Designer/director Alessandro Swainston has signed with New York-based production company Black Logic. He is the director of the short films al Dente and Strangers.
Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, Swainston was raised there and in England. He graduated in the U.S., from Georgia’s Savannah College of Art and Design in 2000 with two BFAs: one in Film/Video and the other in Motion Graphics. Additionally, he is trained in editing and Web and graphic design. As an undergraduate in ’98, Swainston took eight months off to return to South Africa to work as a production freelancer. There, he did "everything from gripping to assistant loading to production assisting" on shoots for production companies such as The Gatehouse, Johannesburg and Cape Town; and Velocity Afrika, Johannesburg. "That was my introduction to the commercial world and the standard and pace of the work," he told SHOOT.
After graduating, Swainston remained in Savannah and concentrated on developing a feature film that would be a companion piece to al Dente, his 19-minute short about an Italian restaurateur in South Africa. Al Dente is a piece he describes as "a combination of narrative and documentary." But late last year, he decided to focus on developing a commercial career, and sought representation in New York. "I didn’t know anyone in New York City," he recalled. "I don’t really have many connections in the film industry other than the people I’ve worked with during my university career." Swainston researched area houses, seeking a company that emphasized both live action and motion graphics production. Towards the end of November, he sent out a mass e-mail to potential roosts: "I enlosed a link to my Web site [which he designed and built] and said, ‘This is what I am and what I do; can we chat?’ "
One of the recipients of Swainston’s query was Black Logic’s executive producer, Karen Stewart, who recounted, "I see so much work, but I was drawn to his site, and I liked his combination of graphic and live action work—as well as his attitude." Stewart described Swainston’s work as "storytelling with a graphic flair." The two chatted by e-mail, then phone, and finally met towards the end of 2000. Swainston signed with Black Logic and relocated to New York earlier this year. "I like to explore visual ideas—motion graphics, title sequences—as well as live action," he explained. "Black Logic offered me [the opportunity to pursue] both." And Stewart observed, "Alessandro is very fluent with the Macintosh design tools. In his work I saw a very strong connection between the graphic work and how the live action images were recorded on film. … I think it’s a rare to have a director who can tell a story and has a graphic eye. That’s what we hope to develop."
Black Logic also reps director/designer Michel Suissa and director David Lane. Head of sales Ivan Molomut serves as the company’s national rep; he is assisted by Kelly O’Bannon.
