Christopher Hutsul, a Toronto-based director known for his comedy acumen, has joined @radical.media for U.S. representation. His body of work spans such clients as IKEA, ING, Toyota, Nike, Kia, Skoda and Mitsubishi. For the latter, he directed “Electriphobia” which earned a Bronze Cyber Lion at the 2013 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Prior to coming aboard the @radical roster, Hutsul was handled in the U.S. by Park Pictures. He continues to be repped in Canada by production house Soft Citizen.
Hutsul took a circuitous route to the director’s chair. After graduating with honors from the fine arts program at Ontario College of Art and Design, Hutsul became a staff writer at The Toronto Star, Canada’s largest daily newspaper. His columns focused on technology, art and pop culture.
In 2007 he transitioned to the film production world, where he emerged as a commercial director. That same year on the strength of some early ad fare, he gained inclusion into SHOOT’s Up-and-Coming Directors series. In 2009 for his work on a film celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Nike Air Force One shoe, Hutsul earned a slot in Saatchi & Saatchi’s New Directors Showcase at Cannes.
Hutsul’s aesthetic is at once irreverent and good-hearted. He draws inspiration from the comedy of real life and infuses it with an element of playful absurdity, dating back to his commercial directing debut with a charmingly outrageous campaign for The Hargrave Pub out of agency Lowe Roche, Toronto. Hutsul draws on his experience in fine art to inform his production design and his background in writing to craft his narratives.
