Bob Industries, the house headed by partners/exec producers T.K. Knowles, John O’Grady and Chuck Ryant, has added three directors to its roster for exclusive U.S. representation: Jan Wentz, well known in Europe for his cinematic, narrative work for global brands such as Audi and Samsung; Jonathan Hock whose filmography ranges from indie documentaries (The Lost Son of Havana, Off the Rez and his latest film, Fastball, released at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival) to multiple docs for ESPN’s 30 for 30 series as well as commercials and ad fare; and Brigg Bloomquist whose background as an agency creative, writer, improviser and animator informs his work for clients including Nike and Lego.
Both Hock and Bloomquist have just completed their first projects since joining Bob. Bloomquist worked with The Richards Group on two separate campaigns, one for the Propane Council and one for Blue Plate Mayo, while Hock just wrapped a touching and powerful short via Anomaly/NY for Harlem RBI, a non-profit organization that provides inner-city youth with opportunities to Play, Learn and Grow. Prior to his signing, Wentz was in production on a pair of jobs overseas, which he has just completed; he is currently in talks to direct his first project with Bob.
Prior to joining Bob, Wentz was repped by Disorderly Content, Bloomquist was at GO Film and Hock had been at Rabbit Content.
Jan Wentz
Knowles said of Wentz, “He has an amazing body of work, which has had surprisingly little exposure in the U.S. market.” Ryant noted, “Jan’s an extraordinary narrative filmmaker. His sensibility positions him to take a leadership role in defining the tone and style for some of the top brands in the U.S. His recent international work really showcases his talents beautifully."
Born in Germany and educated in the U.S., Wentz has directed worldwide campaigns for brands such as Gucci, Mercedes, Nescafe, VW and Renault. He has directed a range of celebrity talent, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Keira Knightley, James Franco and Sienna Miller.
Jonathan Hock
“He’s [Hock] a creative, thoughtful and tireless filmmaker,” said Anomaly NY head of production Andrew Loevenguth, for whom Hock recently completed the aforementioned Bob project, a film for Harlem RBI. “He worked every angle of the story to make sure we could tell the most emotional version. Jonathan is a pleasure to be around and is very collaborative in the production process. We felt very lucky to be working with him.”
Hock’s independent documentary features Through the Fire (2005), The Lost Son of Havana (2009) and Off the Rez (2011) all have garnered acclaim, as have his five documentaries for ESPN’s 30 For 30 series. These include Unguarded (named Best Documentary of the year by Sports Illustrated and Best of iTunes 2012); The Best That Never Was (2010); Survive and Advance: The Jim Valvano Story (2013); Of Miracles and Men (2015); and The Gospel According to Mac (2015). Hock’s series of shorts for the website Grantland included The Finish Line (2014), which was a National Magazine Award finalist. “We love Jonathan’s dexterity with longform and shortform, that’s a big plus in the branded arena,” said Knowles. Currently, Hock is developing a “digital first” series for ESPN and he recently completed a commercial project with BBDO for AT&T.
Brigg Bloomquist
Bloomquist began his career as an animator (he still draws his own boards), eventually migrating to the advertising world where he honed his narrative skills as an advertising copywriter. It was during this time that he began shooting, working with actors and immersing himself in Chicago’s legendary improv scene.
His directing credits include an atmospheric spot for Nike, what can best be described as a languid “filthfest” for Shout, and a filmic piece for Lego. The latter introduces us to a girl who uses Legos as far more than just a casual play toy. Rather it’s a means to foster confidence to create, to help her to think for herself and travel on her own path. The :60, titled “Inspire Imagination and Keep Building,” came out of agency Union Made Creative.
Bloomquist, Hock and Wentz join a Bob directorial roster comprised of The Argentines, Miguel Arteta, Harry Cocciolo, Dayton/Faris, Kim Geldenhuys, Davis Guggenheim, Nicole Holofcener, Bob Odenkirk, Doug Pray, Jason Reitman, Trish Sie, Spencer Susser, The Wade Brothers, Alan White, and Mindbomb Films.
