Superprime Films has signed award-winning creative and commercial filmmaker Jamie Rafn for U.S. representation spanning spots and branded content.
Born in Spain and presently based in London, Rafn studied law at Oxford and qualified as a barrister before devoting himself to his lifelong passion–filmmaking. He has since amassed a lauded body of work in film, television, and advertising. His first feature film Soho Square–which he wrote, directed, and self-produced–premiered on the Sundance Channel to much acclaim.
Rafn’s commercial work–for brands such as American Family Insurance, Toyota, Volvo, and Vorwerk–has garnered awards including the Cannes Lions Grand Prix, Clios, and Kinsale Sharks. His six-minute, single-take Johnnie Walker brand film, The Man Who Walked Around the World, received a Cannes Lion for Internet Film, among other honors. Starring veteran Scottish actor Robert Carlyle, the film is a testament to Rafn’s ability to deftly weave compelling storytelling and promotion. Prior to joining Superprime, Rafn was most recently repped in the U.S. advertising market by production house SMUGGLER.
In addition to short films and advertising, Rafn has directed BAFTA-nominated TV series and live comedy specials, including Alfred Molina and Dawn French in Roger and Val Have Just Got In and Rob Newman’s six-part TV series, The History of the World Backwards.
“Jamie is such an intimate and engaging storyteller,” said Superprime executive producer Michelle Ross. “His work blends humor and sincerity; it’s as entertaining as it is touching.”
Rafn said, “For me directing is all about empathy. Feeling what the characters would be feeling at any given moment, and then making sure the audience is fully tapped into that. Superprime and I share a devotion to compassionate storytelling, and I’m very excited to be working alongside their amazing roster of directors.”
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