Director Pat Hall has joined Stept Studios, marking his first exclusive commercial representation in the U.S. He has directed and edited content for The Wall Street Journal, Under Armour, Facebook, MeUndies, Foot Locker, Adidas, Nike, Porsche, and Asics, among others. Often highlighting partnerships with celebrity talent, Hall’s on-point branded content has exhibited an innate capacity to elicit ease and confidence in his subjects, paired with a lively camera and evocative use of lighting.
Hall most recently completed a full social campaign launch via Stept for JuneShine’s new line, JuneShine 100, which aired earlier this week. JuneShine CMO Forrest Dein shared, “Pat listened to our needs, presented a unique and compelling vision, and nailed the execution.”
A self-taught director and editor, Hall first channeled his passion for film into skating videos he began making at the age of 11. At 13, Hall enrolled in college courses for advanced editing and within the next year had earned his first accolade from the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Hall is a three-time Santa Barbara International Film Festival finalist, and a two time winner. Over the years, he fine-tuned his ability to capture the world in strategic and untraditional ways complemented by a strong background in postproduction and sound design, as well as years of on-set experience working in any and every capacity.
Hall said, “One of the things I love about this industry is that there’s no perfect formula or right way to do something. Each project poses new challenges that necessitate new adaptations – which in return provides a never-ending educational aspect to the job. I learn something new in each project.”
Nick Martini, founder/executive producer at Stept, said of Hall, “His knowledge of VFX allows him to think outside the box, and whenever Pat gets his hands on a project he makes sure it stands out and feels special.”
Stept Studios maintains bases of operation in Los Angeles and Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
Review: Director Nora Fingscheidt’s “The Outrun”
At some point during "The Outrun," it occurred to me that watching Saoirse Ronan act is a bit like looking into a magnifying glass: Everything somehow feels a bit clearer, sharper, more precise.
This singular actor gives one of her finest performances in a two-hour study of addiction that is poignant, sometimes beautiful but always painful to watch — and would likely be too draining if not for the luminous presence at its core. Would it even work — at all — if Ronan, who also makes her producing debut here, weren't onscreen virtually every second?
Luckily, we don't need to imagine that. Ronan, who plays a 29-year-old biology student named Rona (the name comes from a tiny island off Scotland) serves as both star and narrator, speaking the words — sometimes poetic — of the addiction memoir by Amy Liptrot. The script, adapted by Liptrot and director Nora Fingscheidt, makes frequent use of fantasy and whimsy, even veering into animation. Some may find these deviations a distraction from the plot, but they are frequently mesmerizing.
Besides, plot is a loosely defined thing here. We go back and forth in time so frequently that sometimes only the changing color of Rona's hair indicates where we are on the timeline. It takes a while to get used to this, but the uncertainty starts to make sense. We are, in a way, inside Rona's mind, experiencing the fits and starts of her journey. And recovery is hardly a linear process.
There's a fine supporting cast, but the true second star is nature itself. The film is based mainly in the Orkney Islands off Scotland, a windswept landscape that can be both punishing and restorative. It can also be stunning, especially the sea. And the sea is where we start, learning that Orkney lore holds that when... Read More