Bicoastal production studio m ss ng p eces has added director Nicolas Heller to its roster for worldwide representation in commercials and branded content on the special projects roster. Better known to his 684K Instagram followers as @newyorknico, Heller is an acclaimed documentarian and commercial director known for sharing authentic stories of the unique people and places in his hometown of New York.
Heller recently collaborated with m ss ng p eces on a branded content project for Google and Tribeca Studios titled “Getting Back to What You Love,” which features New York celebrities including John Leguizamo, John Turturro, Debi Mazar and Edie Falco praising their favorite local businesses. He also recently teamed with New York’s MTA on a series of COVID-19 PSAs to be played on the train, voiced by local notables such as Jerry Seinfeld, Desus & Mero, Fran Leibowitz, and Remy Ma. Heller studied film and directing at Emerson College before making a name for himself as an independent director chronicling New York street celebs and creating short films. That led to branded documentary projects for publications such as New York Magazine and Rolling Stone, and then to other brand projects and commercials. Heller’s clients have included Nike, State Farm, Marc Jacobs, Tory Burch, the DC Lottery, the New York Knicks, Jagermeister and JetBlue. Prior to joining m ss ng p eces, he was directing independently.
“Working with Nick on our recent campaign with Google and Tribeca was incredible, and it was clear he’d be a stellar addition to the m ss ng p eces roster,” said Kate Oppenheim, managing partner, m ss ng p eces. “ Nick’s status as the unofficial talent scout of NYC has been earned by his innate talent for setting people at ease and capturing their true selves on camera, resulting in stories that celebrate their humanity. His work as a director always captures people’s joy, their poignancy, and a sense of place that is wholly unique.”
Heller shared, “The team at m ss ng p eces is excellent and I had such a great experience working with them. After working independently for a while, I’m excited to join the roster at a company that’s doing such interesting work and carving out spaces for directors like me to tell the stories that are important to us.”
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