Seb Edwards Joins Park Pictures

Bicoastal/London-based Park Pictures has signed director Seb Edwards for commercial representation in the U.S.   Edwards has directed multiple award-winning campaigns for brands such as HSBC, AT&T, VW and Vodafone. His work in commercials has earned multiple BTAA Awards and Gold Lions, most recently for his spots “Debris” and “Waiting To Happen” for The British Army.  His new Nike campaign, “Find Your Greatness,” including the :60 “Greatness Anywhere” co-directed with Park’s Lance Acord, will air throughout the Olympics.

 

Says Edwards, “There’s a family environment at Park; I feel very at home there.  Their roster is also populated with inventive visual storytellers who I respect immensely.”  Edwards’ own work reflects a sophisticated understanding of cinema and filmmaking technique.  Continues the director, “I admire films and commercials that are incredibly crafted, but you never feel that craft.  They emotionally engage without feeling manipulative or showy.”

 

Edwards’ emergence as a leading commercials director marks the culmination of a 180-degree career transition from time in front of the camera as the star of Hope and Glory, John Boorman’s Oscar®-nominated 1987 film about a child’s adventures during the London blitz.   However, as Edwards grew older, he discovered his true passion for creating images and directing actors, not performing himself.  “I love working with actors and put much emphasis on the casting process.  I either look for exceptional actors who are incredibly well trained and focused or I look for the real thing; street casting, in essence, for the actual person.  Both are valid ways to capture an authentic performance.  It’s the in-between that I try to avoid.”     

 

Edwards began developing his directorial eye as a Fine Arts student at Leeds University in the U.K.  Painting soon gave way to video installations and the storytelling roots ingrained in Edwards from his early days as a child actor began to re-emerge in increasingly sophisticated video narratives.  This evolution led him to direct his first short, which gained him admittance into New York University’s prestigious graduate MFA program in 2000. 

 

During his time in New York, Edwards supplemented his visual acumen with an American indie film influence, developing a storytelling style that meshes striking visuals with a strong emotional pull.  Upon returning to the U.K. post-graduation, he worked his way up through the production ranks, from runner to directing spots for Home (formerly Brave Films) in just a few short years.   During this time, he directed spots for GLA (Euro RSCG London), Nokia N-Gage (Grey Worldwide) and the acclaimed Sony Playstation “Time Crisis 3” spot, for which he won first prize at the Cannes cfp-e/shots Young Directors Awards.

 

Edwards continues to expand his storytelling output beyond the scope of commercials, having returned to shorts again with 2011’s “Friday” and, most recently directed the music video of James Blake’s cover of the Joni Mitchell classic, “A Case of You,” featuring actress Rebecca Hall (Vicky Cristina Barcelona, The Prestige, The Town).

 

Edwards is represented by Academy in the UK.