DGA members recently took a glimpse into the fast paced world of commercial directing when the Women’s Steering Committee hosted the panel discussion Commercial Directors: Women in Charge following their monthly meeting in the DGA boardroom in Los Angeles on September 20.
The exciting and informative discussion reported on topics such as: where clients are putting their money in an arena that includes diverse advertising platforms like television, the internet, and social media; the usefulness of spec spots; what makes an agency want to take a chance on a director that’s new to them; and whether or not the gender of the director matters. The discussion also covered the Commercial Code of Preferred Practices that the DGA recently created to address Creative Rights for commercial directors.
The panel consisted of Director Rachel Harms, a four-time Emmy Award winner for her original Sesame Street films, who has created acclaimed campaigns for Southwest Airlines, ExxonMobil, Tide, Magnavox, Pillsbury, and Quaker Oats and whose timeless Folgers spot, “A Dancer's Morning" is considered to be one of the brand’s most successful spots in P&G history; Director Ramaa Mosley who has directed spots for ESPN, Lee Jeans, Tide, Walmart and Juicy Juice, Adidas, Powerade, PGA Golf, Callaway, Zyrtec, Royal Bank of Canada, L’oreal, ESPN2 and Rockport; Green Dot Films’ managing director Rick Fishbein, who is also a member of the West Coast Board of the Association of Independent Commercial Producers; Young & Rubicam West’s Director of Integrated Production Laura Keseric, who also has experience working as a line producer for commercials and music videos; Rubin Postaer Senior Producer Selena Pizarro, who has established herself in the commercial advertising industry over the past 15 years, and whose awards include 21 Addys, a Webby, a David Ogilvy Award for an international campaign and a One Show Merit; and Independent Media’s Executive Producer Susanne Preissler, whose career spans both advertising and film and has included high level posts at advertising agencies and production companies.
The conversation was moderated by Director/DP Liz Hinlein who has worked for high profile clients such as Dove, Revlon, Maybelline, Olay, Woolite, Visine, Gillette and Nivea, and directed name talent such as Kelly Garner, Jonathan Tucker, Halle Berry, Britney Spears and Mary J. Blige in places as far flung as China, Moscow, Prague, Argentina, Brazil, Poland and Thailand.