1) Our industry’s push for diversity and inclusion continued in the first half of 2019. My hope is our initiatives to give underrepresented voices, not just filmmakers and creatives, a chance to be heard is more than lip service. I’ve seen programs that exist just to check a box but with no follow through. The net gain is still positive cuz people are still getting real exposure.
2) I like strategy of the new High-dive Jeremy Renner Jeep campaign: a fusion of movie star, lifestyle and Renner’s own music. FCA song choice has been suspect at times (I once did a Christmas spot with an ill-fitted Flo Rida track mandated for Fiat) but these spots blend Hollywood and car quite well.
Of course, Nike’s “Dream Crazy” with Colin Kaepernick Wieden + Kennedy is wonderfully polarizing and gets people buring shoes.
I like anything by director Tom Kuntz.
3) I produced the indie short from series “Disconnected” (writer/director Jeannette Godoy) and we made it to the ballet to be on the ballet for an Emmy this season. Which is kind of bullshit, just nominate already. We got shut out by AMC, Netflix, Comedy Central and some Jimmy Fallon bit. No sour grapes cuz it all of that is great content, but I learned there really is no “indie” in that game. Emmy-schemmy. Ok, maybe a lil sour.
4) More data robot overlords dictating creative.
5) Social consciousness is connecting with consumers and that work is winning awards. Most feels sincere, but the end result is good.
6) I do Commercial Directing Bootcamp three times a year. Each session, the Diversity Award gives one or two filmmakers from an underrepresented population a free ticket to the seminar. It’s a small way to help, one filmmaker at a time. I also continue to make myself available to them after the workshop.