NEW YORK–David Turnley, a Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist and documentary filmmaker, has signed with Curious Pictures for exclusive TV commercial and advertising content representation. His ad work includes commercials and campaigns for Brand Jordan via Wieden + Kennedy, State Farm via DDB, and the financial services company Ameriprise out of R/GA. Turnley was formerly repped for spots by Furlined.
As a photojournalist, Turnley won the Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of the momentous political changes that shook the world in 1989, including the fall of the Berlin Wall and the uprising at Tiananmen Square in Beijing. He’s been a runner-up for the Pulitzer four other times, and also won the World Press Picture of the Year award twice, the prestigious Robert Capa Award for Courage, and four Overseas Press Club Awards.
He’s been an eyewitness to many of the major news stories of the past 30 years, producing eight books out of these experiences, including his latest, Mandela: Struggle and Triumph. His first documentary film, The Dalai Lama: At Home in Exile, was produced by CNN and won the 2001 Cine Golden Eagle, while also being nominated for an Emmy. He was awarded Best Documentary at the Miami International Film Festival for La Tropical, which he shot in Cuba. He’s currently completing Shenandoah, USA, for which he won a Sundance Grant. Set in a coal-mining town in eastern Pennsylvania, the film tells the story of an incident in which six white star football players beat to death an illegal Mexican immigrant and examines the repercussions of the crime on the community.
“Curious Pictures is a very exciting place right now, given all the disciplines they’re working in, from features to TV shows to games,” said Turnley. “It’s an ever-evolving company, and I think their interest in someone like me is to help them continue to evolve in terms of what they can offer. So in some respects we share similar goals.”
Turnley sees his work in photojournalism as a form of storytelling. He said his method relies on a camera “to tell stories about human dignity,” and that he strives to convey these narratives in visually evocative and intimate ways. “It’s an approach inspired by the work of publications such as LIFE magazine,” he explained.
He’s also used to working in a streamlined, efficient manner that results in work he says can be disarmingly honest. “As someone who’s spent a lot of time in combat zones, I’ve worked on the edge quite a bit,” he said. “And that’s what I’m trying to do in the commercials arena. My goal is to create work that has a sense of honesty and intimacy while also reflecting a strong visual aesthetic.”
“David’s got a phenomenal eye and great professional courage, which serves his directing career well,” said Mary Knox, managing director of commercials for Curious Pictures. “Signing David adds a strong storyteller and documentarian to our growing live-action roster and adds another extremely smart thinker to our company.”
Turnley joins a Curious live-action roster that already includes such talents as Steve Chase, tabletop director Greg Ramsey, and fashion photographer/documentarian Douglas Keeve. Most recently, the studio signed director Michael Wiehart, a former creative director at Superfad.
AD&Co. Launches Studio A; Davida Hall To Head New Venture As Sr. Director of Creative Content
Female-founded and led creative marketing agency AD&Co. has opened Studio A. The new venture will serve as AD&Co.’s in-house social brand content division, focused on developing and producing digital programming for advertising, social media, and influencer marketing campaigns designed to reach today’s audiences on the most popular and pivotal platforms. Davida Hall has been named to head Studio A as sr. director of creative content. She shifts over from AD&Co. where she held the same title since December 2023. Hall’s affiliations prior to AD&Co. include PopSugar and Studio71.
Amy Demas, founder and chief creative officer of AD&Co., said, “We understand content is king-—or queen—and that our clients need to engage their customer communities where they live. That inspired the logical expansion of AD&Co with Studio A, which is committed to producing only the most engaging and authentic brand stories.”
Studio A will harness both AD&Co’s and Hall’s deep expertise in the lifestyle sector, as content creators and avid consumers. Specializing in reaching audiences where they spend their time, the studio is immersed in social media, pop culture, and current trends, expertly crafting visuals, language, and storytelling to reinforce client brand identities and cut through the noise.
Studio A debuts with the “This Is Me” campaign for Love + Craft + Beauty, a brand dedicated to embracing and promoting diversity within the beauty space. “This Is Me” highlights Gen Z’s affinity for radical self-expression that allows individuals to tell their own stories, free from labels, using beauty and fashion as tools of authenticity. The campaign showcases models celebrating their unique qualities to present... Read More