Dark Light Pictures has appointed Gabriel Mena to the newly-created post of Director of Development. Mena, who has a background in film and TV development, will lead a new effort to grow Dark Light’s roster of directors, with an emphasis on building a cadre of young filmmakers. Mena will also direct a marketing effort in support of the new talent.
According to Dark Light Pictures executive producer Vince Arcaro, the company is seeking to diversify and leverage the strong reputation it enjoys for identifying quality talent. “We are very proud of the directors we have, but like any successful company we want to continue to grow and reinvent ourselves, especially in this ever evolving media landscape,” he observed.
With a roster that includes Caleb Deschanel, David Steinberg, Gil Cope, Andy Garcia, Michael Lehmann, Suzanne Luna, Vince DiPersio, Craig Henderson, Vincent Paterson and Chris Anthony, Dark Light Pictures has recently produced work for Boeing, Honda, Whirlpool and Rush University Medical Center.
Mena said that he is setting out to discover directors with a keen sense of storytelling, and plans to use Dark Light Pictures‘ experience and relationships to help them build strong careers in advertising. “As the traditional model continues to shift and adjust, one constant remains the ability to tell an engaging, empathetic narrative… resourcefully,” he noted. “The steadily diminishing consumer attention span makes it vital to convey a message with an insightful and innovative voice that will not only grab, but will also hold the ever- wandering ‘eyes’.”
Prior to joining Dark Light, Mena was Head of Development at Miami-based independent outfit Hispafilms Corporation, where he produced the Tribeca feature-length documentary, “Celia the Queen,” about salsa legend Celia Cruz, which featured appearances by David Byrne, Gloria Estefan, Andy Garcia and others. They also produced the Sundance feature “Mancora” directed by Ricardo de Montreuil.
Mena is currently meeting with potential directors. “We are being very selective in our approach and are looking forward to rolling out this collective that will fit in line with the Dark Light initiative – to not only service the agency but to creatively collaborate to enhance the client’s message through efficient, thoughtful productions,” he said.
About Dark Light Pictures
Over the past 17 years Dark Light Pictures has established itself as a creative problem solving resource for television advertisers, motion picture marketing teams, and producers of feature films and television specials.
As a leading producer of television commercials Dark Light has created effective, imaginative advertising for some of the most influential advertisers in the country including The Coca Cola Company, Budweiser, Tylenol, Reebok, AT&T, UPS, Perrier, Boeing, Unilever, US Coast Guard, Honda, and The University of Southern California.
In the world of motion picture advertising, Dark Light has produced and filmed live action material for countless teaser trailer and motion poster campaigns including War of the Worlds, Mission Impossible III, The Other Guys, and Salt.
For more information, call (323) 460-2077 or visit www.darklightpictures.com.
Contact:Vincent Arcaro Dark Light Pictures Executive Producer 323.460.2077 Contact Vincent via email
Contact:Media: Linda Rosner ArtisansPR 310.837.6008 Contact Linda via email
“Ǝvolution” Comes Full Circle At The Chelsea Film Festival
The Chelsea Film Festival, running from October 16th through October 20th, 2024, at Regal Cinemas here in Union Square, is set to host the East Coast premiere of Ǝvolution, a thought-provoking experimental micro-short film that proves big ideas can come in small packages and in perfect circles.
In just 1 minute 16 seconds, this cinematic gem by Award-Winning Director Romina Schwedler, with original music by Argentine Composer Ignacio Montoya Carlotto, explores a cycle as old as time: life leads to progress, progress leads to destruction, and destruction, well, leads back to life. But is this vicious circle unbreakable? Ǝvolution suggests the answer is yes, unless we decide to open our eyes.
Inspired by the overwhelming number of recent events that threaten human existence, Ǝvolution, possibly the shortest film in this 12th edition of the festival, plays out entirely through the symbolism of circles, cleverly illustrating —in the blink of an eye— the repeating patterns of history, and confronting viewers with the uncomfortable truth that our so-called “progress” may, in fact, be guiding us to our own ruin.Premiering at the Regal 14 Union Square, New York City, on October 18, 2024, at 11 a.m., Romina Schwedler's micro-short, featuring Leah Young with cinematography by Alan J. Carmona, will be sure to spark conversations longer than the film itself! Forcing viewers to reconsider the true meaning of evolution, not just as a biological process, but as a reflection of our collective journey as humans.
With a string of festival appearances across the globe, including CineGlobe at CERN (Switzerland/France), Oscar®... Read More