Director Josh Penn Soskin has signed with bicoastal production company Epoch Films for commercial representation in the U.S.
Soskin has helmed campaigns for such brands as Ford, Starbucks, Samsung, Kia, Volkswagen and Intel, among others. He’s also excelled as a writer in the commercial world–having penned the script for his Match.com commercial “Aquarium” which was acquired by the brand for a special Father’s Day broadcast. He also wrote and directed a campaign for ASU, which won a 2018 regional Rocky Mountain Emmy Award, and wrote a portion of the award-winning “Makers” campaign for Intel.
His most recent short Housecall won the Grand Prix at Tres Courts Film Festival and was nominated for Best Comedy of 2020 by Vimeo. All five of his short films have received Vimeo Staff Picks. And his 2015 drama La Carnada premiered at Tribeca and won Best of Fest at Palm Springs.
Soskin’s background as an actor, musician, photographer, docu-journalist and writer has formed his unique style–one where he feels equally comfortable working in comedy, drama, docu or visual work. Always applying a signature blend of heart, humor, and humanity to everything he does. Prior to joining Epoch Films, he was repped in the ad arena by production house Hey Baby.
Soskin’s photography has appeared in multiple publications and galleries after the success of his first multi-media art exhibition, "The Untitled Underwear Project," and now sells in galleries across the world. He’s now in the midst of his second multi-media art project titled "The Untitled Sports Project."
He’s also currently in pre-production on his debut feature film, Kill Yr Idols, a punk rock coming of age film set along the U.S./Mexico border co-written by John Hibey and Bernardo Cubria.
Soskin shared, “I’ve always been a huge fan of Epoch and have a ton of respect for the brilliant women who run it. They’re smart, sincere and just lovely people. They’ve built the careers of commercial directing legends I look up to and I felt this was the perfect point in my career to join forces with them and take what I’ve built and push it to another level, where we’re doing bigger and better work, at the top of the game. Epoch, in my mind, was clearly the spot to do that. When I met the reps, and EPs, and saw how they all got my work and had the same vision for it, it was approaching magic levels of ease and comfort. It felt like instant family and it was basically an immediate go.”
Melissa Culligan, managing executive producer at Epoch, assessed, “In these crazy crowded times, when you actually feel something while watching a directors work, it’s very meaningful. Josh’s ability for human, humorous storytelling just spoke to us immediately. Then we met and it felt fated.”
Mindy Goldberg, Epoch founder, added, “I was fully engaged by all of Josh’s spot and short film work. For me, it’s all about telling a story in a human, engaging way. Sounds easy, we all know it’s not. I think Josh does it!”
Soskin and Epoch are represented in the West by Dexter Randazzo and Jonathan Logan at The Department of Sales; in the East by Tara Averill and John Robertson at RepresentationCo; and in the Midwest by Chris Brown and Nicole Feddock at Baer Brown Reps.
The Many Hires Jeremiah Wassom As Group Creative Director
Independent agency The Many has added Jeremiah Wassom as group creative director.
Wassom most recently worked a decade at Deutsch LA where, as SVP/creative director, he led the Taco Bell account and won new business for the agency. His agency past also includes AKQA and TBWAChiatDay. His creative work has touched the QSR, video games, automotive, fashion, and culture brand sectors. He also served eight years with the United States Marine Corps.
“Throughout his career, Jeremiah has helmed work that has not only made me personally jealous but has consistently pushed brands to show up in memorable and innovative ways,” said Josh Paialii, head of creative at The Many. “One look at his body of work and you will see his passion for storytelling and craft has raised the bar for entire categories, driving participation with many brands’ most loyal fans. Beyond being a world-class creative director and maker, Wassom is a proven team player and strategic thought leader. He’ll be a great addition to the leadership team at The Many working across all accounts. His role will be immediately felt as he guides and supports each of the creative leads in the department.”
A 20-year creative with agency, brand, and freelance experience, Wassom has forged a creative approach which focuses on crafting engaging connections rather than simply make ads. He sees the need for advertising to mean more, not simply do more.
The Many believes that true business growth is made possible by harnessing the power of participation and partners with brands to forge deeper connections with consumers, cultivate trust and loyalty, and maximize marketing spend and execution. The agency is built around a flexible model that offers a suite of capabilities, including... Read More