Directors Zack Resnicoff and J.C. Khoury–who made their first mark in the industry as the team Zack & J.C.–are each embarking on solo helming careers. Resnicoff has exited Lost Highway Films while Khoury is staying on board that New York-based company’s roster for commercials and branded content.
At press time, Khoury noted that he and Resnicoff recently co-directed what will likely be their last commercialmaking assignment together, a four-spot comedy campaign for The Washington Post out of D.C. agency Adworks.
Both directors felt the time was right to go solo. As an individual director, Khoury has wrapped The Plagiarist, a self-financed short film that he is looking to place on the festival circuit. The dry comedy centers on a grad student who gets expelled from college for writing papers for other students. Additionally, Khoury has a pair of feature-length projects in development. On the spotmaking front, Khoury said he will continue to pursue both visual and dialogue/performance-based comedy via Lost Highway.
Resnicoff meanwhile has launched his own New York shop, Impressionista Films, where he just completed his first job: a multi-faceted web campaign starring Hilary Duff for DKNY Jeans.
According to Resnicoff, DKNY Jeans approached him because he had directed both fashion work as well as “some darker film projects,” alluding to his 2003 film, The Clearing.
“Hilary wanted someone who could show her darker/sexier side so they hired me to write [with his writing partner Sonny Calderon], direct, and produce the piece.” The short stars Duff along with actor Norman Reedus (perhaps best known for his role in The Boondock Saints).
Resnicoff also shot, directed and produced six teasers to build excitement for the DKNY web content.
Extending his reach
“Being part of a team [with Khoury] was a great experience,” said Resnicoff, “but I felt I could expand the type of work I do, and bring my past experiences in film, fashion, and cinematography to my ongoing work in advertising.” He said that Impressionista Films, will do a mix of commercials, fashion/beauty, and music videos.
Currently Resnicoff is prepping a music video to be shot this month in Los Angeles, and a two-part web series for an undisclosed clothing line.
In addition to the DKNY Jeans project, Resnicoff–while still half of Zack & J.C.–branched out on his own over the past year to individually direct some select branded shorts, including one for Ford Mustang, Numskull, which earned finalist status in a 2010 Ford Mustang competition facilitated by online global creative community Filmaka (SHOOT, 10/8/08). A 45-second excerpt from Numskull was selected by JWT Team Detroit for airing as part of a :60 promo during the Sept. ’08 debut of NBC primetime series Knight Rider. The promo drove traffic to a Ford Mustang website where the entire Numskull five-minute short could be viewed along with other web films in which the 2010 Mustang was part of the storyline.
Initial splash
Zack & J.C. made their first splash when they were selected for SHOOT‘s fourth annual New Directors Showcase in 2006. The directing duo’s spec spot, Mountain Dew’s “Foley,” was screened at the SHOOT event in May of that year at the Directors Guild of America (DGA) Theatre in New York, where it was also announced that @radical.media had just signed them. “Foley” went on to win an AICP Show honor the following month.
During their @radical.media tenure, Zack & J.C., who are best known for their comedic prowess, directed assorted projects, including a pair of web campaigns for Avaya via R/GA, New York; an in-house Guinness Beer project out of BBDO New York; a video-on-demand piece for Comcast to promote the HD release of the six Star Wars films; and a Time Warner web campaign.
Additionally, @radical.media landed an Orange Julius web film for Zack & J.C. who produced the limited budget project independently. The film was the first live-action advertising ever done by Orange Julius and was an offbeat look at Julius Freed, the inventor of the frothy orange beverage, which was introduced in the 1920s. Titled Julius Freed: An American Original, the viral film was the centerpiece of an ambitious campaign from agency space150, Minneapolis.
Zack & J.C. then signed with Lost Highway in early ’08.
Apple and Google Face UK Investigation Into Mobile Browser Dominance
Apple and Google aren't giving consumers a genuine choice of mobile web browsers, a British watchdog said Friday in a report that recommends they face an investigation under new U.K. digital rules taking effect next year.
The Competition and Markets Authority took aim at Apple, saying the iPhone maker's tactics hold back innovation by stopping rivals from giving users new features like faster webpage loading. Apple does this by restricting progressive web apps, which don't need to be downloaded from an app store and aren't subject to app store commissions, the report said.
"This technology is not able to fully take off on iOS devices," the watchdog said in a provisional report on its investigation into mobile browsers that it opened after an initial study concluded that Apple and Google effectively have a chokehold on "mobile ecosystems."
The CMA's report also found that Apple and Google manipulate the choices given to mobile phone users to make their own browsers "the clearest or easiest option."
And it said that the a revenue-sharing deal between the two U.S. Big Tech companies "significantly reduces their financial incentives" to compete in mobile browsers on Apple's iOS operating system for iPhones.
Both companies said they will "engage constructively" with the CMA.
Apple said it disagreed with the findings and said it was concerned that the recommendations would undermine user privacy and security.
Google said the openness of its Android mobile operating system "has helped to expand choice, reduce prices and democratize access to smartphones and apps" and that it's "committed to open platforms that empower consumers."
It's the latest move by regulators on both sides of the Atlantic to crack down on the... Read More