Jeff Macfarlane
Studio Manager / Director
I have been working with Act Two-Um since 1996, and have been involved in the supplier side of the advertising industry since 1850, or thereabouts.
As one of the partners with a particular responsibility for managing the studio, it is important to me to offer a full service to our clients. This includes the obvious things like quality, timing and controlling budgets, but also I am very conscious of the extra things that matter to clients like invoicing, pdfs and bikes arriving on time and, of course, lunch!
I enjoy the occasional foray to our New York office just to ensure it is running like the well-oiled machine that is the London office. I am very organised by nature with a touch of irritating creativity to make organisation just that little bit more difficult.
Other things you should know:
Chinese year of the sheep
Aries
Yes please:
Beer
Cooking
Wine
The countryside
Horse riding
Gin
Walking
Italy
Beer
No thanks:
The EEC
The elderly
Terrorists
Mother Theresa’s face cream
Paul (Foggy) Ingram
Digital Artist / Director
Born (Third of six) raised and educated in East Ham. Still living in London with my wife, two children and a very large black cat called Nereno. At the end of the 80’s I started work in the Advertising/Post Production world. I first started working with some of this merry bunch back then, took a ten-year break before giving in to their persuasive wit and charm again in 2002.
Now frequently found burning the midnight oil in the studio, my responsibilities include retouching and project managing campaigns, organising work flow through the studios to ensure deadlines and quality are maintained, and generally mucking in wherever necessary.
In 2003, I spent over 18 months setting up and ironing out teething problems in our newly opened New York studio, to guarantee the same high standards as in our UK studio. I still frequently visit our New York office, which has become a real success story with a strong client base and a great reputation.
Other things you should know:
Chinese year of the Boar (1971)
Gemini
Yes please:
Playing my Guitar & Banjo (badly)
Taking pride in my work
Meeting people who inspire me
Cooking, Reading, Music, History, Long walks, Beer and Hammocks (not necessarily in that order)
No thanks:
Tinnitus
Ignorance
Reality TV
Friendly drunks on trains
Unfriendly drunks on trains
Jack Jackson
Studio Manager / Director
My life in a nutshell. Born in 1955 to the best parents in the world. Brought up in the East End of London. Met my lovely wife at the age of 16 have four children (all taller than me now). Became a creative as soon as I picked up a pencil. I have only worked in four studios in my career, three of which I have owned with great partners and some of the most talented people in the industry.
Other things you should know:
Chinese year of the Sheep
Cancer
Vital statistics height 5ft 10ins, ripply but cuddly
Yes please:
My family
Fast cars
Classic cars
All cars!
Spain
Drawing
Helping other people
Cuddling
The Countryside
FRIDAYS
No thanks:
Back stabbing people
Deep Water
Drunks
Hoodies
British Rail
Slow cars
Glen Paul Ash
Sales Director / Managing Director
Decided to leave school at the age of 15, or more accurately told to leave after trying to saw the leg off my carpentry teacher’s chair. And so entered the world of advertising at an early age. Started as a hand retoucher with one of the first companies of its kind, before taking time out after five years to see the world.
Coming back to England I went straight back into advertising, working my way through the different departments as a retoucher, studio manager and sales rep etc. After years of making the tea and emptying the bins I decided it was time to start up with my own merry band of partners and a wealth of talented artists. I have known some of these guys for twenty years, so it’s one big happy family, a bit like the Waltons.
Having the two companies to take care of, London & New York my role as Sales Director & Managing Director is a fulfilling role which I really enjoy. I live in Kent with my lovely lady and my two children, George & Max. I also have to thank my Son, who is Autistic, as he helps me to look at life in a different way.
