Frozen

Exactly one year after my last TV commercial, I've been given the opportunity to direct an ad with a very exciting and ambitious script given the fact I had only a week to prepare for the shoot.

Without the people's support, maintenance and restoration works on NTS properties are very likely to stop. NTS needs people's donations in order to be able to carry on with its works. This message is beautifully interpreted by the creative team at Union into a visually powerful script revolving around the concept of time. Time goes on as it always does but the workers of NTS stop and are stonified. They gather dust as they wait for funding in order to continue their work. Their surroundings look like abandoned sites, filled with dust and dead leaves. Time goes on and eats into stone, wool and wood and there is no one to fight it unless ...

We've filmed for two days around the impressive Culzean Castle, at the fountain court and Camellia House. The loom scene was filmed at the Weaver's Cottage in Kilbarchan. All three locations feature people working for the National Trust for Scotland, a real stonemason, gardener and weaver. The donor is Anna Rathband, filming manager at National Trust for Scotland, who happens to also be a good friend of mine.

Andrei Staruiala - director
Kathleen Lambie - producer
Jonas Bak - director of photography
Chris Gayne - assistant camera
Madeleine Drewell - make-up and standby props
Charmaine Gilbert - prop maker
Gavin Livingstone - editor and colourist

Paul McDonald - art director
Euan Auld - copywriter
Sarah Guild - account director
Victoria Rowlinson - account manager