Mixed media production company Flesh and Bones has signed director Henry DaCosta to its roster for commercial and branded content representation in the U.S. This marks his first exclusive signing for spots in the U.S. market.
DaCosta’s raw, docustyle filmmaking is rooted in youth culture from the neighborhoods and streets of New York City, where he currently lives and works. His early passion for photography and video content was honed by shooting slices of everyday life with friends and music videos for artists around the city. He also had a keen interest in VFX and taught himself After Effects to use as a tool while producing his own work.
After graduating from NYU Film School, DaCosta started his career in the live event and music video spaces where he began shooting content for artists such as: A$AP Rocky, YG, Billie Eilish, Vince Staples, Louis the Child, JPEGMAFIA, Westside Boogie and more. His transition into the commercial world led to work for tech and apparel brands like Samsung, Canon USA, Under Armour, Puma, and Snipes, to name a few.
His work on the hero film for “The First Meta Sneaker” campaign with Steph Curry took home a Gold at the Cannes Lions for Social and Influencers. And DaCosta s won a Gold Cube at the Young One ADC Awards and was shortlisted for a Young Director Award.
At Flesh and Bones, DaCosta is focused on doing more narrative work for brands that also includes CG world building elements.
“I am beyond excited to be joining the family at Flesh and Bones. We have been following each other through social media for some years, always keeping tabs on what the other is up to. I know I’m going to be in great hands with Rob [EP Traill] and Tony’s (ECD Benna) combined decades of experience in the ad world, and their faith in my work and where I want to go with my career. They’ve proven their ability in understanding live action, animation, and VFX heavy production, which gives me confidence in not limiting my own aspirations as I take this next step in my career. They also provide a unique experience of potentially collaborating with the other animators on their roster to creating truly special films,” said DaCosta.
Traill said of DaCosta, “We were immediately attracted to the authenticity and grittiness of his visual storytelling style. And we were amazed at the access he seemed to have to the musical artists and community he was working with for such a young filmmaker. It is evident in the work on-screen that he has his finger on the pulse of the cultures he is capturing, and he is really good at collaborating and gaining the trust of the talent behind the scenes. We’re really looking forward to supporting his growth in every way we can.”
DaCosta’s latest project was the recently released music video for “Nonchalant” by Westside Boogie with Interscope Records. And the director is currently in postproduction on spots for Samsung and New York Festivals.
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