Top TVC director Wayne Maule killed in Thailand
UPDATE: Thank you for all of the wonderful messages that havebeen left for Belle and the family.There will be a ceremony this Saturday 31st October at Cherng TalayTemple, at 12pm followed by a wake at Taste on Surin Beach. Please joinus to celebrate Wayne’s life,There will also be a service on Thursday week in Sydney, details willfollow – Kathy Davies
Well known and loved Australian TVC director, Wayne Maule has been tragically killed in Thailand.
Thedirector of major TVCs such as the second worldwide ‘I still callAustralia home’ TVC for Qantas and the ‘Where the bloody hell are you?”spot for Australian Tourism, Maule was quoting on scripts right upuntil the end. As of yesterday and in addition to his recent work inthe Middle East, he was in the midst of quoting a big Ford campaign outof JWT Shanghai and had just received some scripts for Sharp out ofVietnam.
According to reports, his motorbike collided with a six-wheel truckin Cherng Talay in Phuket yesterday afternoon. He was riding a HondaClick down Srisoonthorn Road towards Surin when the tragedy happened atabout 1:15pm. Maule has based himself out of Phuket for the past few years.
Only this time last year, Maule decided to focus back on the land where his directingcareer began by joining Sydney-based Arithmetic.
Maule said at the time: “Apart from having done some ofmy best work with Australian agencies, I have a lot of family andfriends here and I miss that. After all this is where mychildren are.”
Most recently, best known in Australia for hisdirecting of the beautiful but controversial ‘Where The Bloody Hell AreYou?’ campaign for Australian Tourism and agency M&C Saatchi, Maulehas travelled the world working in Asia, The Middle East, Europe andAfrica since completing the second iconic Qantas’ I Still CallAustralia Home in 2004.
Arithmetic Executive Producer, AndrewMcPhail said of Maule at the time: “I feel incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity representsuch an accomplished visual stylist like Wayne. Having worked with someof the best visual directors in the business. I am gobsmacked by howconsistently brilliant his TVCs are.”
AddsMcPhail this morning: “Obviously we are deeply shocked at Wayne’stragic passing. Wayne was a true journeyman. A man who always – afterso many years being at the top of his game – continued to astound withthe childlike enthusiasm combined with the consummate professionalismhe brought to his directing. The loss of such a great artist is aprofound loss to our industry and he shall be sorely missed. Ourdeepest condolences go out to his wife Bella and his family.”
Maule began his advertisingcareer in the UK with one of London’s most creative agencies BMP SJIPworking his way up to Art Director and Head Copywriter for a number ofagencies before being appointed Group Head of Leo Burnetts in Sydneythen Creative Director of J. Walter Thompson.
Being an accomplishedphotographer he quickly found himself directing what have since becomeiconic campaigns for Coca-Cola, Shell, Optus, Qantas and AustralianTourism to name but a few.
18 Comments
Very sad news.
Sending my love to his wife Belinda and his children.
Very, very sad news.
Wayne was a great director to work with.
And he had a great eye.
This is dreadful news.
Wayne was such a talented person and a great friend. I worked with him on several projects but our friendship extended far beyond that. I was only speaking to him last week. My thoughts go out to Belinda and his children.
We have so many great memories of Wayne, one of life’s true characters.
He will be missed by all of us and we send our condolences and love to his family. And we are here to help if needed.
Its a tragedy here in Phuket where wayne was a great mate to many of us, and with Belle brought a wonderfull down to earth quality to our island life. He was coming down the hill towards the beach and was adjusting his helmet … somehow he lost control of his bike at the wrong time, wrong place. There will be a service organised here in Phuket and I will post details as soon as at hand.
Wayne was a true spirit who took each day with a passion, recently he worked really hard to win a Thai tourism campaign in bangkok with the TAT, and after at least half a dozen meetings in BKK, weeks of unpaid work and remade story boards about this wonderfull country that he fell in love with and called home, was pipped at the post by a lower bid…. in true wayne spirit he recounted how he called his team and let them know that if there were any long faces the next morning then there was no need for them to come back to work. full stop. Even in his toughest times he had a sparkle in his eye.
Wayne will be sadly missed and our hearts go out to Belle.
Nick and Maple Anthony, Surin Beach, Phuket
I am shocked and terribly saddened..
My husband and I were with Belle and Wayne only last week in Phuket.
He was such a beautiful soul and talented director. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family.
I came across to Wayne’s wedding photos on my archive yesterday…. around 6pm…. Not knowing about the news yet. Words can not describe my feeling.
Wandee
What a shock. RIP Wayne.
Wayne,
You always made me laugh with your cheeky view on life and the wicked glint in your eye behind your glasses. It’s terrible,deeply moving news. My thoughts are with your family.
Jay Furby.
So sad that another wonderful, funny, and talented character has been lost from our industry.
This is such terrible news. We would often meet for a beer here in Bangkok. He was a brilliant talent, I first worked with him when we both at Benton & Bowles in London about a hundred years ago. I will miss him. My condolences to Belinda and his children.
We are so sorry to have heard of this dreadful news this morning in Bangkok. He was such a good friend when we moved to Thailand and we would often catch up with Wayne when he was in transit from Phuket, he would truly put a spark in our day!
If anyone hears of any memorial in Phuket please be in touch with us. ingridtruelove@mac.com or nigel.kenneally@loweworldwide.com
Love to Bella and family xxx
Hi Everyone,
I just wanted to say a big thank you to you all for your kind words and more importantly for sharing your memories of Wayne.
My Dad was a brilliant man in many respects. He was funny, courageous, frustratingly stubborn and a terrible speller. He could rub you up the wrong way and then have you on your arse laughing deliriously in the space of 5 mins
It puts a smile to my face seeing how many people saw his amazing talents and appreciated him for them.
We are in the process of organising the funeral arrangements and when we have a firm date etc, I will post the details or you contact me on the following.
0405 675 074
isabellemaule@mac.com
Once again thank you for your kind words and for giving a damn.
Isabelle Maule
This is a terrible loss, hard to believe… A great Director and a very close friend, it’s a great loss for the industry. He was coming to Beirut this week. We will really miss him.
Our hearts and prayers go out to him and his family.
Serge Oryan
Thanks again for the tip on the hotel Rome and for trying to help us get a great rate through your Italian reps… The view was magnificent… Good manners and charm are a bit scarce these days… Now they’re even scarcer…
am shocked, i used to be his AD in Lebanon and a close friend. its really sad.
Excellent job.
I have just found out about Wayne and am greatly saddened by the news. I worked on the Qantas job location managing the London Locations.
I will remember him for his constant search for the right shot and having to hold onto him during the recces on the rooftops of iconic locations as he dangled out trying to work out that killer frame. Always enthusiastic about his craft.
The London shots on the Qantas commercial are still one of my proudest moments in Locations. The Queens Life Guards through the Hyde Park Corner Arch with the Choir strapped in above and a 100ft crane to catch the moment. All real and all done at the same time as Wayne refused to do any CGI.
Sadly missed and a great man!