— JOHNNY HARDSTAFF

Johnny HardstaffOctober 05, 2024Comment

MR JONATHAN - PARIS

Commissioned to write, design and direct the brand film ‘Mr Jonathan’ for Mr Jonathan - Paris.

WATCH HERE > >

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

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