After four years as a New York-based freelance DP, Chris Sferrazza has secured his first roost as director/DP, signing with commercial boutique N ur Eye Films, New York.
Sferrazza had finished his TV spot directorial debut on GNC’s "Zero" via Jones Films, the in-house production arm of agency Deutsch, New York, just before he signed with N ur Eye.
According to company executive producer Leslie Eisenberg, "It didn’t matter that Chris wasn’t already an established director. It mattered that his reel [demonstrated] all the basic elements that a successful director would have: a dedication to commercials—he’s not thinking about what his next movie’s going to be—and an immense knowledge of how commercials are made."
For the past six months, Sferrazza had been staving off camera work in order to put together a spec directorial reel, which includes Mercedes’ "Dream," Ducati’s "Love Story," Fashionmall.com’s "Dot" and Audi’s "Witch Project." "I’m into visual storytelling, real people and real moments," said Sferrazza.
Eisenberg said she and N ur Eye executive producer/co-owner John O’Grady and director/co-owner Ernie Mosteller were impressed with the spots’ "professionalism." She added, "We were questioning whether they were real or not—that shows a lot."
Sferrazza’s other credits include acting as director/DP on an ad that played on the Internet: Unum Insurance’s "Rugby" via Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, San Francisco. He also shot the documentary King Of Tunnels, directed by Joe Roman.
At N ur Eye, Sferrazza joins directors Mosteller and Syd Garon. Eisenberg, who is N ur Eye’s national rep, said the company plans to add other directors before year’s end.
