B-Reel has signed director Simon Cole for global representation. He spent the past 10-plus years at HSI Productions, initially as half of the Joe Public directing duo (with Adam Cameron). In 2006, Cole and Cameron split to pursue solo directing careers with Cole continuing at HSI.
Joe Public, back when they were at the since closed production house Headquarters, earned two Directors Guild of America (DGA) Award nominations–for Best Commercial Director of 1999 and 2002, The duo also had commercials for Amazon.com, Netflix and Cracker Jacks earn AICP Show honors and gain inclusion into the Film archives of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in NY.
Simon kicks off his B-Reel tenure with Evolve, a gun safety PSA featuring actor Josh Lucas for agencies Erwin Penland and Hill Holliday Boston. Michael McQuhae, executive producer/managing director, B-Reel, said, “Simon combines performance direction with a keen visual sensibility. Having worked with Simon previously, I look forward to producing with him again.”
Cole added, “I approach every project with the same energy and feeling of dedication in finding what makes a commercial work. B-Reel shares the same level of enthusiasm and approach to problem solving as me with each new project. They’re a new generation of commercial and digital content company, and being able to tap into that makes it a perfect marriage.”
In addition to his spotmaking, Simon has been active in the documentary arena with So Help Me God, which has been featured on TV networks worldwide and is available on Amazon.com, Netflix and iTunes. Simon is currently writing a black comedy feature titled Knock Down Ginger. He also plays keyboard and drums, writes for the band Redbox, and is an accomplished portrait photographer.
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