Saville Productions has signed Michael Bernard for commercials and branded entertainment representation in the U.S. The director and cinematographer has lent his creative eye to spots for brands such as Land Rover, Victoria’s Secret, TRESemmé, Benjamin Moore and Aveeno. He honed his craft in the prime era of music videos as a cinematographer shooting iconic artists including Missy Elliot, Shakira, Madonna, Tom Petty and The Rolling Stones.
Los Angeles born and London raised, Bernard nurtured an early love for music while in the U.K., playing in a band and owning a record store. This passion led him to adopt a lyrical approach to camera later in his career. He returned to LA for his first film set job as an electrician, where he cultivated a strong sensitivity to proper framing and lighting and its impact on creative work, rising through the ranks to gaffer and ultimately DP. After serving as DP on music videos and commercials for top-tier directors and clients, directing came as a natural progression.
His original series Finding Bespoke celebrates the masterwork of craftsmen and makers often overlooked by the public. The short films’ unique cinematic choices and direction caught the attention of Land Rover, leading to lauded spots “The Reel Life” and “The Night Club” for the Well Storied campaign.
Prior to joining Saville, Bernard was handled by The Bigger Picture for commercials in the U.S.
Rupert Maconick, EP/founder of Saville Productions, said of Bernard, “His unique skill set not only captures beautiful cinematic footage but also illustrates compelling character interaction. His diverse experience with global brands and major artists makes him a great asset for this new era of branded entertainment.”
Bernard shared, “Rupert has a fascinating vision for how the advertising industry is transforming and I’m excited to be joining Saville’s roster and fully embrace this evolution.”
Review: Malcolm Washington Makes His Feature Directing Debut With “The Piano Lesson”
An heirloom piano takes on immense significance for one family in 1936 Pittsburgh in August Wilson's "The Piano Lesson." Generational ties also permeate the film adaptation, in which Malcolm Washington follows in his father Denzel Washington's footsteps in helping to bring the entirety of The Pittsburgh Cycle — a series of 10 plays — to the screen.
Malcolm Washington did not start from scratch in his accomplished feature filmmaking debut. He enlisted much of the cast from the recent Broadway revival with Samuel L. Jackson (Doaker Charles), his brother, John David Washington (Boy Willie), Ray Fisher (Lymon) and Michael Potts (Whining Boy). Berniece, played by Danielle Brooks in the play, is now beautifully portrayed by Danielle Deadwyler. With such rich material and a cast for whom it's second nature, it would be hard, one imagines, to go wrong. Jackson's own history with the play goes back to its original run in 1987 when he was Boy Willie.
It's not the simplest thing to make a play feel cinematic, but Malcolm Washington was up to the task. His film opens up the world of the Charles family beyond the living room. In fact, this adaptation, which Washington co-wrote with "Mudbound" screenwriter Virgil Williams, goes beyond Wilson's text and shows us the past and the origins of the intricately engraved piano that's central to all the fuss. It even opens on a big, action-filled set piece in 1911, during which the piano is stolen from a white family's home. Another fleshes out Doaker's monologue in which he explains to the uninitiated, Fisher's Lymon, and the audience, the tortured history of the thing. While it might have been nice to keep the camera on Jackson, such a great, grounding presence throughout, the good news is that he really makes... Read More