Backyard has signed director Stuart Douglas for U.S. commercial representation. He brings to the Marina del Rey-based production company a stylized approach which fuses impressionistic portrait photography with intimate storytelling and can be seen in projects for Ford, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Guinness, Nike, Sony, Land Rover, Saab, Volvo, Sainsbury’s, BBC and Jeep, among many others. His work for Carlsberg, Guinness and Pepsi went on to receive industry recognition at such competitions as the Cannes Lions, The One Show and the British Arrows. Douglas’ endeavors span actors and real people fare.
Douglas studied photography at Barking Art College and later joined forces with his brother to start the photography duo, The Douglas Brothers. The pair leveraged their unique approach–simultaneously taking photos of the same subject with different cameras–to shoot portraits of Cindy Crawford, Liam Neeson, Daniel Day-Lewis, Salman Rushdie and numerous others that went on to be featured in such publications as American Esquire and The New York Times. The brothers were then commissioned to shoot and direct several short films for a major Adidas campaign, sparking Stuart’s career as a commercial director. Since then, he has gone on to direct a wide range of distinctive campaigns spots for top brands that were shot all over the world. In 2003, Douglas launched London-based production company Nice Shirt Films, alongside his business partners, for the U.K. commercial market.
London-native Douglas recently made his way to Los Angeles. Prior to joining Backyard, he had been repped by Believe Media in the U.S. ad market.
Backyard VP/executive producer Kris Mathur said, “We recently finished shooting with Stuart in the South Island of New Zealand where he directed our inaugural campaign with a creative team from Saatchi & Saatchi NY. It was a massive project and we were able to witness firsthand his mastery of visual storytelling, collaboration and pure direction on a large scale. He’s a great fit for Backyard.”
Douglas said of his new roost, “Backyard has a really great history and pedigree in the industry and I was really impressed with the forward-looking direction they’re taking. We also have very similar creative visions so it was serendipitous that we are beginning this new chapter.”
“Dune: Part Two” and “House of the Dragon” Win 2 HPA Awards Apiece
Dune: Part Two and House of the Dragon each scored two HPA Awards during a gala ceremony at the Television Academy’s Wolf Theatre in North Hollywood, Calif. on Thursday night (11/7). The HPA Awards honor trailblazing talent in the postproduction industry, celebrating standout achievements in color grading, sound, editing, restoration, and visual effects across theatrical features, commercials, and episodics.
Dune: Part Two topped the Outstanding Color Grading--Live Action Theatrical Feature and the Outstanding Sound--Theatrical Feature categories.
House of the Dragon’s two wins were for “The Red Dragon and the Gold” episode which scored for Outstanding Visual Effects--Live Action Episode or Series Season, and Outstanding Editing--Episode or Non-Theatrical Feature (Over 30 Minutes). In the latter HPA Creative Category, House of the Dragon tied with the “Part Six: Far,l Far Away” episode of Ahsoka.
The HPA’s Judges Award for Creativity and Innovation honored Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour. This recognition celebrates the profound impact on both live and filmed entertainment that defined The Eras Tour, underscoring its exceptional impact on audiences and the industry. The jury issued a statement outlining their choice: “Celebrated as the cultural phenomenon of 2023, Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour set new records in box office sales, tour revenues, and attendance. The tour showcased exceptional artistry and innovation, making a profound impact on both live and filmed entertainment.”
This year, FotoKem was awarded the Charles S. Swartz Award for its role in supporting filmmakers, studios, cinematographers, and artists across diverse film and media landscapes. Also celebrated... Read More