Bicoastal production company ArtClass has signed director Paul Trillo to its roster for U.S. commercial and branded content representation. Trillo has helmed spots and branded content for clients including Adobe, eBay, Ford, Google, Nissan, Starbucks, Squarespace, and Uber. At ArtClass, projects for GoDaddy, ESPN, Hotels.com, Panda Express, and Dell are already underway.
The L.A.-based Trillo is in constant pursuit of new filmmaking techniques–from creating the first fully mobile bullet-time camera rig with 50 Nokia phones to choreographing an aerial smoke show using drones. Trillo has written and directed brand films for Microsoft, Samsung, and Olympus–the latter of which was a Tribeca X Award finalist. He is passionate about pushing branded content to new frontiers and is an avid speaker on the subject, including a SXSW panel discussion he co-hosted with longtime collaborator Vimeo Brand Studio.
Trillo was most recently represented in the U.S. by Big Block and is currently represented by IC Content in France. Following freelance work with Google Creative Labs, he catapulted into the commercial production mainstream on the heels of his experimental short film, Living Moments, with Nokia Brand Labs. The film was shortlisted in the D&AD Next Director Awards and won Best Mobile Film at the One Screen Festival. Trillo went on to win The One Show’s “One to Watch” award in 2015.
Tallying 17 Vimeo Staff Picks to date, Trillo has written and directed 11 original short films and documentaries, many of which have screened at Cannes, Tribeca, The One Show, Palm Springs International Shorts Fest, and Oxford Film Festival. His more recent works of praise include the short film Until There Was Nothing (2020) and the music video for “The Great Divide” by The Shins (produced during the pandemic).
Bridging his experience directing both original and branded content, Trillo looks forward to taking on more projects that bring him into the ideation and scripting phase, while satisfying his urge to produce more narrative and character-driven films in the comedy and drama space.
“I tend to bring my best work when I have a larger stake in the creative vision, knowing that none of it is possible without a collaborative, like-minded team like ArtClass to pull it off,” said Trillo. “I know this from having worked on various projects with [Art Class partners] Geno [Imbriale] and Vince [Peone] over the years. We share a lot of sensibilities in our approach as storytellers, both technically and creatively, so I know great things lie ahead.”
Oscar and Emmy-Winning Composer Kris Bowers Joins Barking Owl For Advertising, Branded Content
Music, audio post and sonic branding house Barking Owl has taken on exclusive representation of Oscar and Emmy-winning composer Kris Bowers for advertising and branded content.
Bowers’ recent film scores include The Wild Robot and Bob Marley: One Love, alongside acclaimed past works such as The Color Purple (2023), King Richard and Green Book. His contributions to television are equally impressive, with scores for hit series like Bridgerton, When They See Us, Dear White People, and his Daytime Emmy Award-winning score for The Snowy Day.
In addition to his work as a composer, Bowers is a visionary director. He recently took home the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject for his directorial work on The Last Repair Shop. The emotionally touching short film spotlights four of the people responsible for repairing the musical instruments used by students in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). The Last Repair Shop reflects the positive influence that musical instruments have on the youngsters who play them, and the adults in the LAUSD free repair service who keep them working and in tune.
Barking Owl CEO Kirkland Alexander Lynch said of Bowers, “His artistry, diversity of style and depth of storytelling bring an unparalleled edge to the work we create for global brands. His presence on our roster reflects our continued commitment to pushing the boundaries of sound and music in advertising.”
Johanna Cranitch, creative director, Barking Owl, added, “Kris first caught my attention when he released his record ‘Heroes + Misfits’ where he fused together his jazz sensibility with a deeply ingrained aptitude for melody, so beautifully.... Read More