Chelsea Pictures has launched Chelsea UK with Nell Jordan appointed as the new venture’s executive producer. The company expansion will provide the European market greater access to Chelsea’s roster of directors including such notables as David Gordon Green, Nisha Ganatra and Alex Gibney. Chelsea’s lineup of filmmakers has garnered assorted awards–from Oscars to Emmys, Lions to Pencils and Cubes–and turned out work that has become prominent on the festival circuit spanning Sundance, Venice, Toronto, Tribeca, Berlin and Cannes.
Chelsea owner Lisa Mehling said, “2020 was one of the most exciting creative years on record for Chelsea. With recent U.K. successes #wombstories for AMV BBDO and an equally exciting soon-to-be released project with The Brooklyn Brothers, it is the perfect time for us to expand our global reach. We will continue to do what we love: tell impactful stories, tap into pop culture and influence the world around us. We are overjoyed to have Nell heading up Chelsea UK with her unsurpassed producing prowess and keen eye for the best creative.”
Chelsea is well regarded for discovering director talent and offering long-term creative management. With offices in New York and L.A., Chelsea is one of the only women owned and managed commercial production companies, making it uniquely positioned to help the industry become more inclusive and equitable.
Jordan has produced an impressive number of award-winning projects with top directors over the past three decades. “I am thrilled to now be a part of the Chelsea team and am looking forward to collaborating with them on their new venture in Europe, working with their diverse and exciting roster,” stated Jordan. Originally from Sydney, Jordan began her career working in television and outside broadcasts including Formula 1, International Cricket, America’s Cup, The Olympics, live concerts and music videos. She then moved on to commercial production, working with brands such as Qantas, British Airways, Fosters and Pepsi before relocating to London and resuming shooting around the globe.
Jordan continues to serve as longstanding executive producer at O Positive London, concurrently managing both Chelsea and O Positive.
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