Director Jason Smith has joined Pulse Films for U.S. representation. His body of ad work consists of more than 200 campaigns spanning such brands as Nike, Coca-Cola, Audi, Mitsubishi and EA Sports.
Smith’s spots for Nike and Audi–respectively, “Covert Texas” (featuring Lance Armstrong) via Wieden+Kennedy, Portland, Ore., and “Living Room” out of Venables, Bell & Partners, San Francisco–have earned AICP Show honors in years past and are part of the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent film archive. Smith has also directed projects that have garnered numerous Cannes Lions, BTAA honors and D&AD distinction over the years.
Smith had formerly been represented by Harvest and prior to that HSI. He began his career in film working as 1st assistant director for directors including Carl Reiner, Paul Weiland and Roger Lyons. Smith started directing commercials after his short film about Barcelona, which he directed and produced, was acquired by MTV. Smith has also been a music video director dating all the way back to early on in his career at the former Propaganda Films where he helmed music clips as well as TV spots. Among his music video credits are Kasabian’s “Processed Beats” and Apollo Four Forty’s “Heart Go Boom.” He plans to step up his music video activity at Pulse.
Kira Carstensen, president of commercials in the U.S. for Pulse, said, “For quite some time, whenever a unique visual and story-driven ad would catch my eye, I would later discover it was directed by Jason Smith. He is an artist who uses seamless and elegant visual effects to enhance a story, not detract from it. I have been a big fan for many years and am so thrilled to be able to work side-by-side with Jason to bring future bold campaigns to life.”
Smith feels that Pulse can offer him “a variety of different directorial opportunities. In addition to producing commercials, Pulse is unique in that they can create, produce and distribute projects across a variety of media all under one roof.”
In addition to his work in commercials and music videos, Smith is currently shooting a documentary following acclaimed sculptor Jon Krawzyck across America with his replacement 9/11 memorial cross on the back of his pick-up truck.
After 20 Years of Acting, Megan Park Finds Her Groove In The Director’s Chair On “My Old Ass”
Megan Park feels a little bad that her movie is making so many people cry. It's not just a single tear either — more like full body sobs.
She didn't set out to make a tearjerker with "My Old Ass," now streaming on Prime Video. She just wanted to tell a story about a young woman in conversation with her older self. The film is quite funny (the dialogue between 18-year-old and almost 40-year-old Elliott happens because of a mushroom trip that includes a Justin Bieber cover), but it packs an emotional punch, too.
Writing, Park said, is often her way of working through things. When she put pen to paper on "My Old Ass," she was a new mom and staying in her childhood bedroom during the pandemic. One night, she and her whole nuclear family slept under the same roof. She didn't know it then, but it would be the last time, and she started wondering what it would be like to have known that.
In the film, older Elliott ( Aubrey Plaza ) advises younger Elliott ( Maisy Stella ) to not be so eager to leave her provincial town, her younger brothers and her parents and to slow down and appreciate things as they are. She also tells her to stay away from a guy named Chad who she meets the next day and discovers that, unfortunately, he's quite cute.
At 38, Park is just getting started as a filmmaker. Her first, "The Fallout," in which Jenna Ortega plays a teen in the aftermath of a school shooting, had one of those pandemic releases that didn't even feel real. But it did get the attention of Margot Robbie 's production company LuckyChap Entertainment, who reached out to Park to see what other ideas she had brewing.
"They were very instrumental in encouraging me to go with it," Park said. "They're just really even-keeled, good people, which makes... Read More