On May 25, SHOOT unveiled its fourth annual New Directors Showcase reel. The 25 helmers–including three two-person teams–selected for the Showcase come from diverse backgrounds. However, the bond they share is great style, vision and commitment–whether it be reflected in comedy, visuals or storytelling. Helping fashion the Showcase lineup were entries from SHOOT‘s ongoing “The Best Work You May Never See” gallery, assorted submissions, and feedback from agency creatives and producers. Here’s a look at this year’s field:
Andrew Zuckerman
@radical.media
ACLU’s “Naked”
How did you get into directing?
Photography led me to it. I started making pictures as a teenager in DC shooting bands, which gave me access to situations that 14 year olds don’t always have. I came to NY for the summers and lived with my sister while working at the Int. Center of Photography cleaning the darkrooms in exchange for printing time- all the while shooting music people in NYC. At 18 I enrolled at SVA and made short films, sculptures, and pictures. I took a break from film after art school and opened a studio focusing completely on photography. I did lots of magazine work and ads before meeting PUMA- whom I now think of as my Fairy Godcompany. After a solid year of making print ads, which they allowed me to concept and art direct, I made some spec spots to show them that what we were doing could work well on tv. They liked them and commissioned three. Now two years later we have made 27 spots together.
Why do you want to direct commercials?
The challenge of telling a story in such a short period of time sharpens one’s visual and narrative convictions. The commercial world is filled with immense talent and resources that are all looking to create something entirely new. Rigor is an ethic that making commercials requires and I like that.
What is your most recent spot project?
I shot the Coconut and Manatee spots for Virgin Mobile with Mother, and am currently in production on a holiday campaign for PUMA with Michelle Yeoh.
Do you have plans to work in other areas–e.g., shorts, films, features or TV. Have you ever done any of that in the past?
I am shooting a short film that I wrote with Alex Vlack this summer called High Falls starring Ebon Moss-Bacharach, Maggie Gyllenhaal , and Peter Sarsgaard.
What do you think is the best part about being a director?
I like having the excuse to indulge myself with things that I would not otherwise need to think about — like how to make a coconut look mean. I also love checking out – when a project begins- nothing else exists until it is finished- it gives me the right to be completely myopic.
What’s the worst part?
The process of bidding and treatment writing brings you so close the shoot itself — it’s a bummer when you don’t have the opportunity to shoot it. And the worst part when you are shooting, is the clock- overtime is such a bad word on a set.