Don Burgess, the award-winning cinematographer of such classic films as “Forrest Gump”, “Cast-Away” and “Spider-Man, has joined The Joneses for exclusive representation as a commercial director. Burgess’s latest project, “Flight”, his sixth film with director Robert Zemeckis, is being released worldwide this week.
Burgess’s link to The Joneses actually marks a return as he was previously represented by the production company for several years during the mid-2000s. During that time, he directed ad campaigns for Cox Communications, and State Farm among others. In discussing his return, Burgess said that he plans to be more selective in taking on feature film projects in the future, leaving him more time to direct commercials.
“I enjoy commercials and have worked in advertising, both as a director and cinematographer, throughout my career,” he said. “I enjoy the process of telling stories and I enjoy working with agencies to elevate their stories in ways that connect to an audience.”
The Joneses executive producer Mel Gragido said that he is thrilled to reintroduce Burgess to the advertising market and noted that his skills as a visual storyteller make him a very marketable talent. “Yes, he can do anything with a camera, but his is also very good in working with talent and in using images to tell stories,” Gragido observed. “He is a great choice for agencies seeking the expertise of someone who has been in every conceivable situation with a camera.”
Burgess got his start shooting sports documentaries while a student at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. He later earned success as a 2nd unit cinematographer on action films. In 1994, Zemeckis gave him his first opportunity to shoot first unit on “Forrest Gump”, a project that brought him an Academy Awardsup>® nomination. He also collaborated with Zemeckis on “Contact”, “Cast-Away”, “What Lies Beneath”, “The Polar Express” and “Flight”. Other notable credits include “Blind Fury” (Philip Noyce, “Forget Paris” (Billy Crystal) and “The Book of Eli” (Albert and Allen Hughes).
Burgess notes that he relishes the opportunity to work with Gragido again on advertising projects. “It’s wonderful to collaborate with people you respect, and I think it is reflected in the product,” he says. “Mel and I make a great team in terms of commercial projects, I believe there is nothing we can’t do.”
The Joneses is located at 1501 Colorado, Suite C, Santa Monica, California 90404. For more information, call 310.656.8300 or visit www.thejoneses.tv
