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.
Director Lu Villaca Joins MADRE
Production company MADRE has added Brazilian director Lu Villaça to its talent roster. With degrees in cinema and performance and a master’s in screenwriting, Villaça brings a multifaceted approach to filmmaking. Villaça’s tastes have been shaped by her childhood training in ballet, studying Greek theatre texts, her passion for music, and her contemplative nature. She honed her cinematic skills early on as an AD and creative assistant before becoming a director. Intent on capturing the drama of everyday life as it plays out, Villaça is tuned in to how the bodies in her frame move through their environments and what elements of the story can be extrapolated from these compositions. Her sharp attention to detail in every aspect, from lighting to the final edit, is designed to connect emotionally with her audience. Villaça has been awarded three Cannes Lions for her film “Next Minute Law,” which promoted awareness of a law in Brazil designed to address the rampant epidemic of sexual violence. “Next Minute Law” also garnered Best Direction at El Ojo and the Ciclope Latino Festival, where Villaça also won Best New Talent. Additionally, she has directed assorted commercial campaigns for brands like Johnnie Walker, Huggies Wipes, Nestlé, Amazon, A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, and a spot for Medley featuring Brazilian Olympic gymnast Rebeca Andrade. Prior to joining MADRE, Villaca had been repped by production house LOBO. Recognized in Brazil as a top music video director, Villaca won Best Female Direction for her work on “Nu” by Assucena and “Lovezinho” by Rachel Reis, which also won Best National Music Video at the MVF Awards. Villaça additionally co-directed the documentary Pagliacci, an homage to circus artist Domingos Montagner... Read More