ArtClass, the production company founded by director Vincent Peone and EP Geno Imbriale, has brought comedic writer/actress/director Bridey Elliott aboard its roster for spots and branded content in the U.S. This marks Elliott’s first representation for commercials and branded fare.
Elliott is known for her dry, offbeat sense of humor, which she deftly translates on both sides of the lens. She honed her comedy chops performing stand-up and sketch comedy at Upright Citizens Brigade while studying filmmaking at Brooklyn College. During her time living in New York, she met her creative partner Sarah Winshall while working at famous Kim’s Video (known for being a starting ground for future filmmakers). The pair officially joined forces by co-founding the production company Smudge Films in 2015. Smudge produced Elliott’s comedic short Affections, and her debut feature, Clara’s Ghost, which both debuted in their respective years at the Sundance Film Festival.
Ever the multi-hyphenate, Elliott wrote and acted in both films. Each project showcases her penchant for experimentation and genre-blending; Affections is an awkward comedy/drama that zooms in on the destructive behavior that occurs in a dead-end relationship, while Clara’s Ghost is a horror/comedy/drama focusing on a family embittered by their experience within the film industry. Other acting credits include Battle of the Sexes, Mosaic, and the SXSW Grand Jury Prize winner Fort Tilden.
Daughter of Chris Elliott, granddaughter of radio comedian Bob Elliott, and sister of Saturday Night Live alum Abby Elliott, Bridey Elliott grew up virtually breathing comedy. Coming from American comedy royalty, her background has influenced her approach both in front of and behind the camera, as evident in the awkward silences and unexpected conversational directions throughout “Affections.”
“I’m an actors’ director,” explained Elliott. “I like to follow their instincts and allow for play, nuance, and improv. I enjoy the unpredictability in my projects and want to keep building upon that.” She said directing is a culmination of writing and acting, in that it “follows the vision of what I wrote, while adding in new layers I didn’t expect, depending on how the actors interpret it. Directing creates the ability to voice what I know exists in between the lines, and let the camera follow that to an entirely new and unexpected place.”
