Michael Downing
Michael Downing
Loyola Marymount University “Static Cling”
Agency: Ignited Minds, Marina del Rey, Calif.
Production: harvest
DP: John Zilles
Editorial: Chrome, Santa Monica
Editor: Adam Parker
Bud Light “Sky Diver”
Agency: DDB Chicago
Production: harvest, Santa Monica
DP: John Schwartzman
Editorial: The Whitehouse, London, New York, Chicago, and Santa Monica
Editor: Grant Gustafson
Affiliation: harvest, Santa Monica
How did you get into directing? As a child I use to make up elaborate games with my friends and assign each one of them a role. I would determine the direction of the game and how each character developed. I guess I was a bossy little kid. That led right to AFI.
Why do you want to direct commercials? I love smart ideas and being challenged to tell these stories in a skillful way. It’s a great medium and I love the opportunity to strive towards communicating in smart ways.
What’s your most recent spot project? SBC out of GSDM, Austin, Texas; Ace Hardware, out of Goodby, Silverstein & Partners; Compass Bank out of Crispin Porter + Bogusky.
Do you have plans to work in other areas–e.g. shorts films or features or TV? Have you ever done any of that in the past? I have a feature in development now. Fine, my AFI thesis short, won a student Academy Award.
What do you think is the best part about being a director? Creating those “magic moments” on set and seeing it all come together.
What’s the worst part? Not creating “magic moments” and having your spot get away from you in the edit.
Who is (are) your mentor(s)? Joe Pytka
Alec Baldwin Urges Judge To Stand By Dismissal Of Involuntary Manslaughter Case In “Rust” Shooting
Alec Baldwin urged a New Mexico judge on Friday to stand by her decision to skuttle his trial and dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against the actor in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of a Western movie.
State District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case against Baldwin halfway through a trial in July based on the withholding of evidence by police and prosecutors from the defense in the 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust."
The charge against Baldwin was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it can't be revived once any appeals of the decision are exhausted.
Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey recently asked the judge to reconsider, arguing that there were insufficient facts and that Baldwin's due process rights had not been violated.
Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer on "Rust," was pointing a gun at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal when it went off, killing her and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has said he pulled back the hammer — but not the trigger — and the revolver fired.
The case-ending evidence was ammunition that was brought into the sheriff's office in March by a man who said it could be related to Hutchins' killing. Prosecutors said they deemed the ammunition unrelated and unimportant, while Baldwin's lawyers alleged that they "buried" it and filed a successful motion to dismiss the case.
In her decision to dismiss the Baldwin case, Marlowe Sommer described "egregious discovery violations constituting misconduct" by law enforcement and prosecutors, as well as false testimony about physical evidence by a witness during the trial.
Defense counsel says that prosecutors tried to establish a link... Read More