Park Pictures has signed French director Laurent Chanez for U.S. and U.K. representation. His body of work–ranging from stirring montages to striking automotive and beauty/fashion fare–includes spots for such brands as Benetton, Nike, Lexus, L’Oréal, Hyundai, Sky TV, Pepsi and Peugeot. Chanez’s widely heralded “Unhate” for Benetton was featured at the 2013 TED Conference and his spot for French fragrance “Flower by Kenzo” earned an Epica Award. Beyond commercials, Chanez has directed longer form content, including the short film Forme, which was an official selection at the Buenos Aires Film Festival and the Plantin-Paris Film Festival.
Chanez grew up in Eastern France and studied graphic design, illustration and photography at Paris Esag Penninghen School. After graduation, he made the move to Los Angeles and leveraged his design and art direction background to begin directing commercials and music videos. Within a few years, his inspired work gained international recognition, both in European and American markets. Chanez, who was last represented in the U.S. by Identity, divides his time between Paris and New York and continues to develop his evocative visual style through commercials and other film disciplines such as documentaries, short films and art projects.
“We have watched Laurent’s career develop and evolve over the past decade,” said Jackie Kelman Bisbee, Park Pictures executive producer/owner. “We’re always impressed with his artfully powerful films, whether they’re for a car brand or a fashion brand. He’s truly an international talent.”
Chanez added, “It is an honor to join such a well established and renowned production company as Park Pictures. I am passionate about keeping things in motion and always trying new things. Their diverse body of exceptional work will be an exciting opportunity for me to expand that passion.”
Eleanor Adds Director Candice Vernon To Its Roster For Spots and Branded Content
Director Candice Vernon has joined production house Eleanor for U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded content. She has already wrapped several jobs at Eleanor, which waited to announce her until they had a body of work together.
Via Eleanor, Vernon made history as the first Black director on a Febreze commercial. The “Small Spaces” campaign marks a major departure from Febreze’s typical blue-and-white world. The home of the “Revolving Door” commercial is a beautiful array of bold sunset hues, African prints, and African art.
Vernon said, “I asked myself, what feels right to me? What feels new? I wanted to bring an essence of not just Black Americans but the full diaspora. I wanted to make a statement that we’re not a monolith.”
Following the success of the “Small Spaces” campaign, Febreze brought Vernon back for a comedy-infused trifecta exploring the hilarious situations that call for an air freshening hero.
Febreze Brand VP Angelica Matthews said, “About two years ago, we realized the consumers that were the most loyal to Febreze were the African American consumers. And the more we learned, the more we realized the richness that we were really missing. So we said we have to go beyond just Black casting, we need to get Black directors that truly understand the culture that truly understand how to bring authentic performances out on screen. We really looked around the industry and noticed there’s actually a shortage of African American directors who have experience doing commercials. When we all saw Candice’s reel, we could all tell the passion for the craft, passion for really trying to help us from where we are to where we’re trying to go.”
Vernon brings a unique lens to... Read More