Bicoastal The Famous Group has signed comedy director Oren Kaplan for branded content and spot work. He’s already wrapped his first project under The Famous Group banner, a Wendy’s commercial out of agency VML Kansas City. Kaplan’s other recent endeavors include campaigns for Converse, Swiffer and Nvidia. His overall body of work also spans such clients as Jeep, Fiat, Ford, Microsoft, Mattel, Panasonic, as well as branding for Quiznos.
On the long-form front, Kaplan directed the feature film The Hammer, based on the life of deaf UFC fighter Matt Hamill.
Kaplan comes from the creative side of the business. For the last four years he pitched creative solutions, directing branded content at Los Angeles based WINDOWSEATpictures. It was here that Kaplan did his humorous work for Quiznos. Prior to that, Kaplan spent three years directing branded TV content at The Walt Disney Company.
Kaplan considers himself a filmmaker with a penchant for comedy. “My brand of humor usually involves playing things straight,” he said. “I much prefer funny situations to loud in-your-face performances. Small, real, grounded, and relatable is what I’m going for. And when I can juxtapose a small performance with a really big visual gag, that’s when I’m at my most satisfied.”
David Kwan, managing director of The Famous Group, assessed, “Oren understands the subtlest components of comedic timing and works with talent to hit just the right performance. Oren pairs his comedy with strong visuals and detailed art direction that’s ideal for many brands.”
As a filmmaker, Kaplan applies what he’s learned directing features and TV shows to the commercial world. “When I’m shooting spots I’m always trying to take inspiration from movies and TV shows to engage audiences–I love genre parodies and fine-tuning the lighting, pacing, and sounds to accentuate the tone,” said Kaplan. “In terms of crew, there isn’t a difference between traditional filmmaking and commercial work for me. A great DP, production designer, etc, can work across all disciplines. They just need to be ready to be more collaborative on a commercial set.”
Rom-Com Mainstay Hugh Grant Shifts To The Dark Side and He’s Never Been Happier
After some difficulties connecting to a Zoom, Hugh Grant eventually opts to just phone instead.
"Sorry about that," he apologizes. "Tech hell." Grant is no lover of technology. Smart phones, for example, he calls the "devil's tinderbox."
"I think they're killing us. I hate them," he says. "I go on long holidays from them, three or four days at at time. Marvelous."
Hell, and our proximity to it, is a not unrelated topic to Grant's new film, "Heretic." In it, two young Mormon missionaries (Chloe East, Sophie Thatcher) come knocking on a door they'll soon regret visiting. They're welcomed in by Mr. Reed (Grant), an initially charming man who tests their faith in theological debate, and then, in much worse things.
After decades in romantic comedies, Grant has spent the last few years playing narcissists, weirdos and murders, often to the greatest acclaim of his career. But in "Heretic," a horror thriller from A24, Grant's turn to the dark side reaches a new extreme. The actor who once charmingly stammered in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and who danced to the Pointer Sisters in "Love Actually" is now doing heinous things to young people in a basement.
"It was a challenge," Grant says. "I think human beings need challenges. It makes your beer taste better in the evening if you've climbed a mountain. He was just so wonderfully (expletive)-up."
"Heretic," which opens in theaters Friday, is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, co-writers of "A Quiet Place." In Grant's hands, Mr. Reed is a divinely good baddie — a scholarly creep whose wry monologues pull from a wide range of references, including, fittingly, Radiohead's "Creep."
In an interview, Grant spoke about these and other facets of his character, his journey... Read More