Documentary filmmaker Peyton Wilson has joined O Positive for commercial representation. Her credits in the ad arena span such brands as Nokia, Navy, Mattel and TIAA-CREF. Among Wilson’s documentary endeavors is the acclaimed fighter pilot feature Speed and Angels, which will screen later this month at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.
Wilson first established herself in commercials via Food Chain Films, Portland, Ore, and then made her feature documentary debut, Speed and Angels, before joining Nonfiction Unlimited, her most recent spotmaking roost prior to her coming aboard O Positive.
“We want to keep O Positive small, but it’s worth getting a bit bigger to have Peyton join us,” said director Jim Jenkins, a partner in O Positive. “So much work in this genre keeps the viewer at arm’s length, but Peyton’s talent really stands out. You feel something when you watch her work, not only because it’s beautifully shot and she tells stories so well, but because her subjects obviously trust her, and that trust shows in how they open up.”
Wilson has collaborated with agencies such as Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam, Digitas New York and JWT New York. Her mantra is “to always make the audience feel. I try to do that by capturing the truth of people’s stories, which, of course, includes the visual truth as well.” To that end, her work for Mattel, the “When I Grow Up” spots and short film produced by Nonfiction Unlimited for agency Firedrill Productions, was praised by TBWAChiatDay L.A. chief creative officer Rob Schwartz in his Metal Potential blog. Schwartz wrote, “Here’s a very moving and insightful film about the power of play and imagination. Beautifully shot, cast and edited. (I emailed my 14-year-old daughter immediately after seeing it.)”
The “When I Grow Up” campaign centered on women in diverse professions who dreamed big when they were little girls.
“I love telling real people stories, whether I’m directing a :30 TV spot or a feature-length film,” Wilson said. “On projects where I have anywhere from two to 10 minutes to really dig in and get to know people is huge. The W+K Nokia campaign was a blast, and the perfect example of the benefits of longer formats. We went around the world filming stories about TED Fellows, we then cut short docs, anywhere from two to four minutes. It was quite rewarding for all involved to have the time to create a real sense of each Fellow’s journey.”
A California native, Wilson has always focused on writing and documentary filmmaking, and spent the last four years at Nonfiction. In addition to her commercial projects, she currently has longer form documentary projects in development: one is about female Muay Thai kick boxers (e.g., a classical violinist who’s also a fighter); another about a female DJ who disguises herself as a male DJ in order to get access to clubs that won’t hire females.
Wilson is excited to tap into O Positive’s pipeline of award-winning filmmakers to develop the best ideas for jobs. “My plan is to be selective, in order to work with the very best creatives,” she said. “It’s been working for me so far, and I think that coming to O Positive will take me to the next level.”
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