Bicoastal Greenpoint Pictures has signed director Clayton Vila for commercials and branded content in the U.S. This marks his first career representation in the American ad market.
A Los Angeles-based writer and director, Vila is a long-time professional skier who has garnered Bronze at the X Games and starred in dozens of the world’s biggest ski movies. He developed a passion and fascination for filmmaking at a young age while playing with his parent’s home camcorder and officially made the jump from a pro athlete in front of the camera to a career behind the camera filming the bizarre and amazing characters of the ski industry who happened to be his colleagues.
Back to Life, from Red Bull Media House and ESPN, is a film about Vila’s fellow competitor, professional skier Torin Yater-Wallace. The documentary follows Yater-Wallace’s journey from his dramatic childhood–––which saw him survive a week-long coma and his father sent to prison when Yater-Wallace was eight years old–––to his winning run at the Men’s Ski SuperPipe Final in Oslo, Norway’s 2016 X Games. The film premiered at the Rhode Island International Film Festival and earned a Gold Telly for Best Sports Documentary.
Branded shorts include the eponymous Monster Energy and Cowboy for outdoor company REI, the latter earning a Vimeo Staff Pick and a Mountainfilm Festival premiere. He has helmed traditional anthem campaigns for brewer Sierra Nevada, Skullcandy headphones, and a fashion film shot in 16mm for a new boutique swimwear company called Knox Swim. Whether the format is a feature, short, or branded content piece, Vila’s work always reflects his raw, innate creativity and action-seeking spirit.
“We love that Clayton is a professional athlete. To be at that level there’s an innate drive and passion that keeps you motivated. That’s translated seamlessly with Clayton’s more recent filmic path. We feel it in his work”, said Tatiana Rudzinski, executive producer at Greenpoint. “There’s an emotion, a storytelling technique that feels unique and carries its own voice. We’re excited our worlds collided for the next chapter of his career and look forward to riding alongside his successes.”
Villa, who is repped in Canada by Dreamboat, said of his Greenpoint compatriots, “They’re such an experienced and passionate team of creatives, and I’m excited to start accessing their knowledge and progressing my craft.”
