Comedy director Craig Melville has joined Naked City for U.S. representation and production. An Australian who has lived in New York City for the past five years, Melville remains on the roster at AIRBAG in Australia, which recently struck its own U.S. representation deal with Naked City.
Melville is known for his docu-style comedy films for both television and advertising. His work has won more than 60 awards, including multiple Cannes Lions, Australian Directors Guild awards, and the Grand Prix at both the Mumbrella Awards and Spikes Asia.
Melville has directed more than 120 TV episodes for the likes of Late Night with Seth Meyer, and Aussie comedians John Safran and The Chaser. Advertising clients include Pepsi, Expedia, Target, McDonald’s, Honda, Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines, and Qantas. Prior to joining Naked City, Melville was handled by Hey Presto! in the U.S. market
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Melville’s narrative short film, Smithston, which was an official selection at multiple film festivals, is a tragically hilarious story of a man coping with his son’s accident and his heart wrenching, ridiculously misguided battle with the aftermath.
“While I think Craig is a uniquely skilled comedy director and writer, it’s his subtle and assured way with talent and his understated sense of wit that made me want him to join our cool group,” explained Mark Sitley, Naked City’s founder and executive producer.
Melville said, “Mark and Dave (director Schmidt) have created so many standout creative campaigns over the years, it’s great having such an experienced team behind me in the U.S.”
Naked City, which celebrated its first year in business this month, is represented on the East Coast by Minerva x Mr. Bartlett, the business development team made up of Shauna Seresin, Mary Knox, and James Bartlett. Kristina Kovacevic of KK Reps handles the Midwest.
Oscar and Emmy-Winning Composer Kris Bowers Joins Barking Owl For Advertising, Branded Content
Music, audio post and sonic branding house Barking Owl has taken on exclusive representation of Oscar and Emmy-winning composer Kris Bowers for advertising and branded content.
Bowers’ recent film scores include The Wild Robot and Bob Marley: One Love, alongside acclaimed past works such as The Color Purple (2023), King Richard and Green Book. His contributions to television are equally impressive, with scores for hit series like Bridgerton, When They See Us, Dear White People, and his Daytime Emmy Award-winning score for The Snowy Day.
In addition to his work as a composer, Bowers is a visionary director. He recently took home the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject for his directorial work on The Last Repair Shop. The emotionally touching short film spotlights four of the people responsible for repairing the musical instruments used by students in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). The Last Repair Shop reflects the positive influence that musical instruments have on the youngsters who play them, and the adults in the LAUSD free repair service who keep them working and in tune.
Barking Owl CEO Kirkland Alexander Lynch said of Bowers, “His artistry, diversity of style and depth of storytelling bring an unparalleled edge to the work we create for global brands. His presence on our roster reflects our continued commitment to pushing the boundaries of sound and music in advertising.”
Johanna Cranitch, creative director, Barking Owl, added, “Kris first caught my attention when he released his record ‘Heroes + Misfits’ where he fused together his jazz sensibility with a deeply ingrained aptitude for melody, so beautifully.... Read More