Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer, commercial photographer and filmmaker Vincent Laforet has signed with The Joneses for exclusive representation as a commercial director. This marks the first time that he has formally been repped as a live-action director in the spot market. (He continues to be represented by Stockland Martel as a commercial still photographer.)
At age 25, Laforet became the youngest staff photographer ever hired by the New York Times, and later worked for Time Magazine, National Geographic, Vanity Fair, Sport Illustrated and many other publications. He won a Pulitzer Prize for his overseas coverage of 9/11, and also covered such stories as Hurricane Katrina, the Second Gulf War, the White House (during the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations), and the inauguration of Barak Obama. Laforet was named as one of the “100 Most Influential People In Photography” by American Photo Magazine in 2005.
Laforet is considered a pioneer for his tilt-shift and aerial photography, and he has also been a leading exponent for the use of HD-capable DSLR cameras in shooting video. His short film Reverie, billed as being the first 1080p video shot with the Canon 5D MKII, was viewed more than 2 million times during the first week of its release in 2008.
Since 2006, Laforet has increasingly focused on exploring new possibilities in digital filmmaking. In tandem with Canon, Vimeo and Grey Advertising, New York, he developed the “Beyond the Still” digital filmmaking competition that subsequently won Gold, Silver and Bronze Lions at the 2010 Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival. The Bronze Lion was in the Titanium & Integrated competition, the Silver in Promo & Activation, and the Gold in Media.
Laforet has made innovative use of social media and viral strategies to support his filmmaking endeavors and he views emerging communications tools as crucial extension of a director’s lexicon. “The ability to reach and develop an audience is very important for directors today,” he observed. “My videos have collectively been seen more than 6 million times over the past eight months alone, largely because I am invested in the community out there.” Laforet currently publishes a blog on HDDSLR filmmaking and photography that attracts more than 3 million visitors per year.
Laforet said that he has received a number of offers from production companies, but until now the timing and the situation hadn’t been right. “I wanted to establish a body of work as a director and DP before looking for representation,” he explained. “It took two years to reach the point where I am comfortable with my reel.”
Annie Hanlon
Also joining The Joneses, which maintains offices in New York, Chicago and Santa Monica, is Annie Hanlon who has been named executive producer on the West Coast. She formerly served as executive producer at GARTNER in Los Angeles and was also a principal and executive producer of Chromatic Films, a producer of television shows, branded content and new media.
Hanlon will join Pam Rohs, The Joneses’ executive producer on the East Coast, in a new endeavor to grow the company’s directorial staff and raise its profile among advertising agencies nationwide. The first fruit harvested by that effort was securing director Laforet.
Hanlon has more than 15 years of experience in commercial production, and has also worked in independent films, television, branded content and music videos. She began her career with September Productions, Boston, and later served as executive producer of the music house Soundtrack, New York.
In 2002, Hanlon was a cofounder of trio films, a Los Angeles-based boutique commercial production house and, in 2006, founded Chromatic Films with director James Tooley. Hanlon recently served as executive producer of The Scenic Route, a seven-part documentary series for Ovation TV, funded by Subaru and with creative from Minneapolis agency Carmichael Lynch. She also produced Open Bar, a six-episode series for MTV’s Logo channel.
Meanwhile in a related move The Joneses has also hired Brandy Curry as production manager on the West Coast. Previously, Curry was a production manager at MJZ.
The Joneses’ directorial roster includes Laforet, Aine Carey, Rachel Harms and Marcus Stevens.
Actor Steve Guttenberg Returns To L.A. Neighborhood Now Charred By Devastating Wildfire
Steve Guttenberg awoke Thursday morning to a grim reality: The treacherous wildfire that tore through the Pacific Palisades had left his once-lush neighborhood charred and unrecognizable.
With homes smoldered, streets emptied and friends scattered by evacuation orders, Guttenberg counted himself among the fortunate. His property was miraculously spared. But the actor-producer still struggled to reconcile his relief with the haunting sight of his ravaged, once lavish community.
"Just this morning, I woke up and I was really conscious of my mental state and my mental health, because the last three days, I've seen so much tragedy," said Guttenberg, pacing through the ruins of his neighborhood. He said his home has electricity but no running water.
Guttenberg thanked God that his block was safe, but he said about 20 homes were burned "pretty bad" in his 80-home community after wind-whipped fires tore across Los Angeles, destroying homes, clogging roadways as tens of thousands fled as the fires burned uncontained Wednesday. He said the fires are the worst he's ever seen in his 66-years.
The wildfires have burned the homes of several celebrities including Billy Crystal, Carey Elwes and Paris Hilton.
Guttenberg said he never expected all of this to happen.
"It's like when someone dies suddenly," he said. "It's like when someone gets hit by a car. You never expect that to happen. That's how shocking it was."
During Guttenberg's stroll, it was an eerie scene with scorched palm trees, homes reduced to ash and rubble, and the daytime skies casted an ominous twilight over the devastation.
"I've seen people scared, people in wheelchairs, mothers and fathers trying to find their kids, people having anxiety and panic... Read More