Production company kaboom has added Jo Gennett to its directorial roster for exclusive representation in the U.S. spanning commercials and branded content. This marks her first company signing after a career as an independent director. Her body of work includes short films, commercials and music videos.
“I found Jo on Free the Work and was really impressed with the breadth and quality of work she had already amassed,” said kaboom founder/EP Lauren Schwartz. “I loved the feel of her work–it was lifestyle but there was a playfulness and a unique sensibility there that felt really fresh and contemporary. When we met, it was evident how much she loves the creative process–she’s grounded and imaginative. And as a digital native, she knows what appeals to audiences in the social space where capturing attention is as competitive as it gets.”
A lifelong interest in television and film drew the New York native to NYU Film School where she discovered a community of creatives with whom she still collaborates. A multi-talented creative, Gennett has worked as an art director, writer, and has a background in creative ideation and development–all of which inform her directing and make her a key partner for both brands and agencies. Her body of work includes campaigns for Match, Barefoot Wine Canada, Lululemon, CarGurus, Bruno Magli and Bumble. Her short film “Millennial Haikus” is a cheeky reflection of her own social media obsessed generation.
Having spent her career as an independent creative, Gennett is excited to be a part of the kaboom roster of multifaceted directors and experienced producing team.
“Lauren reached out at a great time. She really made an impression because she has this driving energy for developing talent and is incredibly knowledgeable of the industry,” she says. “I’ve been producing my own work for years, so having this kind of support is super valuable. I’m stoked to be a part of the kaboom team so I can keep pushing myself creatively.”
Jennifer Kent On Why Her Feature Directing Debut, “The Babadook,” Continues To Haunt Us
"The Babadook," when it was released 10 years ago, didn't seem to portend a cultural sensation.
It was the first film by a little-known Australian filmmaker, Jennifer Kent. It had that strange name. On opening weekend, it played in two theaters.
But with time, the long shadows of "The Babadook" continued to envelop moviegoers. Its rerelease this weekend in theaters, a decade later, is less of a reminder of a sleeper 2014 indie hit than it is a chance to revisit a horror milestone that continues to cast a dark spell.
Not many small-budget, first-feature films can be fairly said to have shifted cinema but Kent's directorial debut may be one of them. It was at the nexus of that much-debated term "elevated horror." But regardless of that label, it helped kicked off a wave of challenging, filmmaker-driven genre movies like "It Follows," "Get Out" and "Hereditary."
Kent, 55, has watched all of this — and those many "Babadook" memes — unfold over the years with a mix of elation and confusion. Her film was inspired in part by the death of her father, and its horror elements likewise arise out of the suppression of emotions. A single mother (Essie Davis) is struggling with raising her young son (Noah Wiseman) years after the tragic death of her husband. A figure from a pop-up children's book begins to appear. As things grow more intense, his name is drawn out in three chilling syllables — "Bah-Bah-Doooook" — an incantation of unprocessed grief.
Kent recently spoke from her native Australia to reflect on the origins and continuing life of "The Babadook."
Q: Given that you didn't set out to in any way "change" horror, how have you regarded the unique afterlife of "The... Read More