PRETTYBIRD has added multidisciplinary filmmaker Jared Knecht to its roster of creatives for representation in the U.S. spanning branded, music and entertainment content.
Knecht has directed integrated advertising campaigns and commercials for global brands such as Toyota, Adidas, Lincoln Motors, Google and Rimowa, among others, and has received multiple honors from the AICP Show, the One Show, and YDA.
Knecht also gained recognition by earning a slot in SHOOT’s 2018 New Directors Showcase unveiled at the DGA Theatre in NYC. At the time Knecht was with production house m ss ng p eces, which was his roost prior to joining PRETTYBIRD.
“I’m excited for PRETTYBIRD because I believe they have a strong sense for meaningful work in commercials, epic tales in music videos, and some raw narratives that are pushing boundaries and being honest,” said Knecht.
Ali Brown, PRETTYBIRD’s VP and executive producer, said of Knecht, “His work not only speaks to the fragility and the strength of the human condition but expresses it in a beautifully elevated way.”
Knecht recently completed a commercial in collaboration with Mullen Lowe’s Los Angeles office and is currently wrapping production on his short film Pure Imagination.
First-Time Feature Directors Make Major Splash At AFI Fest, Generate Oscar Buzz
Two first-time feature directors who are generating Oscar buzz this awards season were front and center this past weekend at AFI Fest in Hollywood. Rachel Morrison, who made history as the first woman nominated for a Best Cinematography Oscar---on the strength of Mudbound in 2018--brought her feature directorial debut, The Fire Inside (Amazon MGM Studios), to the festival on Sunday (10/27), and shared insights into the film during a conversation session immediately following the screening. This came a day after William Goldenberg, an Oscar-winning editor for Argo in 2013, had his initial foray into feature directing, Unstoppable (Amazon MGM Studios), showcased at the AFI proceedings. He too spoke after the screening during a panel discussion. The Fire Inside--which made its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival--tells the story of Claressa “T-Rex” Shields (portrayed by Ryan Destiny), a Black boxer from Flint, Mich., who trained to become the first woman in U.S. history to win an Olympic Gold Medal in the sport. She achieved this feat--with the help of coach Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry)--only to find that her victory at the Summer Games came with relatively little fanfare and no endorsement deals. So much for the hope that the historic accomplishment would be a ticket out of socioeconomic purgatory for Shields and her family. It seemed like yet another setback in a cycle of adversity throughout Shields’ life but she persevered, going on to win her second Gold Medal at the next Olympics and becoming a champion for gender equality and equitable pay for women in sports. Shields has served as a source of inspiration for woman athletes worldwide--as well as to the community of... Read More