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.”
Netflix Series “The Leopard” Spots Classic Italian Novel, Remakes It As A Sumptuous Period Drama
"The Leopard," a new Netflix series, takes the classic Italian novel by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa and transforms it into a sumptuous period piece showing the struggles of the aristocracy in 19th-century Sicily, during tumultuous social upheavals as their way of life is crumbling around them.
Tom Shankland, who directs four of the eight episodes, had the courage to attempt his own version of what is one of the most popular films in Italian history. The 1963 movie "The Leopard," directed by Luchino Visconti, starring Burt Lancaster, Alain Delon and Claudia Cardinale, won the Palme d'Or in Cannes.
One Italian critic said that it would be the equivalent of a director in the United States taking "Gone with the Wind" and turning it into a series, but Shankland wasn't the least bit intimidated.
He said that he didn't think of anything other than his own passion for the project, which grew out of his love of the book. His father was a university professor of Italian literature in England, and as a child, he loved the book and traveling to Sicily with his family.
The book tells the story of Don Fabrizio Corbera, the Prince of Salina, a tall, handsome, wealthy aristocrat who owns palaces and land across Sicily.
His comfortable world is shaken with the invasion of Sicily in 1860 by Giuseppe Garibaldi, who was to overthrow the Bourbon king in Naples and bring about the Unification of Italy.
The prince's family leads an opulent life in their magnificent palaces with servants and peasants kowtowing to their every need. They spend their time at opulent banquets and lavish balls with their fellow aristocrats.
Shankland has made the series into a visual feast with tables heaped with food, elaborate gardens and sensuous costumes.... Read More