Backyard Productions has added Australian-born director Kess Broekman-Dattner (Kess BD) to its roster for U.S. representation. With industry awards including Best Music Video at Sydney’s Independent Music Video Awards, Kess BD has enjoyed success in directing for musicians and brands alike, collaborating with global agencies like Clemenger, Saatchi & Saatchi and Ogilvy.
After honing his craft at film school, followed by a BA in Advertising, Kess BD made a name for himself directing narrative-based music videos and regional commercials. Raised in an art and business savvy, women-forward family by mother Fabian Dattner, an inspiring leader, ethics commentator, and women’s leadership activist, Kess BD has turned out directorial work that is deeply rooted in women-centric stories. As a result, his output shows a compassionate, supportive, visually striking voice that can be seen in his heartfelt pieces for JCPenney, Homeward Bound, CDPHP and BetterHelp.
Soon after graduating, Kess BD worked as a director’s assistant with Exit Films in Australia, gaining valuable insight into the collaborative culture of shooting commercials. Prior to his move to America, Kess BD worked as a live action director with Oh Yeah Wow, a Melbourne production company home to top-ranking animators and VFX artists. There he created his award-winning fashion film for Sködia and the music video “Through the Roof” for Hermitude, which was nominated for Best Music Video at the Aria’s (The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards) in 2015.
Looking to the year ahead, Kess BD is currently wrapping a commercial for the hit Broadway stage show, "Hamilton," written in partnership with creative agency RPM. Outside of the commercial world, the filmmaker is also working on a long form project about the first alliance of all-women commercial airline pilots. Set in the 1970s, the story is close to the director’s heart as the son of a hobbyist pilot father and world-changing mother.
Rich Schafler, EP/ head of sales at Backyard, commented, “As our roster expands we are always seeking innovative, free spirited and super collaborative creative artists. As a result of writing and designing amazing treatments, Kess’ work is powerful and has a unique visual style and feel to it. He is also very passionate about supporting the voices of women and ensuring diversity on and off set–something near and dear to us at Backyard.
“We pride ourselves on being a company where all our artists support and challenge one another to become better artists–including referring to other artists, which is how we came to know Kess. I feel we are unique in having such a tight knit group and familial culture, particularly in a business where the competition is so brutally competitive. We’re lucky to have discovered a talent like Kess.”
Kess BD said, “Rich and Kevin [Allodi, Backyard CEO] came across as seasoned, no nonsense straight shooters, which in this business can be a rare quality. They immediately hit the nail on the head with how they saw us collaborating and how they could assist in ways that were curious, clear, unfiltered and savvy.
“They also rep several good director friends of mine,” continued Kess BD, “and we have a director’s support chat where we share work and rough cuts, insights into process, references, news and generally act as one another’s cheer squad. Ultimately the idea of being part of the Backyard family felt too good to pass up!”
In NBC’s “Brilliant Minds,” Zachary Quinto Plays Doctor–In A Role Inspired By Physician/Author Oliver Sacks
There's a great moment in the first episode of the new NBC medical drama "Brilliant Minds" when it becomes very clear that we're not dealing with a typical TV doctor.
Zachary Quinto is behind the wheel of a car barreling down a New York City parkway, packed with hospital interns, abruptly weaving in and out of lanes, when one of them asks, "Does anyone want to share a Klonopin?" — a drug sometimes used to treat panic disorders.
"Oh, glory to God, yes, please," says Quinto, reaching an arm into the back seat. The intern then breaks the pill in half and gives a sliver to the driver, who swallows it, as the other interns share stunned looks.
Quinto, playing the character Dr. Oliver Wolf, is clearly not portraying any dour, by-the-rules doctor here — he's playing a character inspired by Dr. Oliver Sacks, the path-breaking researcher and author who rose to fame in the 1970s and was once called the "poet laureate of medicine."
"He was someone who was tirelessly committed to the dignity of the human experience. And so I feel really grateful to be able to tell his story and to continue his legacy in a way that I hope our show is able to do," says Quinto.
He's a fern-loving doctor
"Brilliant Minds" takes Sack's personality — a motorcycle-riding, fern-loving advocate for mental health who died in 2015 at 82 — and puts him in the present day, where the creators theorize he would have no idea who Taylor Swift is or own a cell phone. The series debuts Monday on NBC, right after "The Voice."
"It's almost as if we're imagining what it would have been like if Oliver Sacks had been born at a different time," says Quinto. "We use the real life person as our North Star through everything we're doing and all the... Read More