RSA Films has added filmmaker Brent Harris to its roster for commercial representation in the U.S. and U.K. His aptitude for authentic, intimate performances and atmospheric visuals can be seen in campaigns for leading brands and agencies. Highlights of his work include Nike’s “Love Your Dream” (Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam), an insider’s look at fútbol star Kylian Mbappé’s path to greatness, and NASCAR’s “Join The Battle” (Ogilvy NY), a rallying cry for NASCAR’s far-reaching fandom. He’s also directed spots for Coca-Cola, EA, Expedia, Sky Sports, Goodyear, PlayStation, GNC, McDonald’s, Intel and many other brands.
He wrote and directed two short films, Locals Only (2019), an award-winning, deeply personal story about his own experience growing up in Apartheid South Africa which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, and the artful, reverential La Légende (2021), his personal tribute to famed electronic duo Daft Punk.
Luke Ricci, president of RSA Films U.S., said of Harris, “He’s an incredible visual storyteller with an exceptional eye and captures beautifully authentic performances from talent. We look forward to bringing him many more great opportunities.”
Harris said, “After 10 great years at Skunk, I was at a stage in my career where I was ready for a new chapter. In chatting with my great pal, talent manager Philip Fox-Mills, I learned that RSA had a young and dynamic new president at the helm in L.A. It was clear Luke was bringing a new energy and impetus to what is of course a preeminent filmmaker’s production company. Luke and I had a fantastic conversation then I had a brilliant chat with Kai [Hsiung, global managing director], and I knew immediately that RSA would be my new home.
“I love any great story that deserves telling,” Harris continued. “I’m especially drawn to ideas where I can layer in some poetry and atmosphere in the visual storytelling. At RSA, I’d like to push my own limits as a writer-director in narrative and documentary filmmaking, and directing commercials of course.”
Harris grew up in Cape Town. He went to school for liberal arts in the small South African town of Grahamstown. His film school education came from attending weekly screenings at two local art house cinemas where he soaked up the genius of Kubrick, Lynch, Polanski and Antonioni. He later returned to Cape Town where he graduated from UCT. His first work as a director was serendipitous. A friend hired him to deliver checks to lottery winners for the first lottery company in South Africa, and then to make a day-in-the-life content piece about all of them. Harris recalled, “Being the bearer of such good news, often to those of very, very humble means, was for sure the most gratifying job I could ever have.”
Over the course of his career, Harris’ work has been honored with Cannes Lions, D&AD and One Show Pencils, and AICP Awards.
Harris is currently based in New York. In addition to directing commercials, he’s developing a feature film about a particularly dark and controversial chapter in the life of Frank Lloyd Wright.
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