Bicoastal production company ArtClass has signed director Maya “Mayachka” Margolina whose fashion, lifestyle and beauty content spans such clients as Mercedes-Benz, Spotify, Lancôme, Yves Saint Laurent, Neutrogena, and MCM. This marks the first production house roost for the NYC-based filmmaker.
At ArtClass, Margolina will focus on commercials, promos, and branded content for linear and digital platforms. She has already completed a social campaign for Samsung, a branded content series for Pantene featuring comedian/social media star Celeste Barber, and a promo for Turner TV’s new unscripted series with style icon Jenna Lyons.
Margolina said she was drawn to the people at ArtClass as well the company’s efforts to lay out “a foundation for femme, LGBTQIA+, and POC filmmakers to thrive. As an immigrant, this creative culture resonates with me personally; empowerment for those not represented in mainstream media has always been a big part of my work–whether it’s in my casting, research, pitching, or concepting.”
ArtClass partner/director Vincent Peone added, “Maya was a force at Condé Nast. This was abundantly clear the moment we started working there together and has persisted with fury at ArtClass. Her deep connection to storytelling and the human condition can be found at every intersection of her work. A true auteur.”
The Uzbek-born Margolina broke into the industry as a music supervisor and music video director for avant-garde indie musicians. It wasn’t long before Glossier hired Margolina, where she was part of the original team behind the Glossier brand launch, leading its new video department.
Margolina went on to relaunch and run the video department of Allure Magazine. She worked closely with editor-in-chief Michelle Lee on the brand creative and video content behind the magazine’s new digital presence. Her tenure was highlighted by several viral original content franchises, which she developed and created. This included “Dispelling Beauty Myths,” which reached over 500 million views on Facebook alone; and “Centenarians,” which ended up being Condé Nast’s second most-watched video of all time on social.
Allure parent company Condé Nast provided the next stepping stone. Before being promoted to executive producer, she directed and wrote dozens of viral videos featuring A-list talent, including Lupita Nyong’o, Kim Kardashian, and Mariah Carey. Some of Margolina’s most notable work during this time included a Vogue video featuring Sutton Foster, and an Allure cover video featuring Kendall Jenner, which went hyper-viral and garnered Webby honoree distinction. Fashion and beauty brands took notice, as Margolina broke through with campaigns for Lancôme, YSL, and others.
Outside of ArtClass, Margolina’s docu-series pilot Buddy Boca was an official selection at the 2020 Miami Film Festival. She has a script in development called “Bridge & Tunnel,” a coming-of-age story about growing up as a rambunctious immigrant teen in Queens. She also music supervised a feature film starring FKA Twigs, slated to release in 2020.
Review: Writer-Directors Scott Beck and Bryan Wood’s “Heretic”
"Heretic" opens with an unusual table setter: Two young missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are discussing condoms and why some are labeled as large even though they're all pretty much a standard size. "What else do we believe because of marketing?" one asks the other.
That line will echo through the movie, a stimulating discussion of religion that emerges from a horror movie wrapper. Despite a second-half slide and feeling unbalanced, this is the rare movie that combines lots of squirting blood and elevated discussion of the ancient Egyptian god Horus.
Our two church members — played fiercely by Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East — are wandering around trying to covert souls when they knock on the door of a sweet-looking cottage. Its owner, Mr. Reed, offers a hearty "Good afternoon!" He welcomes them in, brings them drinks and promises a blueberry pie. He's also interested in learning more about the church. So far, so good.
Mr. Reed is, of course, if you've seen the poster, the baddie and he's played by Hugh Grant, who doesn't go the snarling, dead-eyed Hannibal Lecter route in "Heretic." Grant is the slightly bumbling, bashful and self-mocking character we fell in love with in "Four Weddings and a Funeral," but with a smear of menace. He gradually reveals that he actually knows quite a bit about the Mormon religion — and all religions.
"It's good to be religious," he says jauntily and promises his wife will join them soon, a requirement for the church. Homey touches in his home include a framed "Bless This Mess" needlepoint on a wall, but there are also oddities, like his lights are on a timer and there's metal in the walls and ceilings.
Writer-directors Scott Beck and Bryan Wood — who also... Read More