Siblings Sophie and Walker Cole, aka directorial duo The Coles, have joined Sanctuary Content for commercials and branded content in the U.S.
Previously handled in the U.S. market by production house Hey Wonderful, The Coles–born and bred Manhattanites now based in L.A.–are alumni of SHOOT’s 2017 New Directors Showcase. For both their commercial and short film work, The Coles prepare closely together leading up to a shoot, then divide and conquer on set. Sophie focuses on performance, while Walker communicates with the talent. With one keeping an eye on the big picture to stay true to the vision, and the other focusing on the momentum, energy, and mechanics of the shoot, they hold each other accountable, coming out the other side stronger as a result. The product of this creative give-and-take can be seen in campaigns for brands including Apple Music, Bank of America, Johnson & Johnson, CVS, and Tory Burch.
Their short film Present Day, Athens is a piece of work they cite being proudest of thus far, having both had a hand in virtually all aspects of the production. The film garnered several accolades, including Silver at the 1.4 Awards and a win at the International Cinematographers Guild–Emerging Cinematographer Awards. The latter honor gained recognition for Daniel Bombell’s lensing acumen.
The Coles’ journey into advertising was perhaps inevitable, with a family tree that reads like a call sheet. Their father is veteran commercial director Charlie Cole and their uncle, Charlie Miesmer, was a prominent former ECD at BBDO NY. Additionally, their mother was a rep, their other uncle a production designer, and their stepmom a hair and makeup artist. Despite their industry-soaked DNA, working in commercials wasn’t their original plan.
Both of The Coles’ backgrounds are firmly rooted in the arts. Sophie studied art history and worked in fashion, then became a costume designer. Walker was an art dealer. As fate would have it, in 2016 they wound up collaborating on a film project together and it went so seamlessly, they made their directorial partnership official. The pair credit their development as filmmakers to the very fact that they experienced a world outside of advertising before ultimately returning to it.
In a joint statement, The Coles shared, “We both really enjoy the challenges of telling a story in a short, finite amount of time as it breeds creativity. Those who are really exceptional at it can make 30 seconds feel like 30 minutes in terms of substance, and that is a real art.”
Preston Lee, founder and executive producer of Sanctuary Content, said, “Sophie and Walker’s family shorthand lends itself to a singular clarity of focus in their collaboration, which is truly wonderful to watch in action. They each leverage their innate abilities and honed skills, then come together in a sort of checks and balances system that benefits from the best of two differing perspectives. We’re thrilled to be representing them in this next stage of their career.”
The Coles maintain representation in the U.K. market via production house Spindle.
After 20 Years of Acting, Megan Park Finds Her Groove In The Director’s Chair On “My Old Ass”
Megan Park feels a little bad that her movie is making so many people cry. It's not just a single tear either — more like full body sobs.
She didn't set out to make a tearjerker with "My Old Ass," now streaming on Prime Video. She just wanted to tell a story about a young woman in conversation with her older self. The film is quite funny (the dialogue between 18-year-old and almost 40-year-old Elliott happens because of a mushroom trip that includes a Justin Bieber cover), but it packs an emotional punch, too.
Writing, Park said, is often her way of working through things. When she put pen to paper on "My Old Ass," she was a new mom and staying in her childhood bedroom during the pandemic. One night, she and her whole nuclear family slept under the same roof. She didn't know it then, but it would be the last time, and she started wondering what it would be like to have known that.
In the film, older Elliott ( Aubrey Plaza ) advises younger Elliott ( Maisy Stella ) to not be so eager to leave her provincial town, her younger brothers and her parents and to slow down and appreciate things as they are. She also tells her to stay away from a guy named Chad who she meets the next day and discovers that, unfortunately, he's quite cute.
At 38, Park is just getting started as a filmmaker. Her first, "The Fallout," in which Jenna Ortega plays a teen in the aftermath of a school shooting, had one of those pandemic releases that didn't even feel real. But it did get the attention of Margot Robbie 's production company LuckyChap Entertainment, who reached out to Park to see what other ideas she had brewing.
"They were very instrumental in encouraging me to go with it," Park said. "They're just really even-keeled, good people, which makes... Read More