Dougal Wilson
Encyclopedia
Dougal Wilson is a director of commercials and music videos.
Wilson was born in Heswall
, England
. After studying astrophysics
at Durham University
, he worked as a copywriter at the Leith advertising agency in Edinburgh
before moving to London to pursue a career as a director.
His music videos include "Satisfaction
" for Benny Benassi
, "Tribulations
" for LCD Soundsystem
, "Who Am I" for Will Young
, "Take Me Back to Your House" for Basement Jaxx
, "Don't Let Him Waste Your Time
" for Jarvis Cocker
, "What's a Girl To Do?" for Bat for Lashes
, "Happiness
" for Goldfrapp
, and "Life in Technicolor II
" for Coldplay
.
He has directed commercials for companies such as Orange, Stella Artois, Olympus, Becks, and Coca-Cola.
Wilson has twice won Best Director at the UK Creative and Design Awards (in 2004 and 2005 ), as well as having won Gold, Silver and Bronze Lions at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival
and D&AD
awards in 2006 and 2008.
In 2008, he directed a short film (a silent comedy
homage
) for Sky Arts
and the English National Opera
, based on The Barber of Seville
aria
"Largo al factotum
".
Wilson was pictured on the front cover of the March 2009 edition of Creativity Magazine wearing a jetpack and seemingly hovering a few feet above the ground in front of a car park. Inside, he leads the edition's main article, 'Directing 101', in which '15 top directors' dispense advice learned on the job.
Wilson was born in Heswall
Heswall
Heswall is a town in Wirral, in the county of Merseyside, England. Administratively, it is a ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral. At the time of the 2001 Census, the total population of the ward was 16,012 , which included the nearby villages of Barnston and Gayton...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. After studying astrophysics
Astrophysics
Astrophysics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties of celestial objects, as well as their interactions and behavior...
at Durham University
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
, he worked as a copywriter at the Leith advertising agency in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
before moving to London to pursue a career as a director.
His music videos include "Satisfaction
Satisfaction (Benny Benassi song)
"Satisfaction" is a Benny Benassi track from his 2003 album Hypnotica. The track was Benassi's debut single and most successful song, peaking at number 2 in the UK. It was also used in a TV commercial for an Australian beer, and Wendy's hamburgers...
" for Benny Benassi
Benny Benassi
Marco Benassi , better known as Benny Benassi, is a Grammy Award winning Italian disc jockey and record producer of electro house music. He is best known for his 2002 summer club hit "Satisfaction"...
, "Tribulations
Tribulations
"Tribulations" is the seventh single from LCD Soundsystem, released on September 27, 2005. It appeared as the third track on Disc 1 of the band's eponymous debut double album...
" for LCD Soundsystem
LCD Soundsystem
LCD Soundsystem was a prominent American dance-punk band from New York City. It was fronted by American singer-songwriter and producer James Murphy, co-founder of record label DFA Records...
, "Who Am I" for Will Young
Will Young
William Robert "Will" Young is a British singer-songwriter and actor who came to prominenceafter winning the 2002 inaugural series of the British music contest Pop Idol, making him the first winner of the now-worldwide Idols-format franchise...
, "Take Me Back to Your House" for Basement Jaxx
Basement Jaxx
Basement Jaxx are a British electronic dance music duo from London, England consisting of Felix Buxton born 1971 and Simon Ratcliffe born 1 December 1969. They first rose to popularity in the late 1990s...
, "Don't Let Him Waste Your Time
Don't Let Him Waste Your Time
"Don't Let Him Waste Your Time" is a song by English singer and songwriter Jarvis Cocker. Before recording the song for his debut solo album Jarvis in November 2006, the song appeared on Nancy Sinatra's self-titled 2004 album...
" for Jarvis Cocker
Jarvis Cocker
Jarvis Branson Cocker is an English musician and frontman for the band Pulp. Through his work with the band, Cocker became a figurehead of the Britpop movement of the mid-1990s. Following Pulp's hiatus Cocker has led a successful solo career...
, "What's a Girl To Do?" for Bat for Lashes
Bat for Lashes
Natasha Khan , also known by her stage name Bat for Lashes, is an English musician. She sings and plays the piano, bass, guitar, harpsichord and the autoharp....
, "Happiness
Happiness
Happiness is a mental state of well-being characterized by positive emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. A variety of biological, psychological, religious, and philosophical approaches have striven to define happiness and identify its sources....
" for Goldfrapp
Goldfrapp
Goldfrapp are an English electronic music duo, formed in 1999 in London, England, that consists of Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory ....
, and "Life in Technicolor II
Life in Technicolor II
"Life in Technicolor II" , is a song by English alternative rock band Coldplay and the first single from the band's 2008 EP, Prospekt's March. The song is the full, vocal version of the instrumental song "Life in Technicolor" from Coldplay's fourth studio album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His...
" for Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
.
He has directed commercials for companies such as Orange, Stella Artois, Olympus, Becks, and Coca-Cola.
Wilson has twice won Best Director at the UK Creative and Design Awards (in 2004 and 2005 ), as well as having won Gold, Silver and Bronze Lions at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival
Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival
The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is a global event for those working in advertising and related fields. The seven-day festival, incorporating the awarding of the Lions awards, is held yearly at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès in Cannes, France...
and D&AD
D&AD
Design and Art Direction is a British educational charity which exists to promote excellence in design and advertising...
awards in 2006 and 2008.
In 2008, he directed a short film (a silent comedy
Silent comedy
Silent comedy refers to a style of acting, related to but distinct from mime, invented to bring comedy into the medium of film in the silent film era before a sound track on film was technologically practicable...
homage
Homage
Homage is a show or demonstration of respect or dedication to someone or something, sometimes by simple declaration but often by some more oblique reference, artistic or poetic....
) for Sky Arts
Sky Arts
Sky Arts and Sky Arts HD is the brand name for a group of art-oriented television channels offering 18 hours a day of programmes dedicated to highbrow arts, including theatrical performances, movies, documentaries and music...
and the English National Opera
English National Opera
English National Opera is an opera company based in London, resident at the London Coliseum in St. Martin's Lane. It is one of the two principal opera companies in London, along with the Royal Opera, Covent Garden...
, based on The Barber of Seville
The Barber of Seville
The Barber of Seville, or The Futile Precaution is an opera buffa in two acts by Gioachino Rossini with a libretto by Cesare Sterbini. The libretto was based on Pierre Beaumarchais's comedy Le Barbier de Séville , which was originally an opéra comique, or a mixture of spoken play with music...
aria
Aria
An aria in music was originally any expressive melody, usually, but not always, performed by a singer. The term is now used almost exclusively to describe a self-contained piece for one voice usually with orchestral accompaniment...
"Largo al factotum
Largo al factotum
Largo al factotum is an aria from The Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini, sung at the first entrance of the title character; the repeated "Figaro"s before the final patter section are an icon in popular culture of operatic singing...
".
Wilson was pictured on the front cover of the March 2009 edition of Creativity Magazine wearing a jetpack and seemingly hovering a few feet above the ground in front of a car park. Inside, he leads the edition's main article, 'Directing 101', in which '15 top directors' dispense advice learned on the job.