SixTwentySix has signed director Marysia Makowska, marking her first representation in the U.S. Makowska’s body of work includes commercials, music videos and short films. She has worked with such brands as McDonald’s, Puma, Pepsi, o.b.,Kate Spade NY, Unilever, Volkswagen, Disney, and BMG, among others. Agencies she has partnered with on campaigns include McCann NY, BBDO Atlanta, Razorfish NY, Red Antler NY, Ogilvy, McKinney, Fancy NY, DDB Warsaw, 180heartbeats + JUNG v. MATT, and VMLY&R.
Makowska grew up in Legionowo, a small town in Poland. She studied industrial design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. Following her studies, she began her career in advertising as an art director, working in Warsaw and Cape Town for over a decade before moving to NYC and ultimately transitioning to becoming a director.
Makowska’s directorial style is characterized by a meticulous attention to detail and a deep understanding of the human experience–primarily dedicated to stories focused on women, female empowerment, and the LGBTQ+ community. She masterfully captures the subtleties of her subjects, drawing emotionally authentic performances from real people/non-actors by creating compelling narratives. Her visual storytelling showcases her ability to transform ordinary moments into extraordinary cinematic experiences by combining naturalistic performances with stylized art direction and dream-like set designs. Makowska also veers slowly into more docu-style work, and is drawn to projects that have an idealistic core. Even when it’s a beauty commercial for a big brand for clients like Estee Lauder, L’Oreal, and Ulta Beauty, she desires for the message of the film to empower people to be who they choose to be.
Makowska said, “I like the style of SixTwentySix roster – a collective or diverse creators from various backgrounds and walks of life. I admire the fresh energy that Austin and Jake bring to the table. Their energy is contagious.”
SixTwentySix partner and managing director Jake Krask shared, “We are thrilled to welcome Marysia to the SixTwentySix family and embark on this creative partnership with her. The collaboration between her unique creative voice and our innovative spirit promises to be a catalyst for groundbreaking projects that will captivate audiences and push the boundaries of visual storytelling.
Austin Barbera, SixTwentySix partner and executive producer added, “Joining forces with Marysia represents an exciting new chapter, and we look forward to collaborating with her to bring her exceptional vision to life for client projects.”
Most recently, Makowska directed a McDonald’s commercial campaign for the Central European market. Next up, she has embarked on a five-part short documentary series project for the major fashion retailer Modivo. Helming both direction and script-writing of the campaign, Makowska will capture the entire project on 16mm film, shooting this summer in five countries across Central and Eastern Europe–Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, and the Czech Republic.
In addition to SixTwentySix, Makowska is repped by Papaya Films in Poland and the U.K., and Caviar Brussels in Belgium and The Netherlands.
