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.”
“Se7en” Turns 30, Gets A Special Restoration From David Fincher For Its Re-Release
For David Fincher, seeing “Se7en” in 4K was an experience he can only describe as harrowing. That or a high school reunion.
“There are definitely moments that you go, ‘What was I thinking?’ Or ‘Why did I let this person have that hairdo’?” Fincher said in a recent interview with The Associated Press.
He’s OK with the film being a product of its time in most respects. But some things just could not stand in high-definition resolution.
“It was a little decrepit, to be honest,” said Fincher. “We needed to resuscitate it. There are things you can see in 4K HDR that you cannot see on a film print.”
Ever the perfectionist, he and a team got to work on a new restoration of the film for its 30th anniversary re-release. This weekend the restored “Se7en” will play on IMAX screens for the first time in the U.S. and Canada, and on Jan. 7, the 4K UHD home video version will be available as well.
The dark crime thriller written by Andrew Kevin Walker and starring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman as a pair of detectives looking for a serial killer was somewhat of a career-reviver for Fincher, whose directorial debut “Alien 3” had not gone well. “Se7en” was not a sure thing: It was made for only $34 million (and only got that when Fincher managed to persuade studio execs to give up $3 million more). But it went on to earn more than $327 million, not accounting for inflation, and continues to influence the genre.
Fincher has over the years overseen several restorations of the film (including one for laser disc) but decided this needed to be the last. It’s why he insisted on an 8K scan that they could derive the 4K from. He wanted to ensure that it wouldn’t have to be repeated when screens get more... Read More