Other things you should know:
Chinese year of the monkey
Sagittarius
Height: 6ft 4ins
Yes please:
Travelling to interesting, exotic places
Warm fireplaces in the winter
Good restaurants
Nice hotels
People watching
Good wine
Music
Theatre
Having fun
Family
Cooking
Shopping for clothes
Doing good creative work
Drawing
No thanks:
Wearing pants that are too tight
Wearing pants that are too big
Shaving, especially my legs
Being buried alive
People wearing silly hats
Being served cold food in a restaurant
Uncaring and unprofessional people
Rude people
Clowns pretending to throw a bucket of water when we all know it’s full of feathers
Bird droppings on my car
Trousers that are too long
Carl Taylor
Sales Manager / Director
After leaving Cambridge Arts College I worked for a number of London Advertising Agencies before buying a camera and moving into Retouching and Photography.
I have worked with the same bunch of people at Act Two-Um for the last 15 years. 15 very long years.
I divide my time between London and New York taking creative briefs from art directors whilst having the occasional lunch. I think the modern day term for my job description is networking?
Other things you should know:
Chinese year of the snake
Scorpio
Yes please:
Fronting the most exciting Rock n Roll band ever to come out of the Home Counties. The Mercenaries.
Playing 30-minute guitar solos.
Negotiating with my two young sons why they can’t have everything in Toys R Us.
The Outdoors, especially Al Fresco.
Problem solving and making people’s dreams come true.
Scoring 40-yard free kicks
No thanks:
People who don’t clear up after their dogs.
Indecisiveness
30-minute guitar solos
Freeloaders
Brown belts worn with black shoes
Black belts worn with brown shoes
Hard work
Disposable cameras at weddings
Spencer Kenneth Hannam
Digital Artist / Director
Born in the Hamptons, more Henry VIII than New York. My parents obviously didn’t like children as I was shipped off to boarding school at an early age, not returning to civilization until the early 8o’s. I then started my illustrious career working in the film industry on epics such as ‘Gulag’ with Malcolm MacDowell and ‘Remington Steel’ with Pearce Brosnan as a runner / clapper loader.
Moving into the world of advertising I worked at Studio 10 with some of the Act Two-Um lads, so I have been with some of the boys for longer than my wife, even living with most of them in New York.
As a partner of Act Two-Um, I have enjoyed the responsibility of contributing to the running of the company. Act Two-Um continues to be a fun and productive place to be both in New York and London.
Other things you should know:
Chinese year of the Horse
Sagittarius
Born in the most successful year in the history of English football
Height/build: English bulldog
Yes please:
My Wife
3 children & Ruby the chocolate labradoodle
New York City
Travel
Running
Cycling
Fresh Coffee
Red wine
Optimism
And wine gums
No thanks:
Laziness
The London Underground
Politicians
Hangovers
Arrogance
Stuart Victor (Danger) Callow
Digital Artist / New York Manager (Staff not Director)
I have worked with some of the Act Two-Um team for 20 years and can’t seem to shake them. Since my first digital retouching as an 18-year-old, on a computer about as powerful as a toaster, I have amassed 20 years’ of creative retouching experience.
Now based full-time in our New York office, I get involved with retouching, proofing, IT, client liaison, etc. I also make the toast. I have a good working relationship with our clients in the US, even if they can’t always understand my Essex accent, and am more than happy to help out at every stage of a project, always striving to provide the best quality possible and deliver it on time.
I return to the UK every now and then to see my family and friends and to eat vast amounts of Cadburys Double Decker’s (the best chocolate in the world).
Other things you should know:
Chinese Year of the Dog
Gemini (Zodiac sign, not the moon landings)
Height: 5 foot, 11inches
Build: Russell Crowe (not Russell Grant), blue eyes, brown hair (all over)
Yes please:
Chocolate
Food
Chocolate covered food
The ladies!!!!
New York
New York Ladies
New York Ladies covered in chocolate
Camouflage
Cycling
The woods
SCUBA
Sailing
Travel to exotic places
Nature
Things that scare me
Things that make me smile
Laughing
No thanks:
Bad people
Rude people
Talking in cinemas
Spiders
Woollen underwear