B-Reel Films has signed director Daniel Brown for U.S. representation. The Seattle-based Brown received acclaim for his art film Color TV, No Vacancy. He has directed ads for clients including Nike, HTC, Beats by Dre, Amazon, T-Mobile, the Sundance Film Festival, Burger King, Fox Television and Wendy’s. He helmed the latter’s first Super Bowl commercial. And Brown’s music video exploits span artists such as ODESZA, Jon Bellion and Merk & Kremont.
Brown initially debuted in the industry as an animator at the Emmy-winning company Digital Kitchen before taking on writing and creative direction. He currently serves as the executive creative director at World Famous and has a close working relationship with the Amazon creative team. Previously, Brown was represented by UNHEARD/OF and Society as a director and as creative director of Oh, Hello.
“I first learned of Daniel through his No Vacancy work–it’s stunning and powerful,” recalled B-Reel’s managing director and executive producer Michael McQuhae. “It’s clear Daniel’s experience as a creative director really informs knowing what is possible when it comes to making a commercial.”
Most recently Brown wrapped campaigns with Amazon Web Services titled “Your Age” and “Curiosity Kid.” He is now working with Spider-Man and Moon Knight illustrator Ron Ackins on publishing a self-produced graphic novel, as well as developing a couple of feature-length projects.
Brown said he immediately felt right at home with B-Reel’s multifaceted nature: “They understand where I want to go and where I see my value.”
First-Time Feature Directors Make Major Splash At AFI Fest, Generate Oscar Buzz
Two first-time feature directors who are generating Oscar buzz this awards season were front and center this past weekend at AFI Fest in Hollywood. Rachel Morrison, who made history as the first woman nominated for a Best Cinematography Oscar---on the strength of Mudbound in 2018--brought her feature directorial debut, The Fire Inside (Amazon MGM Studios), to the festival on Sunday (10/27), and shared insights into the film during a conversation session immediately following the screening. This came a day after William Goldenberg, an Oscar-winning editor for Argo in 2013, had his initial foray into feature directing, Unstoppable (Amazon MGM Studios), showcased at the AFI proceedings. He too spoke after the screening during a panel discussion. The Fire Inside--which made its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival--tells the story of Claressa “T-Rex” Shields (portrayed by Ryan Destiny), a Black boxer from Flint, Mich., who trained to become the first woman in U.S. history to win an Olympic Gold Medal in the sport. She achieved this feat--with the help of coach Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry)--only to find that her victory at the Summer Games came with relatively little fanfare and no endorsement deals. So much for the hope that the historic accomplishment would be a ticket out of socioeconomic purgatory for Shields and her family. It seemed like yet another setback in a cycle of adversity throughout Shields’ life but she persevered, going on to win her second Gold Medal at the next Olympics and becoming a champion for gender equality and equitable pay for women in sports. Shields has served as a source of inspiration for woman athletes worldwide--as well as to the community of... Read More