson Whitehead's The Underground Railroad for Amazon which garnered widespread acclaim, earning seven Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series. The series also earned Barry the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Limited Series as well as the Golden Globe for Best Limited Series, Anthology Series or Television Motion Picture.
Jenkins was recently tapped to helm the eagerly-awaited Lion King prequel for Disney, which will be voiced by Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Aaron Pierre, who starred in Jenkins' Underground Railroad series.
Jenkins, who currently resides in Los Angeles, is a curator at the Telluride Film Festival and a United States Artists Smith Fellow.
Job Titles:
- Director of Sales & Management - West Coast
Brian Beletic began directing for MTV the moment he graduated from film school. Through a prolific string of innovative promos and films, he quickly became one of MTV's top in-house directors, and significantly contributed to the launch of MTV2.
As a filmmaker Beletic strives for authenticity, impact, and imagination. His work is epic in scope but intimate in detail - his wide range of genres and styles reflect his extensive interests - and the ambitious eye with which he sees the world. Over the course of his impressive career he has worked with the best cinematographers, production designers, and editors in the business. He cultivates and treasures those creative relationships.
Beletic has directed music videos for artists including The Black Eyed Peas, Fatboy Slim, Basement Jaxx, CeeLo Green, and Run The Jewels; earning him multiple MVPA and MTV Awards. Creating over 450 commercials and music videos for the world's elite brands such as Nike, Coca-Cola, Adidas, Levi's, Samsung, Jordan, Converse, Beats By Dre and Xbox - Brian's films have garnered a wealth of Cannes Gold Lions, AICPs, Clios, Ciclope and an Emmy.
Most recently, Brian directed a series of films for American Express in celebration of small business owners. Hilarious and entertaining, the films bring Beletic back to his uniquely comedic roots, showcasing his strong command of tone, storytelling and craft.
Brian exploded onto the scene at the apex of the music video boom and continues to command with the same poise, clarity and confidence. He's a student of the craft who uses every outing to refine his skill and evolve as an artist. There's an athleticism and bombast to his work without sacrificing the tactile, human touch. He's one of the most genuine and thoughtful people, eager and enthusiastic to share his knowledge and passion for filmmaking.
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder
- Founding Partner
Brian Carmody is the Co-founder/Managing Partner of international production company SMUGGLER, winner of Ad Age's 2020 Production Company of the Year, and creative studio division7. Brian has received many of the most coveted awards and honours as a producer, including the Tony Award, the Cannes Lions, the Grand Prix, the Palme d'Or, and the Emmy.
Job Titles:
- Director of Sales & Management - East Coast
Fenn O'Meally is an award winning filmmaker, journalist and resident at BBC1Xtra. With authenticity and humanity at the core of her work, Fenn combines genuine storytelling with the worlds of music, creative culture and fashion.
Through her confident charm and accommodating approach, Fenn has interviewed a wide range of notable names both in front of and behind the camera, from Kim Jones and Stormzy to Jaquel Knight and Dev Hynes. Her work is fueled by her curiosity, love of music and photography and furthered by her personable nature and desire to share honest anecdotes of life.
Fenn has directed films for some of the world's leading brands including; Louis Vuitton, WhatsApp, Prada, Apple, Nike, BYREDO, and Chanel among many others. She's worked with some of the industry's most exciting artists, directing music videos for Texas and Wu-Tang Clan, JNR Williams, Jorja Smith, and JVCK JAMES. In addition to her wins and shortlists at Ciclope, 1.4 Awards, UKMVAs, AICP Awards, and shots EMEAs, she is a member of the Young Guns 18 class. Fenn was selected as Director to Watch at the Ad Age Creativity Awards, and most recently was named a Director of the Year finalist at the show.
Fenn's film "Mine, Mind" for Louis Vuitton is an imaginative evocation and cinematic rendering of the "young mind" and the "old mind," and a piece on the discussion of innocence and intuition. Her longform piece for Byredo merges non-fiction storytelling and modern dance choreography to create a powerful film of magical realism and emotional connection. Fenn also recently directed a companion short film for Focus Features' thriller Silent Twins featuring Letitia Wright and Tamara Lawarence, set to release later this year.
Fenn is fast emerging as a standout talent, bringing a fresh and original voice to the world of film and advertising. Holding her own amongst an industry of established directors, Fenn certainly lives up to her Ad Age accolades and has quickly become a filmmaking force within the industry.
Swedish director Filip Engstrom prides himself on creating visually arresting yet genuinely human commercials and films. With roots in short films, children's programming, and puppetry for Swedish television, he has developed a distinctive and innovative approach to filmmaking, creating his trademark personal style. By combining traditional storytelling techniques with new methods of production and ever-evolving visual effects technologies, Engstrom enhances his stories with a refreshing perspective, always finding innovative solutions tailored to client's needs.
prides himself on creating visually arresting yet genuinely human commercials and films. With roots in short films, children's programming, and puppetry for Swedish television, he has developed a distinctive and innovative approach to filmmaking, creating his trademark personal style. By combining traditional storytelling techniques with new methods of production and ever-evolving visual effects technologies, Engstrom enhances his stories with a refreshing perspective, always finding innovative solutions tailored to client's needs.
