RATTLING STICK'S NEW SIGNING

There's a new girl about town at Rattling Stick, as Sara Dunlop joins the production house's veritable ranks.

It's been a fast and furious start for to the year for the London-based production company. Not only did they pick up the Best Commercial gong at the BTAA awards for Ringan Ledwidge's Hovis epic, they were also named Best Production Company. And now there's a new member to the Rattling Stick family, with the addition of Sara Dunlop to the roster.

Joining from Home Corps, Dunlop got into the directing game after studying film at Westminster University. Since then she's gone on to shoot a host of commercials, including spots for Sky, Virgin Trains and Toshiba.

Back in 2000 she also helmed a short film for the Big Issue, parodying Tony Scott's grandiose Barclays campaign, which featured a string of high profile stars such as Anthony Hopkins.

But despite now working side by side with some of the industry's biggest names, Dunlop's got her nerves under control. "Everybody's been really supportive, and of course it's inspiring to be in such a creative environment," she said. "I'd like to take on bigger challenges while I'm here and push myself as far as I can go - and make great ads everybody here is proud of."

For Rattling Stick co-owner/director Danny Kleinman, it's great to have a female director on the team. "It helps balance the company," said Kleinman, "and we consider Sara to be a director with a great eye and a focus on quality, which fits well with our vision for Rattling Stick. We want a range of talented people and Sara certainly has a great deal of talent."

And having just wrapped a short film linked to the launch of a young shoe designer, it's straight back to work for Dunlop: "I'm now working on adapting a play, and we're busy furiously pitching too!"