Director Fred Savage, whose episodic TV comedy credits span It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, Party Down and most recently Modern Family, has come aboard Über Content for U.S. spot representation. At press time, he was already busy shooting his first campaign for Über Content: Uni-Ball pens through new Chicago agency TRIS3CT.D
Savage is no stranger to commercialmaking. Last year he made his spot directorial debut with “Testers” for Ubisoft’s Red Steel 2 videogame. That job was produced via MRB Productions for Ubisoft’s in-house San Francisco agency (SHOOTonline, 4/8/10)
Savage spent his childhood in front of the camera as the lead in The Wonder Years and at twelve became the youngest person to receive an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. During that period he also starred in the memorable films, The Princess Bride and The Wizard.
After graduating from Stanford in 1999, Savage made a successful transition to the other side of the lens, as evidenced by his three DGA Award nominations for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children’s Programs, the last coming for the pilot episode of Zeke and Luther (2009). He moved into episodic comedy with the aforementioned Party Down for Starz, It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia for FX, and Modern Family on ABC.
Savage’s extensive directorial experience and natural gift for eliciting great comedic performances attracted Über Content. “Fred’s television work is truly some of the funniest out there. His ability to bring home fantastic performances is obvious from his body of work and after meeting him and hearing his excitement to jump into the advertising world, bringing him aboard Über was a no-brainer,” said Preston Lee, partner/executive producer of Über Content.
Savage joins an Über Content directorial roster that includes Amir Farhang, Jeffrey Fleisig, Elma Garcia, Luis Gerard, Chris Hooper, Jason Kohn, Eliot Rausch, Marc Schölermann, Steven Tsuchida, and Cole Webley.
Directing and Editing “Conclave”; Insights From Edward Berger and Nick Emerson
It’s been a bruising election year but this time we’re referring to a ballot box struggle that’s more adult than the one you’d typically first think of in 2024. Rather, on the industry awards front, the election being cited is that of the Pope which takes front and center stage in director Edward Berger’s Conclave (Focus Features), based on the 2016 novel of the same title by Robert Harris. Adapted by screenwriter Peter Straugham, Conclave stars Ralph Fiennes as the cardinal leading the conclave that has convened to select the next Pope. While part political thriller, full of backstabbing and behind-closed-door machinations, Conclave also registers as a thoughtful adult drama dealing with themes such as a crisis of faith, weighing the greater good, and engaging in a struggle that’s as much about spirituality as the attainment of power.
Conclave is Berger’s first feature after his heralded All Quiet on the Western Front, winner of four Oscars in 2023, including for Best International Feature Film. And while Conclave would on the surface seem to be quite a departure from that World War I drama, there’s a shared bond of humanity which courses through both films.
For Berger, the heightened awareness of humanity hit home for him by virtue of where he was--in Rome, primarily at the famed Cinecittà studio--to shoot Conclave, sans any involvement from the Vatican. He recalled waking up in Rome to “soak up” the city. While having his morning espresso, Berger recollected looking out a window and seeing a priest walking about with a cigarette in his mouth, a nun having a cup of coffee, an archbishop carrying a briefcase. It dawned on Berger that these were just people going to... Read More