Engstrom has worked with some of the most recognized clients in the world including Google, Target, TJX, Servpro, Samsung, American Express, KitchenAid, LG, Playstation and Toyota, to name a few. His spots have gone on to receive numerous accolades including several Clio awards for Nextel "Ants"and Playstation "Murals". Filip's AMF "The Caterpillar" won the Visual Effects Society award for Outstanding Animated Character, sharing the stage with James Cameron's Avatar. His film "Color Changes Everything" for Target was nominated for an Outstanding Commercial Emmy, one of the highest honors in the commercial world. Filip's recent work for Servpro "There's a Pro For That" is an adrenaline-fuelled and gripping film bursting with irony and humor.
Filip approaches his life and his work with fresh eyes, curiosity and optimism. You can feel his fascination with filmmaking and enthusiasm on screen. He's a technician and craftsman always finding practical solutions to CG problems, creating his unique whimsical style without sacrificing the human touch. He's living proof you can have fun and create amazing work in the process.
Fiona Jane Burgess is a UK based film director specialising in music videos, commercials, documentaries and fashion films. Fiona began directing music videos for her band Woman's Hour. She has since directed music videos for acclaimed artists, and fashion films for some of the most renowned brands and editorial platforms such as Vogue, Gucci, Burberry, Lacoste, Nike, Adidas and Zalando.
Her experience as a performer and musician is an integral part of her work as a director, and has helped define her style which is based on sharp art direction coupled with a real sense of visual storytelling. This combination makes her the perfect fit for subjects where the human is the backbone, whether in comedy or pure emotion.
Fiona was quickly noticed and awarded by the industry, receiving a Silver Young Director Award at Cannes Lions 2019 and was named Campaign's ‘Pick of the Week' for her first ever commercial with Mother London. She since sustained her momentum, and received multiples awards in 2021, including the Gold award for Direction at Shots 2021, the Best Advertising at Aesthetica Short Film Festival 2021 and the Commercials and Branded Content award at Berlin Commercial 2021. Last but not least, she was featured in the 2021 Top 10 directors voted by Campaign magazine.
As a proud feminist, she is drawn to projects that empower women and provoke debate. Aside from filmmaking, Fiona runs regular workshops in an adolescent psychiatric unit as a drama and arts facilitator and is an advocate for greater mental health awareness. She currently lives in London.
Guy Shelmerdine is a genuine creative force whose directorial genius always shines through no matter the genre. He started his career at the famed Cliff Freeman & Partners where he honed his appreciation for the craft of advertising, however it wasn't long before he left agency life to blaze his path as a filmmaker. He joined SMUGGLER after winning Best New Director at Cannes, and it's been a monumental journey since.
A natural born creator, he boasts the emotional intelligence, communication skills, and innate sense of comedic timing to draw out pitch-perfect performances from his actors. His technical prowess, eye for design, casting and camera awareness are second to none. Given the breadth of his talents, it's no surprise that his body of work is so impressively eclectic, proving his particular penchant for comedy and storytelling is universal.
He has helmed award-winning spots for clients across categories and territories collaborating with the world's best agencies in the process. Past clients include Amazon, Allstate, Credit Karma, AT&T, and ESPN, among many others. His Starburst "Vertical" campaign won a Cannes Bronze Lion, along with a D&AD Yellow Pencil, and 4 Golds at The One Show, while his "Big Day" Weetabix spot earned another Bronze Lion at Cannes and 2 Golds at the Clios. Other notable award winning projects include work for Hertz and Volkswagen with adam&eveDDB and JBL with BBH. Guy's work has been recognized at the top advertising award shows, receiving honors from Cannes Lions, shots, Clio Awards, The One Show, and AICP, to name a few.
Recent notable work includes his series of spots for UberEats featuring Lil Nas X and Elton John, showcasing Guy's eye for art direction and production design, his Wayne's World homage that aired during the Super Bowl and the iconic Star Wars vs. Star Trek showdown featuring Patrick Stewart and Mark Hamill. Additionally, his series of spots for SiriusXM featuring a star-studded ensemble of Kevin Hart, Dave Grohl, LL Cool J, Brett Favre, among others, highlight Shelmerdine's comedic touch, but also his supreme talent for working with celebrities.
Guy Shelmerdine is proof that a true artist never stops growing. He refuses to be categorized as a traditional comedy director, always pushing at the edges of what's possible, constantly redefining his brand as a filmmaker. He's a storyteller and joke maker, a visual humorist and wordsmith. He builds characters and their worlds from the ground up, giving him one of the most original and distinctive bodies of work in advertising.
Job Titles:
- Director of Sales & Management - Midwest
Patrick Milling-Smith is a commercial, film and theatre producer. He is co-founder and CEO of international production company SMUGGLER, named AdAge's 2020 and shots' 2021 Production Company of The Year, and co-founder of medium agnostic content company, division7. Amidst media and technology's rapidly changing landscape, Patrick's focus remains on storytelling and working with first-class creative talent to create impactful work, regardless of the medium or platform, from Tony Award Winning Broadway plays, category-defining Virtual & Augmented reality, a Grammy-winning album, to Cannes Lions, Grand Prix's, Palme d'Ors, Webby's, Clios, and Emmy-awarded storytelling.
Job Titles:
- Sales & Management - East Coast