THE MILL OPEN INTERACTIVE ADVERTISING LAB

THE MILL, London-based post-production facility, have launched a new division concentrating on interactive advertising.
The new addition to Mill Group, which also includes Mill Film, Mill Motion Control, Mil Models and emill, aims to offer existing and new advertising industry clients interactive content across a range of platforms including web, DVD, CD-ROM and iTV. Mill Interactive Lab will be based at the Mill’s Soho headquarters and is led by former Mill Facilities Director, Andy Barmer.
Barmer, now Development Director of New Media, said: “We aim to concentrate on high production value interactive content for the advertising and entertainment industry. Our core opportunity is with our existing client base who now require rich media executions that cross traditional media boundaries. As we are already respected in the delivery of product that is both technically and creatively demanding, we are in a prime position to capitalise on this.”
Mill Interactive Lab have attracted three industry talents: Commercial Director and Animator Paul Donnellon; ex-Frameline cg Artist Andrew White; and D&AD Yellow Pencil winning Web-Designer James Stone.
The team are currently working on a range of projects including a music video for the band Orbital which will be completed using Flash and versioned for both DVD and the web. During Mill Interactive lab’s six-month-long running in period the designers have been working on trial projects of their own and for a handful of clients.
Barmer said: “We have put together a showcase website at www.mill.co.uk/lab in the hope of inspiring people of what can be done via the web. There are a lot of wide-open creative possibilities, without the restrictions of television that agencies can benefit from our help in exploring. Hopefully the Mill Interactive Lab website will encourage creatives to think beyond normal television and print.” (CMcL)