Bicoastal production house HeLo has signed director Jim Sheridan, a six-time Oscar nominee, for commercials and branded content. He was formerly represented in the ad arena by Moxie Pictures.
Sheridan earned two Best Director Oscar nominations–for My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown in 1990, and for In The Name of The Father in 1994. The latter also scored him noms for Best Picture and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published. Additionally My Left Foot garnered Sheridan a Best Writing nom for a Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium. And in 2004 he was nominated for Best Original Screenplay on the strength of In America.
On the spotmaking front, Sheridan has directed for such brands as Cheerios, MasterCard and Weight Watchers, collaborating with agencies that include Saatchi & Saatchi, CP+B, and McCann. In addition to being on the HeLo roster, Sheridan will also leverage his extensive creative and industry contacts to serve as a strategic consultant to help the company attract and retain top-notch talent across the directorial and experiential spectrum.
Born in Dublin, Ireland, Sheridan spent his early years in theater, working as a playwright and artistic director for numerous houses in Ireland before crossing the pond to New York City in 1982. He continued to work in the theater space before making his feature film directorial debut in 1989 with My Left Foot starring Daniel Day Lewis. Sheridan followed with the historical drama The Field, which he also wrote and directed. In 1993, he wrote, produced and directed In The Name of the Father, later writing, producing and directing The Boxer, also starring Daniel Day Lewis, in 1999. Sheridan’s other feature directorial credits include In America, Get Rich or Die Tryin’ starring 50 Cent, and Brothers starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman and Tobey Maguire.
The signing of Sheridan comes on the heels of HeLo’s strong showing at Cannes. The shop’s Bud Light Super Bowl spot, “Ian Up For Whatever” earned a Gold Lion in Film Craft–Achievement in Production as well as a Silver Lion in Promotion & Activation and a Bronze Lion in Media. Additionally HeLo copped two Bronze Lions in Promo & Activation and Cyber for the Canal+ web film The Woman Who Can’t Watch Movies. The Bud Light spot also took home an AICP Show honor in the Production category earlier in June.
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