Production company Derby has added director Catherine Orchard to its roster, marking her first formal commercialmaking representation. Prior to this, she was freelancing.
Orchard developed an eye for strong imagery in combination with wit and lyrical storytelling by beginning her career in the creative departments of various brands and magazines including Bobbi Brown, Alice + Olivia, JANE, Travel + Leisure, and VIBE. Most recently, she has been directing for LOFT, Teen Vogue, the Rubin Museum of Art and more.
“Catherine’s directing style is very classic, but with a smart, whimsical edge,” said Mary Crosse, executive producer of Derby. “Her sense of production design and fashionably art directed aesthetic is the perfect addition to our roster, and I’m excited about the diverse range of projects we can work on together.”
Orchard comes aboard a Derby talent lineup which includes directors Lucas Borrás, Nickolas Duarte, The Bozzwicks and John Poliquin. Since the company launched in the fall of 2015, Derby has produced campaigns with its agency and brand partners for Listerine, Lucky Charms, Johnson & Johnson, Sauza, and Erno Laszlo, among others.
Eleanor Adds Director Candice Vernon To Its Roster For Spots and Branded Content
Director Candice Vernon has joined production house Eleanor for U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded content. She has already wrapped several jobs at Eleanor, which waited to announce her until they had a body of work together.
Via Eleanor, Vernon made history as the first Black director on a Febreze commercial. The “Small Spaces” campaign marks a major departure from Febreze’s typical blue-and-white world. The home of the “Revolving Door” commercial is a beautiful array of bold sunset hues, African prints, and African art.
Vernon said, “I asked myself, what feels right to me? What feels new? I wanted to bring an essence of not just Black Americans but the full diaspora. I wanted to make a statement that we’re not a monolith.”
Following the success of the “Small Spaces” campaign, Febreze brought Vernon back for a comedy-infused trifecta exploring the hilarious situations that call for an air freshening hero.
Febreze Brand VP Angelica Matthews said, “About two years ago, we realized the consumers that were the most loyal to Febreze were the African American consumers. And the more we learned, the more we realized the richness that we were really missing. So we said we have to go beyond just Black casting, we need to get Black directors that truly understand the culture that truly understand how to bring authentic performances out on screen. We really looked around the industry and noticed there’s actually a shortage of African American directors who have experience doing commercials. When we all saw Candice’s reel, we could all tell the passion for the craft, passion for really trying to help us from where we are to where we’re trying to go.”
Vernon brings a unique lens to... Read More