Dan Magdich has been promoted from director of creative services to VP, executive creative director at integrated marketing agency Brunner.
Within his new role, Magdich will drive Brunner’s creative product forward leading all creative projects, progress, and execution–from big-idea campaigns to scrappy video productions and a slew of work in between. His current client roster includes Blistex, Church’s Texas Chicken, Dairyland, The Home Depot Rental, WesBanco and YellaWood.
With nearly 20 years of experience, Magdich has demonstrated a penchant for playful and elevated creative advertising. He has helped build brand recognition through his big ideas for several companies, such as Dick’s Sporting Goods, Field & Stream, Dropbox, Google, GNC, Nationwide, WebMD, Huffy, Duck Tape and Walgreens, among others. Previously, Magdich has worked at other creative companies, including Moxie and Animal Inc.
“Dan has consistently demonstrated exceptional dedication, an unparalleled drive for creative excellence, and a passion for the work and the agency. As Brunner continues to expand, Dan will continue to remain a vital part of the growth of the people and the agency as a whole,” said Ken Johns, partner and director of client experience, Brunner. “Dan ‘gets it’–not only as a creative leader of the organization but as a leader overall. His unique set of skills and experiences, his dedication to our clients, and his enthusiasm for the work makes me excited to see where he leads us creatively.”
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