a great update

Friday has come round again and have we got loads of news for you! 

We've had a busy couple of weeks at Great Guns. The prep for Cannes has well and truly started (a mere 34 days until the GG crew touch down in the French Riviera) we've revamped one of our offices, made a big announcement, launched an exhibition, changed a website... and we're about to tell you all about it! 

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Announcements should come first and ours is a good'un. Jonathon Ker, former Partner and EP at Paydirt has joined the family as Partner and CEO of Great Guns USA. Joining Ker at GG USA will be Executive Producer Annie Hanlon, who's focus will be on digital and new media work. 

Ker and Hanlon will work closely with Laura and her team of Great Guns EP's and Producers in London. 

You can read all about it on LBB: HERE

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With big announcements comes office revamps and the LA office has undergone a beautiful one. The lovely Nanna who transformed our UK office a few years ago jetted out to LA to work her interior design magic. 

Vaudeville's sound suite is up and running after their successful LA launch a few weeks ago.

The revamped space is now effortlessly cool and more like a gorgeous home than an office. Check out the amazing grassy balcony (we even have a BBQ!)

View of our LA home from Soho House LA! 

We're very happy with our LA home! 

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With a new home comes a new look and we've done just that on the Great Guns website. With loads of new features there's lots to see!

Go on... go explore it www.greatguns.com 

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Moving on to events, we've had a few recently. We headed into central last week to watch the launch of the D&AD Next Director Awards. Laura is Foreman on the Jury. 

The event was held at Google just off Tottenham Court Road.

Like all great events it started with canapés and excited chatter. 

Then the speeches got underway and the 2014 jury was introduced by Laura. 

The Next Director Award is a brand new award which aims to expose the best new directorial talent (directors with 2 years or less professional experience). The winner and nominees will get amazing exposure at international screenings, the D&AD platform and YouTube as well as mentoring from top production companies. 

You can still enter your work now if you're interested CLICK HERE

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We ended this week with an event for Timothy Allen at Glassworks in Soho. It was an evening to launch his new exhibition 'Travels Around Our Human Planet'. 

The exhibition features 20 of Tim's favourite prints from his travels around the world. The exhibition will remain in London for a month before traveling to Glassworks in Amsterdam.

2 Timothy Allen fans all the way from St. Albans!

Tim spent a few minutes talking about his favourite prints to a lovely crowd. We then enjoyed nibbles and wine, while admiring the amazing photographs. The evening was a big success and everyone had a great time. 

Don't worry if you missed it as the exhibition will return to London for a closing party towards the end of the summer. Watch this space! 

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No restaurant suggestions this week but we'll come back with a killer one next time... On that note, have a fantastic weekend wherever you are. 

The Gunners x 

we couldn't resist… The Gunners Christmas Gift List!

We know, we know… We ended the last post with dramatic festive flair and promises of no more posts until early 2014… but since then we've found some gorgeous gifts & some winter warming tipples that we just HAVE to share…(it would be rude not to!) 

Lets start with gifts first - if you're like us the thought of attempting to navigate through hoards of people to do your christmas shopping is just not an option. Most of us at GG HQ have decided that online is definitely the best way to shop. Sitting on the sofa, leisurely scrolling through various online sites and then just having to click 'buy now'. Which is why our Gunners Christmas Gift List is all online. 

GG Director Olly Blackburn's brother has just launched 'The Artful Project'. A new online gallery and photography space where you can find beautiful high quality photos and prints.

This one is 128 Yards #12 by Armando Ferrari. 

The Artful Project is all about inspiring a new culture of art collecting by offering extraordinary pieces at affordable prices. The project champions the 'art for everyone' ethos; turning exhibitions into creative events and supporting new talent. 

So for a truly unique christmas gift for that special someone, treat them to something from The Artful Project. 

Gunner Laura Gregory is saving for this gorgeous piece. (Threshold Part. 1 #13 by Julian Hibbard). 

If framed art is not your thing and you want something a bit different for a loved one, you have to check out designer Solange Azagury-Partridge's designs. The London based jewellery designer is famed for creating gorgeous statement pieces. Our favourite is the Hot Lips lacquered sterling silver ring. 

At £990 it really is an investment piece but one we'd totally plump for. Team it with a gorgeous LBD - perfect for Christmas Day. 

We love this stoned perfume as well 

and for something totally out there invest in the ball crusher lamp!

For the little nippers in your life it has to be something from The Fabelists. Matt Cooper from LBBonline teamed up with Brothers & Sisters and the Mill to launch this super-cool ethical and sustainable clothing line for kids. (We're currently working on a film project for them with our director Olivier Venturini) 

Their current line includes gorgeous dresses and skirts for girls, lovely quality jeans and jackets for boys, and our favourites - the unisex t-shirts. The Fabelists collaborated with some great artists including Gregori Saavedra, Anthony Peters and Crispin Finn to create some truly unique designs. 

There are loads of different designs and items to choose from and the best thing about it is you can order with a clean conscience! 

(you've got to be quick - december 18th is the final day for standard UK mainland deliveries but you can order up until the 20th december to get next day deliver in time for Christmas.) 

