By CAROLYN GIARDINA
British editor/ director Kevin Chicken has joined the editorial roster at New York-based Vito DeSario Editing for U.S. representation. He continues as a freelance editor in the U.K.
Chicken, who is repped by U.K.-based production company Quiet Storm as a spot director, specializes in comedy and character-driven work. "[His work] has edgy humor combined with elegant composition with a distinctive British style," said Vito DeSario Editing owner/editor Vito DeSario.
Chicken recently directed and edited an Iceland freezer food spot via London-based HHCL & Partners. He also directed and edited several cinema spots directly for client Cartoon Network.
Chicken said he looked to the U.S. partly because there haven’t been "an awful lot of comedy scripts" in the U.K." He also enjoys the energy in New York. A recommendation brought him to Vito DeSario, whose creative atmosphere and plans to grow into new space were an instant draw.
Chicken’s comedic commercial editorial work includes Apple Tango’s "One to One" and "Caught Out" via HHCL. Trevor Robinson of Quiet Storm directed. Earlier Chicken edited several Orange Tango spots via HHCL. In addition, Chicken’s editing reel includes a comedic "Tooth Fairy" for Listerine via J. Walter Thompson, London; and a stylish Guinness spot, "Water," out of Ogilvy & Mather, London. A second Listerine spot, "Tooth Fairy-Father and Son," recently broke in the U.K.
"His work is hysterical," commented Vito DeSario Editing executive producer Michael Pollock. "I like Kevin a lot as a person. It’s going to be a lot of fun having him around."
Chicken earned an MA at London’s St. Martins School of Art in ’84 and in ’85 joined London-based editing company Obe Partnership, where he worked his way up to editor. He went freelance in ’94 and expanded his repertoire to include directing in ’97.
Additionally, in ’97 he wrote and directed a short film titled "Cold Feet." The dark comedy was honored as best film at the ’97 British Short Film Festival and best short film at the ’98 Savannah Film Festival.
Lin Polito, Stephen Cheifitz and Mark Nickelsburg round out Vito DeSario’s editorial roster.
Oscar-Nominated Director Sean Wang Joins Park Pictures For Spots, Branded Content
Park Pictures has added director Sean Wang to its roster of talent for representation spanning commercials and branded content. His feature-length debut, Dìdi, premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, where it was acquired by Focus Features and released later that summer to critical acclaim.
Wang is a Taiwanese-American filmmaker hailing from Fremont, Calif., and currently based in Los Angeles. Prior to joining Park Pictures, he was repped by Even/Odd Studios. Often pulling from his lived experiences, Wang can turn hyper-specific story points into universally relatable, memorable moments.
Dìdi won the U.S. Dramatic Audience Award and the Special Jury Prize for Best Ensemble Cast at the Sundance Film Festival. His documentary short Nai Nai & Wài Pó premiered at SXSW 2023, where it won the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award, later earning an Oscar nomination. The film following Wang’s two grandmothers is currently streaming on Disney+ and Hulu. Other films from Wang include the lauded documentary shorts 3,000 Miles, H.A.G.S., and Still Here. As a Google Creative Lab 5 Alumnus, Wang has directed several commercial campaigns for Google that highlighted live captions and teased large news from the tech conglomerate, including an ad that aired during the 2017 Emmy Awards.
Wang said of Park Pictures, “I can’t think of a better artistic home for me as a director. The work that comes out of Park Pictures is incredible, and I admire the work they do in advertising and the documentary and narrative space. Everyone I’ve met there is just as obsessed with making great films as I am, and I look forward to growing my career with them as I move into the commercial space.”
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