Transatlantic creative production company Loveboat, which launched earlier this year, has signed director Sean Frank to its diverse cooperative of directors and inter- disciplinary artists. Loveboat, with offices in Los Angeles and Paris, represents Frank in the U.S. and France for commercials and branded content
Frank is a London-raised, Los Angeles-based director who began his artistic journey making stop motion animations at the age of 10. A graduate of Goldsmiths College and Central Saint Martins, Frank has turned out films that are rooted in real, relatable environments, situations, and subcultures that combine cinematic compositions with inspirational stories. His credits span music videos and film. Frank’s work has screened internationally, garnering several award nominations. He has been featured by Vogue and Nowness, among others. Recent work includes the riveting short film Further Away, executive produced by Lena Waithe with AT&T, the documentary short Mas Fuerte, Every Kind Of Way–Visual E.P. for Grammy award-winning artist H.E.R., and the TV series Boomerang, also executive produced by Waithe. He has also completed branded projects for clients including Apple Music.
For Frank, art has always been a vehicle to confront wider societal issues. “To keep seeking and telling meaningful stories is my responsibility as a filmmaker,” said Frank. “Showing unique perspectives that make people feel, to question the status quo, and to illuminate the broader social concerns of our time motivates me. The team at Loveboat completely gets where I’m coming from and respects my work. I’m happy to be creating with them.”
“Sean’s films all share a sensual and evocative quality,” said Jeff Baron, managing partner of Loveboat’s L.A. office. “Loveboat’s foundation is built upon our commitment to mentorship and development of director’s careers. We align completely with Sean’s passion for rich storytelling and dedication to progress.”
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