Whatever you decide to buy, make sure you include a goat, a toilet or even a few mosquito nets! Oxfam Unwrapped gives you the chance to buy all sorts of gifts starting at £5 that help others around the world. There's nothing better than spreading a bit of festive cheer! 

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Now after all that internet shopping you deserve to kick back and relax with something special. Here are our 3 favourite Christmas tipples. Perfect for that party you're planning, a lazy evening in, or simply because you want to… it is Christmas after all! 

The first is Christmas Southside 

For 1 drink you will need: 35ml of gin, 15ml sugar syrup, 25ml fresh lemon juice, 8 fresh mint leaves, 10 frozen cranberries & 25ml cranberry juice. Add everything except cranberry juice to a tall glass and mix with crushed ice. Float the cranberry juice on top and add a sprig of mint. 

For something a bit more warming, perfect for those evenings spent in front of the fire, try a Hot Roots. 

For 1 drink you will need: 50ml of Kamm & Sons, 150ml cloudy apple juice, 2 teaspoons of orgeat syrup and 1 slice of fresh ginger. Crush the ginger in a pan, then warm all the ingredients together in the pan and strain into a heatproof glass. 

Finally the perfect party drink - Very Berry. 

You will need 25ml of Chambord black raspberry liqueur, 125ml of cabernet sauvignon, 25ml of fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of caster sugar and 3 raspberries. Crush the raspberries in a glass with the sugar and add the wine, Chambord and lemon juice. Top up the glass with boiling water then float a small slice of lemon studded with 3 cloves on top.   

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Have a fantastic break & look out for a new year post in early 2014! 

Love, The Gunners x 

london is cooling down but great guns is heating up

For many the lead up to the festive period is a time to wind down, tie up those loose ends and gear up for the New Year - not for the Gunners, we're steaming ahead and are busier than ever! 

GG director Jonty Toosey has been even busier since the last blog post. He's just directed a gorgeous spot for Alpro Soya Yoghurt.

Shot in Slovenia this heart-warming advert focuses on the mantra 'stay curious', and follows a woman's rediscovery of her love of photography. 

You can watch it HERE. 

As promised here is the link to his advert featuring Antonio Banderas - Kaspi Bank 

Jonty is currently in full on production mode at Great Guns with an exciting shoot confirmed for next week - we can't wait for you to see it so check back soon! 

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Our mammoth project with Russian Standard Vodka officially launched this month and some of the team spent an evening sipping on Russian Standard Moscow Mules and watching the amazing new advert at the British Science Museum in South Kensington.

GG director Calum Macdiarmid teamed up with My Agency and Jason Silva (a filmmaker and performance philosopher) for the shoot. It was partly filmed on location in Russia and partly in a west London studio. 

Edited in house by GG editor James Demetriou the spot is slick and utterly fascinating, with one viewer stating on youtube  'what in THE WORLD is a vodka scientist? I want that job.'

The launch was a huge success and you can actually watch how the event unfolded here and of course please have a look at the spot HERE. 

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Steven Boyle just filmed a lovely promo for the singing duo Elephant titled 'Shapeshifter'. Described on Davids Reviews as 'blissed out wonder' Shapeshifter seems to be about appreciating the return of a love that was lost. 

Backed by the sparse and stretched out Snowday, as icily cool as it sounds, full of chiaroscuro contrasts and flickering atmospherics, it's a release that suggests their debut album is set to be one of the standout albums of 2014.

Have a watch of the video HERE

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We've been sending out LOADS of Turn DVD's as we continue the festival rounds. 

And we've just been accepted into another festival - The London Short Film Festival which is another Oscar and Bafta booster! 

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Our beautiful Gold LIA award for Best Music Video arrived in the post this week and has taken prime place in the London office. 

Other exciting post includes our Shots Tickets - we can't wait for next thursday night and are crossing our fingers! 

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Our directors are busier than ever with some really exciting work coming up towards the end of the year and some great stuff to kick off 2014. 

Ron Scalpello continues to cut his film at Great Guns and has just shot an action-packed spot due to air in January. 

Andy Morahan has just jetted over to LA to shoot in both downtown LA and Vegas.

Paul Shearer has shot a brilliant spot for a well known sports brand featuring some familiar faces so watch this space for a link in the coming weeks. 

And Klaus Thymann has just been featured on i-D online talking about his five top extreme locations to shoot. 

Extreme locations include The Blue Lake in New Zealand and the Rwenzori Mountains in Uganda. 

You can have a read of that article HERE 

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We polished of the week as all weeks should be polished off - with a lunch at The York and Albany in Camden. We headed down with the lovely folk at McCann Health and GG director Olly Blackburn and gorged ourselves on spicy wings, calamari, pizzas and burgers. 

Sorry to disappoint but the food was so delicious and the company so brilliant we totally forgot to take some snaps. Anyway, we wouldn't want to make you jealous. 

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As always have a wonderful weekend wherever you are & check back soon for more updates. 

For more regular updates follow us on twitter @greatgunstv