By A SHOOT Staff Report

SHOOT’s New Directors Showcase event provided varied industry perspectives during a pair of afternoon sessions, and then an evening display of up-and-coming filmmaking talent with the debut screening of the Showcase Reel followed by a Meet the New Directors panel discussion, all held at the DGA Theater in NYC on Thursday (10/26). Capping the evening was the NDS Event After-party, hosted by The-Artery at its facility in Chelsea.

In The Director's Chair With Jake Schreier
Kicking off the proceedings was the annual In The Director’s Chair session, this time featuring Jake Schreier of Park Pictures. Schreier is currently nominated for two Emmys on the strength of his work on Beef (Netflix)–for Outstanding Limited Series as an executive producer on the show, and for Outstanding Directing in a Limited Series for his direction of “The Great Fabricator” episode. He also teamed with Dave Free and Kendrick Lamar to direct We Cry Together, a Lamar short film which earlier this year won the Cannes Lions Grand Prix for Film Craft. 

Schreier’s body of work also spans commercials, music videos, features (including Robot & Frank which premiered at Sundance) and other TV series (such as the Michel Gondry-produced Kidding, and the FX comedy series Dave). He is currently in prep on a Marvel feature, Thunderbolts.

Interviewed on stage at the DGA Theater by SHOOT editor Robert Goldrich, Schreier shared insights into his work and career while observing that he’s loosened his definition of a director as auteur, which was rooted in his film school days. While having a directorial point of view and signature are essential, he has come to know the importance of collaboration on a project. And without talented, committed collaborators, the work itself suffers and no so-called auteurship can save it. At the same time, Schreier noted that his two award-winning efforts this year, We Cry Together and Beef, called for him as a director to serve the vision of others. In the case of Beef, that would be its creator, Lee Sung Jin, aka “Sunny.”

Video Source: NDS.SHOOTonline.com | Video Credit: DougGoodman.com

Beef follows an epic, ever escalating feud–triggered by a single, off-the-charts road rage incident–between two strangers portrayed by Ali Wong (Always Be My Maybe) and Steven Yeun (Minari, The Walking Dead). The twists and turns, while darkly entertaining, say a lot about our society, laying bare the rage, angst, ugliness and insecurities that have become so prevalent–but still managing to cast a cathartic ray of hope somehow reflecting the better side of human nature.

Schreier and “Sunny” have been friends for a number of years. Schreier said that his kinship with “Sunny” would have had them discussing Beef “whether I worked on it or not.” But “Sunny” got to a place where he needed some help, and Schreier was quick to respond, adding that he felt “very lucky” to get the opportunity to contribute to a project of such high quality and ambition. Again, Schreier’s orientation was to help “Sunny” cinematically realize his vision for the show. Schreier wound up directing the lion’s share of Beef episodes.

As for how vital collaborators are across the board, Schreier cited cinematographer Larkin Seiple as an example. Schreier and Seiple had teamed together in the past on commercials–and Seiple was drawn to the Beef story. Schreier said that Beef had limited prep time and a daunting shooting schedule yet Seiple was up to the task. “I don’t know how we would have gotten it done,” said Schreier, without yeoman’s work from Seiple whose credits include an Emmy-nominated turn on Gaslit, as well as lensing the Best Picture Oscar winner Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Schreier added that through Beef, he found another valued collaborator in production designer Grace Yun. Beef marked his first time working with Yun. Now he’s grateful to have a return engagement with the production designer on Thunderbolts.

As for We Cry Together, Schreier’s priority was to do justice to Lamar’s vision. The short stars Lamar and Taylour Paige as a romantically involved couple who get into an intense, heated argument which takes the form of live vocals. Schreier first met with Free to discuss the project, which led to connecting with Lamar. Again, Schreier felt fortunate to be brought into the equation. He recalled when on the We Cry Together set, he felt like it was “a gift to be there with people who are so incredibly talented.”

Schreier had a hand in bringing cinematographer Adam Newport Berra into the fold for We Cry Together. Schreier had worked with the DP on several music videos. Berra is also known for shooting the acclaimed feature, The Last Black Man in San Francisco. Schreier credited the DP with making significant contributions to the single take We Cry Together short.

