Bicoastal production partner m ss ng p eces has added director TJ O’Grady-Peyton to its live action roster for commercial representation across North America. O’Grady-Peyton is known for his evocative and naturalistic storytelling across commercials and short films. He was previously handled in the ad arena by production house Hey Wonderful.
Originally from Dublin, O’Grady-Peyton graduated from the London Film School and gained notice in the commercial world with a piece for Adidas that earned a 2013 YDA nomination at the Cannes Lions. He went on to broaden his portfolio with a Webby award-winning spot for Gatorade starring NFL quarterback Cam Newton, a Webby and Art Directors Club award-winning spot for VW, a Clio award-winning spot for Goodyear, and the Irish Film and Television award-winning short film Wave co-directed with Benjamin Cleary and narrated by Jarvis Cocker. O’Grady-Peyton has also created memorable work for BMW, Asics starring Steve Aoki, and the Gaelic Athletic Games; directed Kayaking the Nile for Red Bull’s original documentary Wildcard series; and was selected for Werner Herzog’s 2018 documentary masterclass in the Amazonian jungle.
“TJ’s eye for human, genuine performances paired with striking visuals is extremely exciting,” said Kate Oppenheim, managing partner at m ss ng p eces.
“I’ve been really impressed by how m ss ng p eces fosters their talent across such a diverse range of styles and skillsets, and have seen them take many careers to new levels,” said O’Grady-Peyton. “My own style has evolved in recent years as I’ve been embarking on more cinematic work in addition to my documentary background, and I’m confident that m ss ng p eces is aligned with my goals and will be a great partner in this next phase of my career.”
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