Director Andrew Ryan Shepherd has secured his first national representation, joining the roster of production house Lucky 21. Shepherd has directed stories for such brands as Famous Footwear, Sub-Zero Wolf, Target and Raleys.
Shepherd began his career as a still photographer, transitioning to motion storytelling as a DP and then director. Always looking for authentic ways to highlight the dignity of the human spirit, Andrew Shepherd enjoys connecting the process of filmmaking to the process of life. He has worked independently with agencies and brands for the last decade.
“Andrew is part of the next generation of storytellers, who delivers compelling imagery to match interesting human stories,” said Lucky 21 EP John Gilliland. “His ability to connect with people is genuine and comes through from your very first interaction.”
“I aligned with John (Gilliland) on a creative and philosophical level early on,” noted Shepherd. “Lucky 21’s dedication to quality work from process to completion and respect for everyone in the layers of production means I can more freely and fully place my focus on telling stories and creating beautiful work.”
Jennifer Kent On Why Her Feature Directing Debut, “The Babadook,” Continues To Haunt Us
"The Babadook," when it was released 10 years ago, didn't seem to portend a cultural sensation.
It was the first film by a little-known Australian filmmaker, Jennifer Kent. It had that strange name. On opening weekend, it played in two theaters.
But with time, the long shadows of "The Babadook" continued to envelop moviegoers. Its rerelease this weekend in theaters, a decade later, is less of a reminder of a sleeper 2014 indie hit than it is a chance to revisit a horror milestone that continues to cast a dark spell.
Not many small-budget, first-feature films can be fairly said to have shifted cinema but Kent's directorial debut may be one of them. It was at the nexus of that much-debated term "elevated horror." But regardless of that label, it helped kicked off a wave of challenging, filmmaker-driven genre movies like "It Follows," "Get Out" and "Hereditary."
Kent, 55, has watched all of this — and those many "Babadook" memes — unfold over the years with a mix of elation and confusion. Her film was inspired in part by the death of her father, and its horror elements likewise arise out of the suppression of emotions. A single mother (Essie Davis) is struggling with raising her young son (Noah Wiseman) years after the tragic death of her husband. A figure from a pop-up children's book begins to appear. As things grow more intense, his name is drawn out in three chilling syllables — "Bah-Bah-Doooook" — an incantation of unprocessed grief.
Kent recently spoke from her native Australia to reflect on the origins and continuing life of "The Babadook."
Q: Given that you didn't set out to in any way "change" horror, how have you regarded the unique afterlife of "The... Read More