Golden LA has added Ric Cantor to its directorial roster for U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded content.
Hailing from Manchester, U,K., Cantor is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker recognized for his unique brand of character-driven humor that brings familiar, uncomfortable scenarios to life. Cantor’s films never lean too hard into the joke, believing that the honesty of the moment is enough. His commercial filmmaking career includes collaborations with brands like Mars, Domino’s, McDonald’s, MasterCard, Virgin, IKEA, Pepsi, Vicks, Specsavers, and Dos Equis. His spot for NZTA (New Zealand Transport Agency) won a Gold Lion at Cannes. Additionally, Cantor has won several D&AD awards, and 14 Promax Awards during his tenure at the BBC.
Cantor got his start in the industry directing on-air promos for the BBC before eventually turning his eye toward commercial filmmaking and several cult-comedy projects. He wrote and directed the feature film Suzie Gold and two seasons of the BBC sketch show Man Stroke Woman starring Nick Frost. Cantor’s comedic sensibilities also shone through while writing on Sacha Baron Cohen’s Da Ali G Show. Prior to joining Golden LA, Cantor was repped in the commercialmaking space by production house Interrogate.
Outside of directing, Cantor is a board member of the nonprofit ManifestWorks, an organization dedicated to breaking cycles of intergenerational poverty by providing training and a network of connections for disadvantaged individuals pursuing careers in the entertainment industry.
Cantor said of his new roost, “Golden is really on the cutting edge of where the industry is heading, and I’m honored to be on board with them as a director. I’m always looking to evolve and grow as a filmmaker, and I believe they are heading to exciting places in commercial filmmaking. I’m thrilled with this new partnership and can’t wait to start.”
“There’s a nuanced irreverence to Ric’s comedy that I love,” added Matthew Marquis, managing director of Golden LA. “Real life is funny–you don’t need to add too many bells and whistles–and Ric gets that. His characters are real and compelling, the dialogue is sharp, and visually the films are stunning. I’ve been a personal fan of his for a while, and we’re stoked to have him on our Golden roster.”
