Madheart has signed director Mark Andrew for exclusive national representation. Andrew is a specialist in fashion and lifestyle advertising who turned his attention to live action direction after a 20-year career as a top commercial photographer. His live action work includes projects for American Eagle, Aeropostale, Target, 7th Generation, Oil of Olay, Lane Bryant and the American Cancer Society. He has also directed music videos, fine art films and narrative shorts.
Andrew began his career in photography in the 1990s and quickly established himself as a perceptive artist through work for major national publications and such brands as Victoria’s Secret, Neiman Marcus, Nike, Reebok, Sony, Adidas and the NFL. With a gift for portraiture and lifestyle images that reveal the unguarded essence of his subjects, Andrew drew assignments involving top models, actors, athletes and politicians. He also won acclaim for his ability to capture honest, believable images of everyday people of all age groups, and for turning such “stolen moments” into iconic advertising.
Andrew believes that the narrative quality of his still work translates well to live action. “I love the challenge of telling a story in 30 seconds,” he says. “Much of my still photography comes from a journalistic approach. It’s based on casting and people who inspire me. There is also a discovery process that happens during production with the talent. That is a big part of my work. I like happy surprises.” Andrew’s photographs have been exhibited internationally and are in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Museum.
Andrew began transitioning to live action by shooting motion in tandem with still assignments. He has directed commercials, in-store videos and branded content for a number of fashion brands, working alongside advertising agencies and client-direct.
He has also collaborated on several fine art projects with filmmaker Mark Dechazza, including “A Colloquy with God,” a music video for the classical quartet New York Polyphony that was recently featured on NPR. He and Dechazza co-directed a film to accompany the world premiere of composer Amy Beth Kirsten’s strange pilgrims at Carnegie Hall. Andrew also wrote and directed the short film Nate and Vinnie, about an unusual encounter between two New York City strangers, that has screened at festivals across the U.S. and internationally.
Andrew says that he is excited about the opportunity to expand his work in commercial advertising. The L.A.-based Madheart is Andrew’s first association with a commercial production company. “I want to create really strong images,” he said. “I like images that are rich, colorful, spirited and honest. I like to get to the core of people and, more than anything else, be memorable.”
Madheart executive producer Lisa Phillips said that she was drawn to the naturalness and emotional depth of Andrew’s work, and his experience in working with top agencies and major brands. “Mark’s work is uplifting and affirming in a way that is particularly relevant today,” Phillips said. “He is also a very enthusiastic partner. He brings a lot to the table.”
Madheart has also secured new sales representation on the West and East Coasts. Connie Mellors and Ellen Dempsey will represent the company in the West. Michael Eha of Michael Eha & Associates will lead sales in the East.
