Editor Val Thrasher has joined The Den. Thrasher, who had previously been at Nomad, has cut award-winning campaigns for directors including Lance Acord and Phil Morrison and for global brands such as Apple, Facebook, Vans, Target, and Honda. She is well known for her ability to work across all genres: comedy, dialogue, and visual storytelling. Perhaps her most recognizable work is the iconic Mac Vs. PC campaign for Apple.
Rachel Seitel, co-founder of The Den, said of Thrasher, “This marks an exciting new chapter in her career and we’re happy to be a part of it, Her work speaks for itself, and her enthusiasm for the work is contagious. She’s been expanding her interests into other kinds of more visual work like fashion and longer format films.”
Thrasher shared, “The pandemic definitely acted as a catalyst to drive me forward toward a new challenge. The timing was perfect for a change and everyone at The Den really inspires me. And what’s not to love about Rachel, she’s a force! She has a real vision and such great taste. The Den is leading the charge–woman-owned and with an incredibly talented, diverse roster. I’m elated to join this team and be a part of their culture.”
Vic Palumbo, president and managing director of The Den, said, “Val and I started working together on Nike projects during her time at Rock Paper Scissors many moons ago, so this is full circle for us. It’s amazing to be working with her again, especially now that we are at The Den together. She is a special talent who has done amazing work throughout her career, and an even more amazing person.”
The Den, which launched last year, has expanded notably in recent months, adding Palumbo, and Michael “Middy” Ofori-Attah and Matthew Hilber as editors. The Den’s roster of talent includes Thrasher, “Middy,” Hilber, Christjan Jordan, Tobias Suhm, Kate Owen, Andrew Ratzlaff, Katie Cali and Ross Birchall.
Jennifer Kent On Why Her Feature Directing Debut, “The Babadook,” Continues To Haunt Us
"The Babadook," when it was released 10 years ago, didn't seem to portend a cultural sensation.
It was the first film by a little-known Australian filmmaker, Jennifer Kent. It had that strange name. On opening weekend, it played in two theaters.
But with time, the long shadows of "The Babadook" continued to envelop moviegoers. Its rerelease this weekend in theaters, a decade later, is less of a reminder of a sleeper 2014 indie hit than it is a chance to revisit a horror milestone that continues to cast a dark spell.
Not many small-budget, first-feature films can be fairly said to have shifted cinema but Kent's directorial debut may be one of them. It was at the nexus of that much-debated term "elevated horror." But regardless of that label, it helped kicked off a wave of challenging, filmmaker-driven genre movies like "It Follows," "Get Out" and "Hereditary."
Kent, 55, has watched all of this — and those many "Babadook" memes — unfold over the years with a mix of elation and confusion. Her film was inspired in part by the death of her father, and its horror elements likewise arise out of the suppression of emotions. A single mother (Essie Davis) is struggling with raising her young son (Noah Wiseman) years after the tragic death of her husband. A figure from a pop-up children's book begins to appear. As things grow more intense, his name is drawn out in three chilling syllables — "Bah-Bah-Doooook" — an incantation of unprocessed grief.
Kent recently spoke from her native Australia to reflect on the origins and continuing life of "The Babadook."
Q: Given that you didn't set out to in any way "change" horror, how have you regarded the unique afterlife of "The... Read More