Production company Little Minx has added director RC Cone to its roster. Cone is a director as well as a photographer and drone operator. He came to the attention of Little Minx when they saw his short film The Accord.
The film is a thrill-seeking journey about surfers in Iceland who brave the North Atlantic wind–personified by Cone as a temperamental drunk–to find good waves. Their relentless battle against the elements is rewarded when the wind cooperates and they find their perfect waves, captured by epic drone footage shot by Cone himself. After premiering at the Telluride Mountain Film Festival, The Accord won awards at the Banff Mountain Film Festival, the Kendal Mountain Film Festival, Santa Cruz Surf Film Fest, and the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival, to name a few.
“We were looking for a director who had drone experience with a documentary style when I saw The Accord,” said Jennette MacLachlan, EP at Little Minx. “The drone footage coupled with RC’s slightly comedic storytelling was unique and everyone in the room was captivated–I reached out to him the moment the credits began to roll.”
Graduating from the University of Montana with a degree in environmental studies profoundly shaped Cone’s worldview, and a concentration in photojournalism honed his storytelling aesthetic. Working with companies such as Patagonia, Redington and Howler Bros. on a collection of adventure documentaries cemented Cone’s love for outdoor cinema and the connections it creates between the audience and the natural world.
Cone said of his joining Little Minx, “Being part of a creative community that supports you as an artist is such an honor.”
Rhea Scott, president of Little Minx, said, “I was really impressed with The Accord. It is intelligent, funny and breathtaking–a rare combination. Plus, he lives in the States which is convenient for U.S. agencies.”
At Little Minx, Cone will bring his signature documentary style and drone experience to the branded content and commercial markets.
First-Time Feature Directors Make Major Splash At AFI Fest, Generate Oscar Buzz
Two first-time feature directors who are generating Oscar buzz this awards season were front and center this past weekend at AFI Fest in Hollywood. Rachel Morrison, who made history as the first woman nominated for a Best Cinematography Oscar---on the strength of Mudbound in 2018--brought her feature directorial debut, The Fire Inside (Amazon MGM Studios), to the festival on Sunday (10/27), and shared insights into the film during a conversation session immediately following the screening. This came a day after William Goldenberg, an Oscar-winning editor for Argo in 2013, had his initial foray into feature directing, Unstoppable (Amazon MGM Studios), showcased at the AFI proceedings. He too spoke after the screening during a panel discussion. The Fire Inside--which made its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival--tells the story of Claressa “T-Rex” Shields (portrayed by Ryan Destiny), a Black boxer from Flint, Mich., who trained to become the first woman in U.S. history to win an Olympic Gold Medal in the sport. She achieved this feat--with the help of coach Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry)--only to find that her victory at the Summer Games came with relatively little fanfare and no endorsement deals. So much for the hope that the historic accomplishment would be a ticket out of socioeconomic purgatory for Shields and her family. It seemed like yet another setback in a cycle of adversity throughout Shields’ life but she persevered, going on to win her second Gold Medal at the next Olympics and becoming a champion for gender equality and equitable pay for women in sports. Shields has served as a source of inspiration for woman athletes worldwide--as well as to the community of... Read More