BeachHouse Films, the Santa Monica shop headed by executive producers David and Patti Coulter, has signed director/DP Gordon Willis, Jr., who comes from a family lineage of filmmakers. Willis is the son of renowned cinematographer Gordon Willis whose feature credits include The Godfather trilogy, Manhattan, All The President’s Men, Klute, Zelig and Annie Hall.
Gordon Willis Jr. has established himself in the spot arena with directorial work for such clients as Hood Milk, McDonald’s, India Tourism, Mexico Tourism and State Farm. His latest endeavor is a four-spot package for Integris via agency Ackerman McQueen, Tulsa, Okla.
The latter campaign included a commercial, which relates the reenacted true story of a boy, Cody, who died when he was hit by an automobile while riding his bicycle. The piece captures the pain his family endures, as well as some solace in the knowledge that even in death, Cody helped a fellow human being. Cody’s liver was transplanted in another boy, saving that lad’s life on the same day, which would have been Cody’s seventh birthday.
“He gets to the heart and soul of a story,” assessed David Coulter of Willis, Jr. “The moments feel real. He loves spontaneity when he shoots–those surprising, unrehearsed moments. Being a DP helps him tremendously in capturing those momvnets.”
Willis Jr. represents the latest in a series of additions to BeachHouse’s directorial roster. Recently, the company secured directors Jeff Gordon, Brandon Kraines and Australia-based Jon Gwyther. Gwyther just wrapped an Antz Pantz lingerie spot featuring Nikki Hilton and Kimberly Stewart. He then helmed a Shell Oil campaign for J. Walter Thompson, London.
Under the BeachHouse banner, Gordon recently directed a Georgia Lottery spot for Austin Kelley Advertising (now Fitzgerald Advertising), Atlanta, and a Hispanic Pizza Hut job in Mexico City via Dieste Harmel & Partners, Dallas.
Kraines, a Group 101 alumnus, just helmed a pair of BeachHouse-produced three-spot packages for Time Warner Cable. Patti Coulter met him while he was directing a Suave project in conjunction with creatives at Ogilvy & Mather, New York and Chicago.