On Saturday, October 12, visual creative Aviva Klein attended Commercial Directing Bootcamp, as the recipient of a Diversity Award scholarship sponsored by Hybrid Collective. Since launching the Commercial Directing Bootcamp in 2015, filmmaker Jordan Brady has held sold-out seminars in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Dallas, with twelve Diversity Award-winners having attended thus far. Alumni have variously gone on to secure commercial representation, garner trade press for their spot work, and receive nominations for the Cannes Young Director Award and other honors. The next Bootcamp will take place Saturday, January 18th, 2020, in Los Angeles.
“I was so beyond honored to be the recipient of the Diversity Award from Hybrid Collective and Commercial Directing Bootcamp and am even more grateful after attending the workshop,” said Klein, a NYC based photographer/director and Principal Creative of her own WBE-certified company. “Jordan was super engaging and knowledgeable about the commercial directing business. I went home with an active to-do list of action steps I need to take to advance my directing career, AND met an amazing group of industry professionals who are now a part of my creative community. As a photographer who is now working in motion, I truly believe attending this workshop is an important turning point in my career and has given me the confidence I need to keep exploring and refining my voice.”
“I was taken by Aviva’s innate sense of style. I mean, look at her “Hoops Of Harlem” spot for Google Pixel, it shows real visual chops. Combine that with her passion for ads and you've got someone poised to make a splash,” said Brady, whose recent projects include a "FemiClear” ad featuring a singing lady-part (via 31000 ft agency), a forthcoming Hilton Hotels Brand Campaign (via GSD&M), and Dodge (via Publicis Sapient). “Hybrid Collective’s Susan Munro and I thought maybe we can provide a few tools to speed that up.”
While in college, Klein landed a coveted college marketing position at Sony Music where she worked with art directors to devise design concepts for album packaging and other marketing materials as well as co-managed the selection of photographers, glam teams and wardrobe stylists to assemble creative teams for her artists. Her work was critical in launching the career of multi-platinum selling artist John Mayer, and upon graduation, she was immediately recruited to work as a marketing coordinator at Sony Urban where she created the grassroots marketing campaign that led to the platinum success of underground artist Lyfe Jennings. After nearly a decade in the music industry, Klein founded her eponymous company, which has evolved into a dynamic visual content agency of one. Klein’s work is both quiet and powerful, and deeply influenced by her hometown of Brooklyn, NY. She brings this unique sensibility to all of her storytelling, resulting in a style that has been personally sought after by the likes of Prince, Beyoncé and Halle Berry. Through her visual storytelling, Klein delivers intimacy and honesty. She strives to create space for meaningful and necessary conversations through visual storytelling that is impactful as it is beautiful.
The Diversity Award scholarship sends one talented filmmaker to each seminar for free. Filmmakers are judged on the following criteria:
- Quality of storytelling.
- Need for exposure to storytelling methods for brands.
- True passion for making ads.
Those submitting are asked to email no more than three spots or short films to jordan@commercialdirectingbootcamp.com. The deadline is two weeks before the next seminar. Travel and lodging not included. The next Los Angeles seminar has been scheduled for January 18th, 2020. The next Diversity Award is sponsored by Oso Delicious Hot Sauce, the only hot sauce made by bears that gives $1 per bottle to charity.
About Hybrid Collective
Hybrid is a commercial advertising and branded content studio featuring an eclectic mix of filmmakers, ad creatives, editors, artists, comedians, musicians, educators, authors, photographers, athletes and even students. Our diverse perspective and experience combine to create stories that engage, inform, delight and inspire.
About Jordan Brady
Jordan Brady has directed more than 1000 national TV spots to date. As host of the popular podcast RESPECT THE PROCESS, Brady interviews as wide range of ad bizzers and filmmakers on a weekly basis. He recently completed his trilogy of documentaries on stand up comedy, comprised of the 2010 cult hit I AM COMIC (Netflix, Showtime), 2014’s follow-up I AM ROAD COMIC (Netflix, Hulu); and 2017’s I AM BATTLE COMIC, which followed Brady and a squadron of stand-ups to Afghanistan, Kuwait, Bahrain and Iraq, where they performed for troops serving in the US Armed Forces. Brady’s new book, Commercial Directing Voodoo: Filmmaking Spells & Production Potions, serves as a complement to his popular Commercial Directing Bootcamp.
