MR JONATHAN - PARIS
Commissioned to write, design and direct the brand film ‘Mr Jonathan’ for Mr Jonathan - Paris.
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BLURB: MR JONATHAN
Mr Jonathan in words: “Mystery today is a luxury” says Johnny Hardstaff of his new and somewhat outré brand film for reclusive Paris client Mr Jonathan. “Industry’s harsh searchlight is busy banishing the shadows and intrigue is evaporating fast. So when an unusual project comes along where you're invited to do the very thing that advertising never would but maybe should, well, who are we to let a little unorthodoxy get in the way? Why be boring?
"Yes - it’s true that we never did meet or speak with Mr Jonathan - just an intermediary (The Jonathan Foundation correspond solely by telephone). And at the end maybe that was the strangest client presentation I’ve ever experienced (the client silently sat behind a curtain). And no, we never did fully understand what it is that 'Mr Jonathan' does exactly (something ‘lifestyle’ perhaps?). But then the mission wasn’t to be literal. It was to capture an essence. A loose, or should I say ‘louche’ - agenda. The mission was to cast some shadows, not run in fear from them.
“So, why let the genie out? Why explain mystique away with ‘details’ and ‘context’ let alone 'the truth’ - whatever that is? Why let the steam dissipate? No - bottle that magic! Scare those horses! Inhale that airbed! Allow your curiosity to be piqued! Get naked and wriggle around together in the intrigue! Revel in secrecy - while there are still secrets to keep and as you do, whisper it - mantra like - over and over… 'Vive la differencé! Vive l’humanite! Vive Mr Jonathan!” -
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Mr Jonathan in numbers: In-camera stop motion stills = approx 12,000 / Bespoke music compositions = 1 (‘Mr Perfecto’ - Colin Smith & Simon Elms @ Eclectic) / Artificial intelligence = zilch / Out-sized satin knickers = 1 pair (returned) / Art, craft, beauty & refinement = much (Selected Works) / Boiled eggs = 2 (uneaten) / Brilliant sound & picture edits = 1 (J.D. Smyth @ Final Cut) / Alans = 1 (Alan @ Pentonville Rubber) / Genius sound design = bountiful (Patch Rowland @ Machine) / Wonderful on-screen talent = 13 (appropriately) / Totally disproportionate number of shoot days = 23 / Commercial value = £-0.00 / Fucks to give = 0.
Credits:
Client: Mr Jonathan® - Paris via The Jonathan Foundation
Director / Creative Director / Writer: Johnny Hardstaff
Sound & Picture Editor: J.D. Smyth @ Final Cut
DOP: Yu Kuang Chou
Additional Photography: Johnny Hardstaff
VFX: Greg Spencer / Dave Hempstead / Dave Wishart @ Selected Works
VFX Production: Senior Producer Nicola Simmons / Producer Beatriz de Carvalho @ Selected Works
Colourist: Nielsan Bohl @ Selected Works
Original Music Composition: ‘Mr Perfecto’ by Colin Smith & Simon Elms @ Eclectic Music
Music Production: Cliff Wilson @ Eclectic Music
Sound Design: Patch Rowland @ Machine
Sound Production: Theo Cassells & Rebecca Boswell @ Machine
Production Design: Johnny Hardstaff
Styling: Johnny Hardstaff with Joanna Izowska
Models: Josephine & Tullio / Junior Valentine / Kofi Dechie Couston / Michael Batten / Charlie Man / Darren Bain / Victoria Gong / Yu Kuang Chou / Pia Scoulding / Ki-Ki Hardstaff
Camera Support: Yumi Yoshinaga & Ben Webster @ Leica UK
Foam: Alan @ Pentonville Rubber
Assistants: Victoria Gong / Pia Scoulding / Ki-Ki Hardstaff
Supported by The Jonathan Foundation - 459 Dirello Street - San Francisco - USA
© Johnny Hardstaff - March 2025
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