Epoch Films has signed Emmy-nominated director Adam Bernstein who now looks to meaningfully diversify into commercials and branded content. This marks Bernstein’s return to Epoch who launched his career at the shop more than a decade ago working in the music video arena. Sandwiched in-between these Epoch bookends, Bernstein became a sought after director in episodic TV. Last year his pilot for FX network series Fargo earned him a Primetime Emmy Award nom for Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special.
While he continues to be active in TV, Bernstein is committed to making his schedule accommodating for select ad projects. He has hit the ground running, with his first round of Epoch-produced spots for the darkly comedic Allstate “Mayhem” campaign which broke earlier this month. The package of commercials continued Bernstein’s working relationship with actor and Allstate spokesperson Dean Winters who plays the Mayhem character. Leo Burnett Chicago reached out to Bernstein for this latest installment of the Mayhem campaign originally directed by Epoch’s Phil Morrison.
Bernstein is a prolific director, skilled at shooting comedy and drama–or a mix of both. He has directed multiple episodes of shows such as 30 Rock (which went on to earn the 2007 Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series), Breaking Bad, Nurse Jackie, Masters of Sex, Scrubs, Alpha House, Strangers with Candy, Oz, and most recently, Better Call Saul.
Bernstein began his career as an animator before transitioning into music videos in the ‘90s. During that time, Bernstein was given the chance to experiment with a variety of techniques and styles, directing over 70 promos which are now considered classics for the likes of the B-52’s, the Beastie Boys, and Sir Mix A Lot’s pop phenomenon “Baby Got Back.”
Bernstein is now back at his old stomping grounds at Epoch Films. There, he reunites with founder Mindy Goldberg, along with EPs Melissa Culligan and Youree Henley.
“Adam Bernstein comes to the commercial advertising discipline with a fresh perspective, but also with years of accomplished directing experience,” said Goldberg. “Adam has been part of the current TV renaissance, so it’s exciting to have the opportunity to introduce him as a new talent to the area of advertising.”
Google Opens Its Defense In Antitrust Case Alleging Monopoly Over Online Ad Technology
Google opened its defense against allegations that it holds an illegal monopoly on online advertising technology Friday with witness testimony saying the industry is vastly more complex and competitive than portrayed by the federal government.
"The industry has been exceptionally fluid over the last 18 years," said Scott Sheffer, a vice president for global partnerships at Google, the company's first witness at its antitrust trial in federal court in Alexandria.
The Justice Department and a coalition of states contend that Google built and maintained an illegal monopoly over the technology that facilitates the buying and selling of online ads seen by consumers.
Google counters that the government's case improperly focuses on a narrow type of online ads — essentially the rectangular ones that appear on the top and on the right-hand side of a webpage. In its opening statement, Google's lawyers said the Supreme Court has warned judges against taking action when dealing with rapidly emerging technology like what Sheffer described because of the risk of error or unintended consequences.
Google says defining the market so narrowly ignores the competition it faces from social media companies, Amazon, streaming TV providers and others who offer advertisers the means to reach online consumers.
Justice Department lawyers called witnesses to testify for two weeks before resting their case Friday afternoon, detailing the ways that automated ad exchanges conduct auctions in a matter of milliseconds to determine which ads are placed in front of which consumers and how much they cost.
The department contends the auctions are finessed in subtle ways that benefit Google to the exclusion of would-be competitors and in ways that prevent... Read More