Director Braden King has rejoined Washington Square Films (WSF). Already since returning to WSF, he has helmed a digital short for Coca-Cola, which was featured on the brand’s webpage and across the Internet. North Ward Park showcases the innovative ways in which Coke teamed with officials and the local community in Newark, NJ, to administer grants and improve parks and recreational facilities.
King’s other recent work includes a brand film for Scholastic featuring Sarah Jessica Parker, and The Connect Sessions, a 10-part branded content series jointly commissioned by Microsoft and Spin Media.
Prior to his reunion with Washington Square Films, King was handled for spots and branded content by Warpaint, director Morgan Spurlock’s commercial production company. King’s credits over the years span such brands as Samsung, American Airlines, Miller Beer, ESPN, Nikon, The Partnership for a Drug-Free America, Johnson & Johnson, Siemens and UNICEF. He has also helmed music videos for Sonic Youth, Laurie Anderson, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Dirty Three, Chan Marshall, Califone, and Sparklehorse, among others. King recently served as creative director for Spurlock and Paul G. Allen’s We The Economy: 20 Short Films You Can’t Afford To Miss, creating an award-winning interactive website and mobile app that have helped the project reach over 12 million film views to-date.
King’s feature film Here, starring Ben Foster, premiered at the 2011 Sundance and Berlin Film Festivals and has been distributed throughout the world. Awards and honors for King’s work include the 2011 Berlin Film Festival C.I.C.A.E. Award, a 2010 Cinereach/Sundance Institute Fellowship, nomination to the 2008 Cannes Film Festival Atelier, the 2008 Sundance/NHK International Filmmakers Award, 2007 Sundance Writers and Directors Lab Fellowships and grants from the Creative Capital, Rockefeller, Annenberg and Sloan Foundations.
“I couldn’t be more excited to be back home at Washington Square,” said King. “The company has always been a great home for filmmakers. I’m looking forward to continuing this great creative relationship for many years to come.”
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