Projects include in-game live action episodes of ‘Quantum Break’ and the new drama for Crackle
Ben Ketai, director and co-creator of the award-winning Sony Crackle thriller series Chosen, has joined ContagiousLA (CLA) for spots and branded projects. This Spring, the groundbreaking Microsoft Xbox One game Quantum Break launched, with four live action 22-minute episodes directed by Ketai. Hailed as “A masterpiece” by Gaming Trend, Quantum Break was developed by Remedy Entertainment with the in-game, live action show produced by Lifeboat Productions. Ketai is wrapping production on Season One of Start Up, which he created for Critical Content (formerly Relativity Television). Start Up is the second scripted one-hour drama series from Crackle; it stars Adam Brody and Martin Freeman.
“As brands invest in diverse, longer form content, adding Ben to the team fortifies CLA’s efforts to introduce non-traditional storytellers to advertising,” said ContagiousLA Co-founder/Executive Producer Natalie Sakai. “His experience collaborating with studios and game makers will give brands access to his unique understanding of their audiences.” Sakai added that Ketai was especially well-suited to “any serialized or longer format campaigns where developing a fan base is the goal.”
"With their pioneering mindset, CLA allows me the opportunity to be a true storyteller in the branded space," said Ketai. "They have an admirable blend of creative and production savvy, along with a rare intuition for content creation in this rapidly changing landscape."
Ketai began his film career under the tutelage of visionary director Sam Raimi. After writing, directing, and producing six different digital series for Raimi’s horror shingle, Ghost House Pictures, Ketai expanded his horizons into features. He co-wrote and then went on to direct 30 Days of Night: Dark Days (2010) for Sony/Stage 6. Shortly thereafter, he wrote and directed the award winning thriller series Chosen, which he also co-created with producing partner Ryan Lewis. Critical acclaim and a rapidly-growing fan base catapulted the series to become Sony Crackle’s number one scripted drama, currently in its fourth season. In addition to his work on Quantum Break, which stars Shawn Ashmore (X-Men, The Following), Aidan Gillen (Game of Thrones), Dominic Monaghan (Lord of the Rings, Lost), and Lance Riddick (Lost, The Wire), Ketai wrote the David Goyer project, The Forest, released by Focus Features in 2016. He directed the Revolver Pictures psychological horror film, Beneath, which was the #1 horror film on iTunes and earned a theatrical nod from IFC Midnight.
Ben Ketai joins a ContagiousLA roster comprised of directors Andrew Laurich, Jeff Jenkins, Benjamin Arfmann and Andrew Renzi, and photographer Diana King.
ContagiousLA is presided over by Co-Founder/Executive Producer Natalie Sakai. Campaigns for Carhartt, City of Hope, Farmer’s Insurance and Mercedes-Benz are complemented by projects such as the award-winning short film Art & Corny – starring advertising luminaries Lee Clow, Gerry Graf and Jeff Goodby – and A Reasonable Request, which recently screened at SxSW and Sundance, becoming one of the most lauded comedy shorts of the year.
Natalie Sakai
Executive Producer
ContagiousLA
323.303.3527
Contact Natalie via email
Media Inquiries:
Hesh Rephun
Contact Hesh via email
Sonic Branding For Social Media: Engage, Align, Connect
By Chad Cook -- With more than five billion people accessing social media daily, savvy brands understand the importance of cultivating a strong social identity. They devote massive resources toward brand awareness, audience targeting, content strategy and community engagement. Yet, while they know that social platforms are critical to boosting sales and attracting new customers, many neglect one of the most effective tools for connecting with consumers: sonic branding. Marketers often associate sonic branding with catchy mnemonics used by big brands like McDonald’s, Netflix and Intel in their advertising. But that is a very limited view of what sonic branding is and what it can do. Sonic branding is a way to build awareness and stimulate engagement across all touch points, from advertising to broadcast digital, in-person and social. And it’s not limited to members of the Fortune 500. Brands at all levels can benefit from a sonic identity that is memorable, engaging and reflective of its core values. Sound has been scientifically proven to be deeply tied to memory and emotion. There’s a reason that certain songs stick in your head and bring back memories formed years or even decades earlier. So, it’s surprising that sonic branding is often an afterthought in marketing plans. That is especially true in social media marketing. Faced with tight deadlines and strained budgets, creative teams are often tempted to select music for their content simply because it “fits.” Unfortunately, that may result in content that is in tune with what’s trending but is out of tune with brand identity. Effective sonic branding, by contrast, requires thoughtful strategic planning,... Read More