Knucklehead has brought director Lieven Van Baelen aboard its roster in North America, Asia and the U.K. He had previously been repped in the U.S. by AllDayEveryDay.
Known for his highly visual directing style, which he often blends with reality-bending postproduction techniques, Van Baelen began his career as a colorist before moving behind the lens as the draw of the camera became too strong to ignore. Several years as one of Belgium’s leading DPs allowed him to shoot assorted award-running commercials and music videos, and he took his first steps as a director in 1999 with the production of his short feature film The Thread. His directing career quickly picked up momentum with him earning acclaim for the Dexia spot “Club Brugge,” and winning awards at Eurobest and a Gold CCB Award.
His directorial credits include major global campaigns for brands such as Heineken, Grolsch, Canon, Coca-Cola, Renault and Ikea. He is known to draw the viewer into the frame with a deft use of postproduction techniques, as seen in his “Born to Thrill” spot for Nissan, in which Van Baelen creates an electrifying journey through sky, ground, and water to show the assembly of the Nissan Juke. The film was shortlisted in the Best Visual Effects category by the London International Awards.
