Documentary filmmaker Peyton Wilson has joined O Positive for commercial representation. Her credits in the ad arena span such brands as Nokia, Navy, Mattel and TIAA-CREF. Among Wilson’s documentary endeavors is the acclaimed fighter pilot feature Speed and Angels, which will screen later this month at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.
Wilson first established herself in commercials via Food Chain Films, Portland, Ore, and then made her feature documentary debut, Speed and Angels, before joining Nonfiction Unlimited, her most recent spotmaking roost prior to her coming aboard O Positive.
“We want to keep O Positive small, but it’s worth getting a bit bigger to have Peyton join us,” said director Jim Jenkins, a partner in O Positive. “So much work in this genre keeps the viewer at arm’s length, but Peyton’s talent really stands out. You feel something when you watch her work, not only because it’s beautifully shot and she tells stories so well, but because her subjects obviously trust her, and that trust shows in how they open up.”
Wilson has collaborated with agencies such as Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam, Digitas New York and JWT New York. Her mantra is “to always make the audience feel. I try to do that by capturing the truth of people’s stories, which, of course, includes the visual truth as well.” To that end, her work for Mattel, the “When I Grow Up” spots and short film produced by Nonfiction Unlimited for agency Firedrill Productions, was praised by TBWAChiatDay L.A. chief creative officer Rob Schwartz in his Metal Potential blog. Schwartz wrote, “Here’s a very moving and insightful film about the power of play and imagination. Beautifully shot, cast and edited. (I emailed my 14-year-old daughter immediately after seeing it.)”
The “When I Grow Up” campaign centered on women in diverse professions who dreamed big when they were little girls.
“I love telling real people stories, whether I’m directing a :30 TV spot or a feature-length film,” Wilson said. “On projects where I have anywhere from two to 10 minutes to really dig in and get to know people is huge. The W+K Nokia campaign was a blast, and the perfect example of the benefits of longer formats. We went around the world filming stories about TED Fellows, we then cut short docs, anywhere from two to four minutes. It was quite rewarding for all involved to have the time to create a real sense of each Fellow’s journey.”
A California native, Wilson has always focused on writing and documentary filmmaking, and spent the last four years at Nonfiction. In addition to her commercial projects, she currently has longer form documentary projects in development: one is about female Muay Thai kick boxers (e.g., a classical violinist who’s also a fighter); another about a female DJ who disguises herself as a male DJ in order to get access to clubs that won’t hire females.
Wilson is excited to tap into O Positive’s pipeline of award-winning filmmakers to develop the best ideas for jobs. “My plan is to be selective, in order to work with the very best creatives,” she said. “It’s been working for me so far, and I think that coming to O Positive will take me to the next level.”
Curatorial Committee Is Set For The 2025 AICP Show
The AICP has unveiled the full roster for the Curatorial Committee for the 2025 AICP Show: The Art & Technique of the Commercial. The committee, representing a lineup of experts from a cross-section of the industry, will gather this spring under the leadership of AICP Show chairperson Patrick Milling-Smith, co-founder and CEO of SMUGGLER.
The entry deadline for the full suite of AICP Awards--which includes The AICP Show, the AICP Next Awards and the AICP Post Awards--is Wednesday, Feb. 26. Full entry details can be found here. The results of each show will debut during AICP Week in New York this June, and be featured at a gala celebration at The Museum of Modern Art.
The AICP Show Curatorial Committee is the final stage of a bifurcated judging system that begins with a series of panels with experts in various fields from around the globe, nominated by their peers, who judge work across their respective categories. The Committee then serves as the final arbiter of the awards, confirming eligibility and appropriateness to category, as well as selecting the Best of Show--the winners in the Advertising Excellence/Campaign and Advertising Excellence categories.
In assembling the Committee, Milling-Smith said he was seeking a wide range of viewpoints and influences, representing just about every facet of branded film and commercial creation and production matrix. “We strove to assemble a complementary and aspirational range of voices and experiences,” he commented. “This Curatorial Committee is an inspiring blend of creative and executional excellence. I want it to be a rewarding and invigorating experience for all in the room, and best of class in terms of the caliber of people reviewing the... Read More