Among other projects discussed by Schreier during the course of the “In The Director’s Chair” conversation were Kidding and Robot & Frank. The former, produced by Gondry, was a dream come true for Schreier. Dating back to film school, Schreier had been enamored with director Gondry’s expansive body of work. Kidding was the once in a lifetime chance to “imitate Gondry,” said Schreier who with tongue firmly planted in cheek noted that it was a special proposition to be called upon “to rip off Gondry as guided by Gondry.”

Relative to Robot & Frank, which marked Schreier’s feature directorial debut, Park Pictures played an integral role. He had been directing commercials via Park and the notion of his directing a feature film came up. Schreier had Robot & Frank in mind, which was written by Chris Ford based on his thesis short at NYU (which Schreier produced). At the time, Park was starting up a feature division and the company gave Schreier the opportunity to direct a movie at a time when he said no one else would. Robot & Frank was not only Schreier’s first feature but also the first out of Park Pictures’ new division, marking their first time at Sundance, and the first distribution deal for the director (with Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions and Samuel Goldwyn Films). Robot & Frank also began a string of films over the years which Park Pictures Features brought to Sundance.

Schreier noted that three of the producers on Robot & Frank–Park principals Jackie Kelman Bisbee, Sam Bisbee and director/cinematographer Lance Acord–have played key roles in his career, affording him opportunities in short and long-form fare. Schreier added that he has long admired Acord’s filmmaking.

Schreier recalled the excitement of Sundance, particularly being able to show his movie to an audience in a theater. The experience was fun and “terrifying” at the same time, said Schreier who added that’s what is “slightly sad” about modern-day business where streaming has become prevalent, cutting back the opportunities for a shared audience experience in a cinema house.

As for advice he has for new and/or aspiring directors, Schreier simply said “to make things as much as possible.” You can learn from every filmmaking experience, large or small, all serving to build your expertise and point of view.

Setting a Place at the Table of ContentVideo Source: NDS.SHOOTonline.com | Video Credit: DougGoodman.com

Setting a Place at the Table of Content
The second afternoon panel, “Setting a Place at the Table of Content,” featured a cross-section of industry panelists: Andy Bird, chief creative officer and founding partner of Le Truc, Publicis Groupe’s creative collective; attorney Jeffrey A. Greenbaum, managing partner, Frankfurt Kurnit Klein + Selz (FKKS); Christopher Neff, global head of emerging experience & technology at Anomaly; and Vico Sharabani, founder, creative director and director at The-Artery. SHOOT’s Goldrich moderated the discussion.

The panelists shed light on the creative, production, technological, strategic and legal aspects of a brave new content world spanning the Metaverse, Web3, augmented reality, VR, AI and experiential.

Bird noted that technology is changing at a breakneck pace–more so than he’s ever seen before. Without discussing details, Bird related that he has embarked on his first AI project and was told by a tech expert that a particular desired capability simply wasn’t doable at the moment. But, added the expert, that capability likely can be attained three weeks from now. The rate of change, observed Bird, is mind boggling.

But no matter the rapid rate of change, a comfort level is needed on the part of clients to proceed on breakthrough projects, affirmed Neff who pointed out that government authorities have not ruled on Web3 and for that matter, Generative AI, which means we are “left to play to our own devices.” Getting clients to say “yes” is all about building comfort on the part of clients, meaning you’ve got “to hold hands,” said Neff, adding that “you face risks together” and “you pivot together,” you bring in “amazing lawyers” to define liabilities and how far you can go–all so  you help clients “get to the core of what makes them comfortable.”

Greenbaum underscored how dramatic the changes are from a legal standpoint. Over the years, the traditional ad agency-production company contract carries some basic requirements such as: Whatever you create is going to be original; that the content created is to be owned exclusively by the client; and if anything goes wrong, the other party (the production company) is responsible. By contrast, with Generative AI there’s no promise that what you’re getting is original, for the most part there is no exclusive ownership, and if something goes wrong, there’s no one else to point to–you’re responsible.

An education process is necessary in this new world of production and creation, continued Greenbaum. There are incredible opportunities but you need to “approach it through a different lens” in order to gain a client’s partnership. The production and agency creative communities have to become enablers in this new era of production, helping to promote a deeper client understanding, for example, of what Generative AI can do. Then there’s education on the legal framework–IP laws that apply, truth-in-advertising laws that apply so that work is produced within those parameters, work that clients can buy into, making them comfortable enough to experiment and embrace emerging opportunities.

