Directors Zack Resnicoff and J.C. Khoury–who made their first mark in the industry as the team Zack & J.C.–are each embarking on solo helming careers. Resnicoff has exited Lost Highway Films while Khoury is staying on board that New York-based company’s roster for commercials and branded content.
At press time, Khoury noted that he and Resnicoff recently co-directed what will likely be their last commercialmaking assignment together, a four-spot comedy campaign for The Washington Post out of D.C. agency Adworks.
Both directors felt the time was right to go solo. As an individual director, Khoury has wrapped The Plagiarist, a self-financed short film that he is looking to place on the festival circuit. The dry comedy centers on a grad student who gets expelled from college for writing papers for other students. Additionally, Khoury has a pair of feature-length projects in development. On the spotmaking front, Khoury said he will continue to pursue both visual and dialogue/performance-based comedy via Lost Highway.
Resnicoff meanwhile has launched his own New York shop, Impressionista Films, where he just completed his first job: a multi-faceted web campaign starring Hilary Duff for DKNY Jeans.
According to Resnicoff, DKNY Jeans approached him because he had directed both fashion work as well as “some darker film projects,” alluding to his 2003 film, The Clearing.
“Hilary wanted someone who could show her darker/sexier side so they hired me to write [with his writing partner Sonny Calderon], direct, and produce the piece.” The short stars Duff along with actor Norman Reedus (perhaps best known for his role in The Boondock Saints).
Resnicoff also shot, directed and produced six teasers to build excitement for the DKNY web content.
Extending his reach
“Being part of a team [with Khoury] was a great experience,” said Resnicoff, “but I felt I could expand the type of work I do, and bring my past experiences in film, fashion, and cinematography to my ongoing work in advertising.” He said that Impressionista Films, will do a mix of commercials, fashion/beauty, and music videos.
Currently Resnicoff is prepping a music video to be shot this month in Los Angeles, and a two-part web series for an undisclosed clothing line.
In addition to the DKNY Jeans project, Resnicoff–while still half of Zack & J.C.–branched out on his own over the past year to individually direct some select branded shorts, including one for Ford Mustang, Numskull, which earned finalist status in a 2010 Ford Mustang competition facilitated by online global creative community Filmaka (SHOOT, 10/8/08). A 45-second excerpt from Numskull was selected by JWT Team Detroit for airing as part of a :60 promo during the Sept. ’08 debut of NBC primetime series Knight Rider. The promo drove traffic to a Ford Mustang website where the entire Numskull five-minute short could be viewed along with other web films in which the 2010 Mustang was part of the storyline.
Initial splash
Zack & J.C. made their first splash when they were selected for SHOOT‘s fourth annual New Directors Showcase in 2006. The directing duo’s spec spot, Mountain Dew’s “Foley,” was screened at the SHOOT event in May of that year at the Directors Guild of America (DGA) Theatre in New York, where it was also announced that @radical.media had just signed them. “Foley” went on to win an AICP Show honor the following month.
During their @radical.media tenure, Zack & J.C., who are best known for their comedic prowess, directed assorted projects, including a pair of web campaigns for Avaya via R/GA, New York; an in-house Guinness Beer project out of BBDO New York; a video-on-demand piece for Comcast to promote the HD release of the six Star Wars films; and a Time Warner web campaign.
Additionally, @radical.media landed an Orange Julius web film for Zack & J.C. who produced the limited budget project independently. The film was the first live-action advertising ever done by Orange Julius and was an offbeat look at Julius Freed, the inventor of the frothy orange beverage, which was introduced in the 1920s. Titled Julius Freed: An American Original, the viral film was the centerpiece of an ambitious campaign from agency space150, Minneapolis.
Zack & J.C. then signed with Lost Highway in early ’08.
Utah Leaders and Locals Rally To Keep Sundance Film Festival In The State
With the 2025 Sundance Film Festival underway, Utah leaders, locals and longtime attendees are making a final push — one that could include paying millions of dollars — to keep the world-renowned film festival as its directors consider uprooting.
Thousands of festivalgoers affixed bright yellow stickers to their winter coats that read "Keep Sundance in Utah" in a last-ditch effort to convince festival leadership and state officials to keep it in Park City, its home of 41 years.
Gov. Spencer Cox said previously that Utah would not throw as much money at the festival as other states hoping to lure it away. Now his office is urging the Legislature to carve out $3 million for Sundance in the state budget, weeks before the independent film festival is expected to pick a home for the next decade.
It could retain a small presence in picturesque Park City and center itself in nearby Salt Lake City, or move to another finalist — Cincinnati, Ohio, or Boulder, Colorado — beginning in 2027.
"Sundance is Utah, and Utah is Sundance. You can't really separate those two," Cox said. "This is your home, and we desperately hope it will be your home forever."
Last year's festival generated about $132 million for the state of Utah, according to Sundance's 2024 economic impact report.
Festival Director Eugene Hernandez told reporters last week that they had not made a final decision. An announcement is expected this year by early spring.
Colorado is trying to further sweeten its offer. The state is considering legislation giving up to $34 million in tax incentives to film festivals like Sundance through 2036 — on top of the $1.5 million in funds already approved to lure the Utah festival to its neighboring... Read More