Commercial production company Institute has added award-winning filmmaker Alison Klayman to its directing roster. Known for documenting some of the most prominent people and stories of our time, Klayman has been named by The New York Times as a Director to Watch, and her work has been shortlisted for an Academy Award and has received multiple prizes including from the Sundance Film Festival, the Peabody Awards, and the duPont-Columbia Awards.
Klayman’s film work tackles big issues, big stakes, and big personalities, even while she brings viewers into these worlds through an intimate lens. She has profiled the eponymous Chinese artist and activist in Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry, which earned a Special Jury Prize at Sundance and put Klayman on The New York Times’ list of 20 Directors to Watch; singer Alanis Morrisette in Jagged; and right wing strategist Steve Bannon in The Brink. Klayman has also chronicled the rise and fall of the brand Abercrombie & Fitch in White Hot; the pervasiveness of prescription stimulants in Take Your Pills; and the WNBA’s New York Liberty in Unfinished Business.
Klayman brings the same effortlessly personal approach, powerful visual style, and genuinely emotional story beats to her advertising work. She has directed commercials for numerous major brands including lululemon, HP, HBO, Bose, Brawny, 3M, and MorningStar Farms. In the process she’s directed diverse talent from actor Ed Burns, to hip-hop legend Stic from Dead Prez, to Fortune 50 CEO Meg Whitman. Prior to joining Institute, Klayman was repped most recently in the commercialmaking space by Washington Square Films.
Klayman is already working on her first project with Institute, a short film that will chronicle Every Woman’s Marathon, an all-women marathon taking place in November 2024 in Savannah, Georgia.
Klayman noted that she’s known Institute’s founders–filmmaker and photographer Lauren Greenfield, and producer Frank Evers–as well as company EP Sean Lyness for more than a decade and enjoys a great rapport with them. “I’ve been so impressed watching the evolution of Institute over the past few years. I love that the company’s roster and creative output continues to expand and progress, while still incorporating its roots. Now that I have almost a decade of experience in the ad space, I’m excited to take my commercial work to the next level with people who I feel understand my documentary background, have the same storytelling sensibilities and ethical sensibilities, and know how to creatively apply all of that to work with brands.”
Greenfield, creative director of Institute, said, “Alison is a singular storyteller and I’ve been a huge fan of her work for years. With her strong foundation in documentary film, she brings an authentic and curious approach to advertising that really connects with viewers and elevates the narratives. Alison is a fantastic fit for the Institute roster and we are thrilled to be collaborating moving forward.”
Based in Brooklyn, Klayman is also a member of the DGA, BAFTA, and AMPAS. She earned a DGA Award nomination for the aforementioned Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry.
Director John Larigakis Joins Strike Anywhere For His 1st U.S. Spot Representation
Strike Anywhere has added filmmaker John Larigakis to its talent roster, marking his first U.S. commercial representation. He continues to be repped in Canada by production house BOLDLY.
Larigakis first established himself on the agency side of the business where he spent 15 years, including serving as a sr. art director at DDB Canada and then a creative director at 123w before making a seamless transition to directing commercials..
Conceptual and highly art-directed, Larigakis’ style focuses on comedic surrealism grounded in reality. By counterbalancing the outlandish and colorful setting with deadpan performances, the key to his commercials is the metaphorical twist on the core concept, ultimately yielding a funny film. His stylistic vision is often brought to life through custom props, 3D animation, physical comedy, and practical effects to craft imaginative environments and memorable characters.
As a director, Larigakis recently won a Berlin Commercial Award for his work with Extra Gum. He’s also helmed films for brands like Starbucks, Nintendo Switch, Playland, and Sandman Hotels. Throughout his career in advertising, Larigakis has developed work that has won six Cannes Lions, 12 One Show Pencils, six D&AD Pencils, and six Clios.
“I’m a big fan of Strike Anywhere’s approach, their mix of strong advertising and film projects, and most importantly, the team,” remarked Larigakis. “They are genuinely passionate about helping directors grow and develop their careers, and I’m at a stage where I’m excited to continue crafting my skills in new areas.”
Ryan Simon, founding partner of Strike Anywhere, added, “At Strike Anywhere, comedy is key to company growth, and we’re elevating the game by joining forces... Read More