Multidisciplinary artist and director Ben Tricklebank–known for his cinematic storytelling, immersive installations and interactive filmmaking–has rejoined the roster of Tool.
Prior to reconnecting with Tool, Tricklebank was most recently repped in the commercialmaking arena by production company JOJX. In his first go-around with the L.A.-based Tool, Tricklebank launched his directorial career. During his transition from experiential design to traditional commercial production, he worked closely with Tool founder Erich Joiner to refine and expand his skill set, contributing to groundbreaking projects that seamlessly blend art and technology.
“Ben is one of the most talented craftsmen in the industry, known for his ability to create stunning, one-of-a-kind experiences for brands,” said Nancy Hacohen, managing director of Tool. “His deep understanding of both the artistic and technical aspects of filmmaking makes him an invaluable asset. We are beyond excited to welcome him back to collaborate on new, innovative projects.”
Tricklebank’s portfolio includes directing films for brands such as Delta, Chase, Fitbit, Lenovo, Audible, Hennessey, Lexus, Mini Cooper, and PlayStation, and collaborating with agencies like Droga5, DDB, BBH, Ogilvy & Mather, The Martin Agency and Google Creative Lab.
His work has been recognized with numerous prestigious awards from Cannes Lions, D&AD, and The One Show. The interactive documentary film for the JFK Presidential Library and Foundation, Clouds Over Cuba, which he and Joiner directed, explored the Cuban Missile Crisis through a unique digital lens, earning a News & Documentary Emmy Award.
“The advent of new technology is allowing us to tell stories in ways we could only dream of five years ago,” said Tricklebank. “Tool has always been at the cutting edge of this evolution, seamlessly merging traditional live-action with innovative digital techniques. I’m thrilled to rejoin the team and continue exploring these uncharted territories.”
James Earl Jones, Lauded Actor and Voice of Darth Vader, Dies At 93
James Earl Jones, who overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen — eventually lending his deep, commanding voice to CNN, "The Lion King" and Darth Vader — has died. He was 93.
His agent, Barry McPherson, confirmed Jones died Monday morning at home in New York's Hudson Valley region. The cause was not immediately clear.
The pioneering Jones, who was one of the first African American actors in a continuing role on a daytime drama and worked deep into his 80s, won two Emmys, a Golden Globe, two Tony Awards, a Grammy, the National Medal of Arts, the Kennedy Center Honors and was given an honorary Oscar and a special Tony for lifetime achievement. In 2022, a Broadway theater was renamed in his honor.
He cut an elegant figure late in life, with a wry sense of humor and a ferocious work habit. In 2015, he arrived at rehearsals for a Broadway run of "The Gin Game" having already memorized the play and with notebooks filled with comments from the creative team. He said he was always in service of the work.
"The need to storytell has always been with us," he told The Associated Press then. "I think it first happened around campfires when the man came home and told his family he got the bear, the bear didn't get him."
Jones created such memorable film roles as the reclusive writer coaxed back into the spotlight in "Field of Dreams," the boxer Jack Johnson in the stage and screen hit "The Great White Hope," the writer Alex Haley in "Roots: The Next Generation" and a South African minister in "Cry, the Beloved Country."
He was also a sought-after voice actor, expressing the villainy of Darth Vader ("No, I am your father," commonly misremembered as "Luke, I am your father"), as... Read More