LOS ANGELES— Director Eden Tyler has joined bi-coastal Original for exclusive U.S. representation. Known as a visual storyteller and as an “actor’s director,” Tyler has directed work for such brands as Sony, Doritos, AMC, Pringles and the Partnership for a Drug-Free America.
Tyler has directed several campaigns for Johnson & Johnson’s Clear & Clear teen beauty products via DDB, New York, including, most recently, the viral ad Splash Mob. Shot in Buenos Aires, the spot shows 50 girls throwing water balloons at a grime-covered wall to reveal a mural depicting the beautiful face of a young woman. Tyler works frequently for Johnson & Johnson in international markets and directed launch campaigns for Clean & Clear and Neutrogena in India.
“We’ve been fans of Eden’s for a long time and are very pleased to have this opportunity to work with him,” said Original executive producer Marc Lasko. “We are especially impressed with his ability to capture youth culture, which he does in a way that’s fun, hip and genuine. He’s a great addition to our roster.”
Previously represented by Great Guns, Tyler went through a lengthy process to find a new home and chose Original because of its broad resources and inclusive philosophy. “Original is unique,” he said. “They have four executive producers, which is quite unusual, all of whom are very savvy and working very hard to further the careers of their directors.”
Tyler added that Original shares his view that production companies need to deliver more to continue to win business from advertising agencies. “This is the new now,” he said. “The advertising business has already gone through a change in terms of media production, and so we need to look at projects from a broad perspective, whether that means creating a short film or video that can live on the web in addition to the broadcast work, or producing the print component of a campaign.”
Early on in Tyler’s directing career he gained acclaim through a series of public services ads for the Partnership for a Drug-Free America. They included Frying Pan, featuring Rachael Leigh Cook, which featured the memorable line “This is your brain on drugs.” In more recent years, his work includes spots for Folgers, AT&T, Hershey’s, The Home Depot, Chrysler and Coca-Cola.
Although Tyler’s work spans many product categories and aesthetic styles, it is united by strong narrative and natural performances. “Connecting with people is important to me; genuine, believable performances are important to me; it’s what I’m about,” he states. “I’m a people person, an actor’s director and I love the process.”
About Original
Original is led by executive producers Bruce Mellon, Joe Piccirillo, Marc Lasko and Jeff Devlin, and maintains production offices in Los Angeles and New York City. The company’s post production division, headed by Jonathan Del Gatto, provides editorial, design, graphics and visual effects services. Original is represented on the West Coast by Sara Barnthouse (310) 384-3037; on the East Coast by Jeff Devlin, (212) 832 2271; in the Midwest by Lynn Reif Mutchler (310) 804-3797; and in Texas by Jack Reed, (214) 213-8249. For more information, call (310) 445-9000 or (212) 832-2271, or visit www.originalfilm.com.