FilmTecknarna, headquartered in Stockholm with offices in New York, has inked a deal to represent Berlin-based director Lucas Zanotto for exclusive commercial representation in the U.S., Canadian, French and Nordic markets. This marks the first time Zanotto has been repped stateside; he continues to helm projects independently in Germany.
Zanotto’s aesthetic blends a variety of mixed media in new and experimental ways, a modern and minimal approach perhaps best exemplified by a network identity project produced and directed by Berlin-based dyrdee Media in conjunction with the director for Nickelodeon Germany. The idents went on to win the Gold Design Lion at the 2009 Cannes International Advertising Festival.
“We love Lucas’ ability to mix different media. His way of styling classic animation in combination with digital media gives his film a very modern and analog feel. It’s a decidedly different approach that conjures new and unexpected animation possibilities,” said Lars Ohlson, FilmTecknarna CEO.
Zanotto comes from a background as a product and graphic designer. After receiving his design diploma in Milan, he worked in several different international design studios (including the noted product design firm Continuum). Slowly he moved into graphic design area and then went on to directing films and creating motion graphics.
After Milan, he lived in Barcelona and later moved to Berlin. Zanotto’s work has been recognized by numerous award shows, including Promax International, and the Ottawa Animation Film Festival.
Zanotto comes aboard a FilmTecknarna directorial roster that consists of Jonas Odell, David Nord, Johanna Andersson, Jessica Laurén, Boris Nawratil, Stig Bergqvist, Jonas Dahlbeck, and Jory Hull.
The company is repped in the U.S. by Judy Wolff on the East Coast, Hill Reps in the Midwest and Reber Covington on the West Coast. Hesty Reps handles FilmTecknarna in Canada.
SUPERLATIVE Signs Director Claudia Abend For Spots and Branded Content
Latin American director/editor and documentary filmmaker Claudia Abend has joined SUPERLATIVE for her first U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded content.
Abend's empathetic docu-style POV has garnered several international awards for the documentary films Hit (2008) and The Flower of Life (2018). Her spotmaking credits include such brands as Procter & Gamble, Nestle and Blue Cross/Blue Shield. SUPERLATIVE has already worked with Abend, together producing a new ad campaign for digital agency Tinuiti and The Honest Company, a consumer goods corporation featuring eco-minded products.
“We found Claudia through her poignant documentaries on the festival circuit,” said SUPERLATIVE creative manager Stefan Dezil. “We are excited about her textured narratives, emotional storytelling, and her powerhouse long-form storytelling abilities, currently on her third feature film. As SUPERLATIVE continues to build our brand after premiering our latest films at Sundance and SXSW, Claudia is the kind of multidimensional artist we are excited to partner with on branded content and beyond. Fluent in English and Spanish, her reel shows real prowess with infants, food and skin products, families both young and old. Great visual storytelling and inspirational doc work.”
Abend began her career in her native Uruguay, studying film and editing in college. “My dad would show me films like Citizen Kane,” she said. “I love cinema and became an editor. It was here that I learned all about communicating human emotion.”
From the get-go, Abend hit it big as a documentary director, teaming with Adrianna Loeff on Hit, a movie chronicling pop artists of Uruguayan music. Abend took home a Best Editing... Read More