Greenbaum added that creatives and artists also need to affirm their worth in this process. Greenbaum recalled a director he worked with over the years who began shooting with cell phone cameras. A client asked, “why do we need you anymore?” Greenbaum noted that creatives, directors and production pros need to educate clients about the use of technology but at the same time that “they still need us for it.”

Sharabani chimed in that the answer is simple. He observed that pencils have existed forever “but not everyone can use them the same way.” The talent of the artist and creator is still essential. Sharabani demonstrated just that with a screening of excerpts from a couple of projects produced by The-Artery–a Mercedes-Benz commercial and a creatively ambitious installation for the Louisiana Civil Rights Museum. The-Artery brought Mercedes and agency Merkley + Partners a glistening nighttime coastline with masterful day-for-night technique in a cinematic ad titled “New Light.” And the museum project puts attendees in the heart of the civil rights movement, setting foot in an exhibit that puts them in the shoes of Black children who were among the first to go into racially integrated classrooms, for example. This mesh of art and technology in effect, said Sharabani, makes history an interactive, immersive experience.

This kind of work, continued Sharabani, underscores the importance of blending art and technology. He recalled early on his career being asked if he were “an artist or a technician?” The answer for him–and reflected in how he has structured The-Artery–is that “creativity is expansive” and that technology and art “are not mutually exclusive.”

Neff touched upon grooming talent and breaking new ground. On the latter score, Neff architected an emerging tech incubator program at Anomaly called Classify, aimed at guiding brand building and strategy in nascent tech spaces. For instance, with Ally Financial, they are developing a program born from the incubator in support of the creator economy featuring rewards on the blockchain, working with Polygon. 

As for mentoring, Neff works to create pathways for talent on the marketing side of emerging technology. He is a founding member of the Emerging Tech & Media Committee at the Ad Council. He encourages talent to learn how to use Generative AI. “Don’t be afraid of it. Dive into it head first.” Neff said the negative implications of being scared and not trying are far worse than if you were to try and fail a bit.

Neff added that this month’s ADCOLOR Conference, a leading diversity gathering for professionals at all levels, will include a panel discussion as part of a push to look to address bias, accessibility and diversity issues in AI. He noted that there’s a sense of purpose and an industry need to delve into accurately showing shades of skintone, the bias that exists in the depiction of women and other related areas. Neff affirmed that being “more diverse” will help make AI “more human,” and ADCOLOR as an organization is exploring and promoting progress on this front.

Speaking of human sensitivity, the business model of Le Truc centers on human creativity. Bird explained that the Publicis entity is not an advertising agency but rather a creative collective of some 50 people. There are no account people and the silo approach has been abandoned, he explained. Bird believes that Le Truc marks a change in the way creative departments are structured, marshaling the right creative people to work on the right briefs, reflecting a future-facing orientation to content creation, with producers integrated into the process. He described Le Truc as promoting “a maker culture,” which carries positive implications for the new forms of emerging content and platforms. And he hopes to bring talent from underrepresented backgrounds into the mix–including new voices that haven’t had a formal education but have something to contribute to the creative conversation and maker culture. 

Meet Some Talent From The NDS Class of 2023Video Source: NDS.SHOOTonline.com | Video Credit: DougGoodman.com

New Directors Showcase
The evening proceedings began with a welcome from DGA business rep Michael Mintz, and SHOOT publisher and editorial director Roberta Griefer, followed by the debut screening of the 2023 New Directors Showcase Reel.

After the screening, Griefer asked the NDS directors in the audience to stand up, introducing them to the gathering. She then moderated the Meet the New Directors panel discussion which included four of the up-and-coming directors: Elda Broglio of 1stAveMachine Buenos Aires; Anthony Jamari Thomas of Scheme Engine; and two helmers currently unaffiliated with a production house–Calvin Callins Jr. and Danielle Shapira (who is handled by agent the directors network).

Rounding out the panel were two industry professionals: Miriam Franklin, EVP/head of integrated production, Deutsch New York; and Dinah Rodriguez, executive producer of production house m ss ng p eces.

Shapira, who comes from a Spanish-speaking Holocaust surviving family, earned her Showcase slot for Veritas’ “Conquer Every Channel,” a video opening for a tech presentation event featuring Ken Jeong in a comedic turn. Shapira’s body of work has a celeb bent–not only with Jeong but a recent Taco Bell commercial starring Paris Hilton for Deutsch LA. 

