Julio del Alamo, the Madrid-based commercial director acclaimed throughout Europe and worldwide for his cinematic, emotionally rich storytelling, has signed with Accomplice Media for general market representation in the United States. It marks the first time that del Alamo, whose credits include BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, McDonald’s and Coca-Cola, has pursued work in the American general market.
Accomplice Media executive producer Mel Gragido called del Alamo a superb craftsman who brings a unique point of view to his work, particularly in automotive advertising. “He’s a great visual storyteller,” Gragido said. “He does a wonderful job of weaving a human element into his spots, whether they are about cars or other products. His work is very much in tune with the direction of advertising today.”
Although del Alamo has not previously pursued work from American ad agencies, he has worked in the U.S. on many occasions, including recent campaigns for Jeep and Chevrolet. The latter was a spot for Chevy’s Malibu produced for the international market. Shot on the California coast, the ad describes the evolution of the brand from the sixties to the present and is set to a new version of the Mamas and the Papas classic California Dreamin’.
Del Alamo notes that he personalized the narrative element to provoke a stronger emotional response from viewers. “I suggested that the actor touch the car and that reminds him of Malibu’s history,” he recalls. “We used different textures to capture different eras and different models of the car.”
Del Alamo worked as an assistant director early in his career (including assisting director Pedro Almodovar). He founded Alamofilms in 1995 and today the company has four directors on staff, links with production companies globally, and consistently ranks among the top production companies in Spain. Del Alamo himself has won numerous awards for his work in advertising, including two Cannes Lions. The director has shot virtually everywhere around the globe, with his recent work including a campaign for Wind that was shot in Greece and a campaign for Ford filmed in Argentina. His short film Roots recently won the Sustainable Development Award at the International Unseen Film Festival in Bilbao.
The director notes that his early experience as an assistant director and his knowledge of editing informs his work behind the camera. The former helps him to deliver maximum production for his budget, the latter makes him a better and more economical storyteller. “The experience of running my company allows me to see projects as a whole,” he explains. “I’m also known for working quickly. Having been an editor, I know what works and I don’t spend time shooting things that I know we won’t use later.”
Del Alamo adds that he is eager to apply his skills to American advertising, saying “that’s where the best ideas are.” “I believe I can contribute something new by applying a European touch to American concepts,” he adds. “When a commercial appears on television, many people are watching, but few are really ‘observing.’ I try to shape my stories to entice viewers to become observers. That’s when the magic happens.”
Regarding Accomplice Media, del Alamo says that it provides an ideal platform for exploring the U.S. market. Citing the company’s experience with other European commercial directors, the director says, “I found their roster of talent and the projects they’ve done to be quite interesting. I also felt that I could bring something new to the company, a different type of storytelling, particularly with cars.”
For more information about Accomplice Media, visit http://www.accomplice-media.com/
