Former head of broadcast production at Droga5 moves over to production house side of the business
Ben Davies, who had most recently served as head of broadcast production at Droga5 NY, has joined Furlined as executive producer/director of development.
At Droga5, Davies had a hand in lauded work for Under Armour, Hennessy, Toyota, Newcastle Brown Ale, Honey Maid, Chobani and Spotify, among others. Prior to his Droga5 tenure, Davies spent 14 years at BBH London, working on campaigns for such brands as Audi, Levi’s, Vodafone and Johnny Walker.
Through his work with these two top creative agencies, Davies gained recognition for his international industry expertise. Davies is currently serving as a Film Craft jury member at the 2016 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and has also been a valued speaker at the Ciclope Festival in Berlin.
At Furlined, Davies will work closely with that company’s roster of directors, noting that “the opportunity to partner with, and build a team around them to bring their visions to life is truly exciting. Furlined’s culture, values and creative sensibilities match my own and I look forward to being part of the continued growth and development of new creative opportunities for the team.”
Diane McArter, founder and president of Furlined, said, “Production companies in particular are expected to possess a wider set of capabilities and more nimble processes for developing and delivering work to clients. Multi-platform storytelling, entertainment-style content, and a sustained dedication to craft—these are skills we continue to foster and Ben is the ideal candidate to help lead that charge.”
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