Thomas, with a background in performing arts and set design, scored Showcase inclusion for his “Man U Betta” commercial for Scarr’s Pizza and Psyche Organic. The charmingly offbeat spot is as unconventional as its mesh of advertisers–a pizza parlor and an olive oil company. Thomas quipped that you don’t find many Black people in an olive oil commercial, striking a tongue-in-cheek inclusionary note. Yet there is art to his funny, silly, endearing spot, with Thomas electing to shoot on film rather than go the digital route, observing that film with its grain and texture lent itself to the non-linear, funky feel he envisioned for the piece, adding a different dimension to the intentionally “goofy” storyline.

Broglio’s Showcase piece, a “WomanLifeFreedom” PSA, was produced by 1stAveMachine in support of Iranians who are fighting their country’s regime that has been oppressing them for more than 40 years. The PSA–deftly meshing animation with internet news footage–touches upon a 22-year-old Kurd named Massa Amini who was murdered, while in the custody of authorities, for not wearing her hijab “properly.” At the SHOOT session Broglio talked of her passion for animation and illustration, noting simply, “I love to draw.” She is currently developing IP centering on a couple who are taking advantage of a significant age difference to learn about themselves and each other.

Callins made the Showcase cut for “Contagious Swagger,” a piece of branded entertainment for Air Jordan. The work centers on an Asian woman who for the first time introduces her Black boyfriend to her parents. In sharp contrast, Callins noted that he grew up in Plant City, Florida, a community not all that diverse and certainly without much Asian presence. Venturing outside Plant City for his filmmaking and film education (which included professor Mark Schimmel, a director who suggested that Callins enter work into the NDS competition), Callins saw and experienced greater diversity which is reflected in his artistic pursuits.

Panelist Franklin said there’s “an amazing amount of talent in this room,” describing the work shown and the Showcase directors gathered at the DGA venue as “inspiring.” As for what she looks for in new talent, Franklin affirmed “a point of view” which manages to “make some sort of human connection,” evoking thought, laughter, anger and/or joy. Franklin added that she is actively looking for diverse voices from underrepresented communities, noting that there are “important stories to be told from different points of view.”

Rodriguez too was “inspired” as well as “moved and excited” by the Showcase talent. She noted that progress has been made over her two decades in the business. When she started out, diversity was hard to come by. But now she sees a wider range of “voices finally coming to the fore.” Rodriguez encouraged new and aspiring directors “to keep sharpening your unique voice.”

The 17 directors (15 individuals and a duo) currently unaffiliated with a production company, in addition to Callins and Shapira,  are: Cameron Carr, Jacqueline Christy, MG Evangelista, Stacy Pascal Gaspard, Jennifer Greco, Daniel Kreizberg, The Kummerl Twins (Kayla and Krista), Jessica Makinson, Anthony Marinelli, David Nixon Jr., Alex Ramsey, Megan Stowe, Sophie Tabet, and Boson Wang. 

Eighteen directors (16 individuals and a duo) are affiliated with production companies. Besides Broglio and Thomas, the Showcase directors with production house roosts are: Mia Barnes of RadicalMedia, Ben Brady of True Gentleman, McKenzie Chinn of Tessa Films, Leslie Cunningham of Diagonal Media, Daisy Ifama of Tinygiant, Luke Jaden of ONE at Optimus, Somayeh Jafari of Magnetic Field, Merawi Gerima of Serial Pictures, Justice Jamal Jones of Valiant Pictures, Nathalie Lamb of Emerald Pictures, Chelsea Odufu of Chromista TV, C.T. Robert of Partizan, Sergii Shevtsov of Institute, Eli Snyder of Believe Media, and Julien and Justen Turner of Invisible Collective.

Click here to view th SHOOT 2023 New Directors Showcase Reel.

Click here for profiles/contact info on all of the directors in the 2023 New Directors Showcase.

Click here for photos from the SHOOT 2023  New Directors Event & after-party at The-Artery

Click here for SHOOT 2023 New Directors Showcase Event videos

Sponsor support
SHOOT Thanks the Sponsors who make the NDS Event possible; Lead sponsors of the 2023 SHOOT New Directors Showcase event were the DGA, harvest films and MySHOOT. Silver sponsors were The-Artery and advertising and entertainment law firm FKKS. The Bronze sponsor was Universal Production Services. Additional NDS supporters were charlieuniformtango and Commercial Directing Film School.

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