Havoc Content has added New York-based director Byron Quandary to its roster for representation in the U.S. and Hispanic markets. Havoc becomes the first U.S.-based company to sign Quandary in the ad arena. He is also currently repped by Photoplay/Playtime in Australia and Dirtyfilms in the U.K.
The Filipino-Australian director started out in music videos, collaborating with Australian artists on a slew of narrative and conceptual-based clips. His video for Little Scout’s single “We Are Walking Out” earned him a Vimeo Staff Pick and propelled him into the world of commercials.
Since directing and editing commercials, Quandary has established himself as a global player, working with brands in the European market as well as the Southern hemisphere. Previous clients include Lexus, Adobe, HSBC, Google, JCPenney, Nike, and Mountain Dew.
As a writer, video editor, and occasional cinematographer, Quandary has embraced an era of multidisciplinary artists. He commented, “There’s a time and a place for wearing multiple hats. You have to respect the value of designated roles and the mastering of a craft that comes from choosing one thing. But equally, building competence across multiple domains means I can at least speak the language, as well as having the option of getting my own hands dirty when it feels right.”
Quandary was attracted to Havoc in large part due to its executive producer and owner Leslie Harro. He comments: “Filmmaking is a team sport and it’s so important to vibe with all the key players. I felt like Leslie and I really hit it off from the start and were almost freakishly on the same page. It’s also very impressive how much she’s grown her business in such a short time–and she strikes me as someone who’s excellent at making key decisions.”
Harro described Quandary as “a special director–his work is incredibly beautiful. When I first became acquainted with his style and storytelling, I was beyond impressed. He is focused on becoming a top tier director in the US and we will do everything we can to get there together.”
Jennifer Kent On Why Her Feature Directing Debut, “The Babadook,” Continues To Haunt Us
"The Babadook," when it was released 10 years ago, didn't seem to portend a cultural sensation.
It was the first film by a little-known Australian filmmaker, Jennifer Kent. It had that strange name. On opening weekend, it played in two theaters.
But with time, the long shadows of "The Babadook" continued to envelop moviegoers. Its rerelease this weekend in theaters, a decade later, is less of a reminder of a sleeper 2014 indie hit than it is a chance to revisit a horror milestone that continues to cast a dark spell.
Not many small-budget, first-feature films can be fairly said to have shifted cinema but Kent's directorial debut may be one of them. It was at the nexus of that much-debated term "elevated horror." But regardless of that label, it helped kicked off a wave of challenging, filmmaker-driven genre movies like "It Follows," "Get Out" and "Hereditary."
Kent, 55, has watched all of this — and those many "Babadook" memes — unfold over the years with a mix of elation and confusion. Her film was inspired in part by the death of her father, and its horror elements likewise arise out of the suppression of emotions. A single mother (Essie Davis) is struggling with raising her young son (Noah Wiseman) years after the tragic death of her husband. A figure from a pop-up children's book begins to appear. As things grow more intense, his name is drawn out in three chilling syllables — "Bah-Bah-Doooook" — an incantation of unprocessed grief.
Kent recently spoke from her native Australia to reflect on the origins and continuing life of "The Babadook."
Q: Given that you didn't set out to in any way "change" horror, how have you regarded the unique afterlife of "The... Read More