Director Steve Ayson has signed with MJZ for representation and management in the U.S., U.K. France and Amsterdam. He continues to be handled by The Sweet Shop in the Southern Hemisphere. The Sweet Shop had represented Ayson worldwide since 2009, and prior to that he had been handled in the U.S. by Smuggler and in the U.K. by Academy Films.
Known for his smart, offbeat comedy, intuitive eye for casting and penchant for storytelling, Ayson’s recent credits include a comedic spot for the Melbourne International Film Festival, with a cameo by Oscar-winning actor Geoffrey Rush, and Speight’s Summit commercial “Man Like Natural” which show male’s primal instincts.
Over the years, Ayson has helmed commercials for such clients as Heineken, Volkswagen, MTV, Toohey’s and Folgers. For the latter he directed the classic viral piece Shiny Happy People for Saatchi & Saatchi, New York. Ayson’s work has garnered recognition at Adfest, the Caanz Axis, Spikes, Clio and One Show competitions.
He brings a balance of both art and commerce to MJZ. Ayson made his first industry mark as an agency creative, serving as an art director and hybrid writer/art director at several New Zealand ad agencies, including the former Mojo and Bates shops.
Stars Among Those Who Lost Their Homes In L.A. Area Fires; Jamie Lee Curtis Pledges $1M To Relief Effort
Fires burning in and around Los Angeles have claimed the homes of numerous celebrities, including Billy Crystal, Jeff Bridges, and R&B star Jhené Aiko, and led to sweeping disruptions of entertainment events. Three awards ceremonies planned for this weekend have been postponed. Next week's Oscar nominations have been delayed. And tens of thousands of Angelenos are displaced and awaiting word Thursday on whether their homes survived the flames — some of them the city's most famous denizens. Thousands of structures have been destroyed but damage assessments are just beginning. More than 180,000 people are also under evacuation orders in the metropolitan area, from the Pacific Coast inland to Pasadena, a number that continues to shift as new fires erupt. Late Wednesday, a fire in the Hollywood Hills was scorching the hills near the famed Hollywood Bowl and Dolby Theatre, which is the home of the Academy Awards. That fire had been largely contained without damage to Hollywood landmarks. Here are how the fires are impacting celebrities and the Los Angeles entertainment industry: Stars whose homes have burned in the fires Celebrities like Crystal and his wife, Janice, were sharing memories of the homes they lost. The Crystals lost the home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood that they lived in for 45 years. "Janice and I lived in our home since 1979. We raised our children and grandchildren here. Every inch of our house was filled with love. Beautiful memories that can't be taken away. We are heartbroken of course but with the love of our children and friends we will get through this," the Crystals wrote in the statement. After her learning her Pacific Palisades home was lost in the fires, Melissa Rivers says she was... Read More