Production company Arts & Sciences has added director Anthony Mandler to its roster of talent for U.S. representation. Mandler’s credits include Procter & Gamble’s “The Look,” which was recently nominated for the primetime commercial Emmy Award.
Out of ad agency Saturday Morning, “The Look” follows a Black man throughout his day as he encounters a variety of “looks” that symbolize a barrier to acceptance. In the film, the windows of a passing car are raised after his son waves to a young girl in the back seat, occupants of an elevator seem to shut him out as he approaches, and workers in a department store watch him with suspicion as he shops. Whether intentional or not, these small “looks” can have a major impact. The film ends with the line, “Let’s talk about the look so we can see beyond it.”
Mandler directed “The Look” via Stink Films, which repped him prior to his joining Arts & Sciences. He was awarded Best Direction at the 2019 Clio Awards for the spot.
Mandler began his career as a photographer before transitioning into directing music videos for industry superstars. He quickly made his mark directing for Taylor Swift, The Jonas Brothers, Shawn Mendes, Jay-Z, The Weeknd, Beyoncé, The Killers, and Drake. It was his long collaboration with Rihanna, spanning 16 music videos, that shaped her visual style; and his trilogy of short films–National Anthem, Ride, and Tropico–for Lana del Rey are credited as some of the artist’s most profound and cinematic work.
Mandler’s body of storytelling work has garnered almost 4 billion views worldwide. His credits span top international brands including Nike, Apple, P&G, Adidas, The NFL, and David Beckham. His Apple Music campaign "Taylor vs Treadmill" took the ad world by storm. Mandler’s feature debut, Monster, was in dramatic competition at the Sundance Film Festival. The film stars Academy Award-winner Jennifer Hudson, Jeffrey Wright, ASAP Rocky, John David Washington, and Kelvin Harrison Jr. and is slated for release this fall.
“Anthony brings a singular vision and style to everything he directs. And his ability to defy genres with a wide range of stand-out work is something we were so drawn to. Strong conceptual work has always been a touchstone for us, and we are thrilled that he has joined us in this stage of his journey in advertising”, said Mal Ward, managing director of Arts & Sciences.
Mandler said of his new roost and the people there, “Their passion and vision is clear in the quality of work that they create. I look forward to joining their team.”
