Director Spencer Riviera, known for his comedy work, has landed his first formal spot production house roost, joining the roster of bicoastal/international O Positive. He is no stranger to O Positive as he directed via the company last year’s Tommee Tippee campaign which went on to earn multiple Cannes Lions.
Riviera had been freelancing for the past year and has directed some work via Goodby, Silverstein & Partners’ in-house production arm eLevel. He’s now decided to sign on exclusively with O Positive for commercials and branded content.
Among Riviera’s other notable credits are: the viral hit “Telemarketer,” for DailyMVP, with NFL great Tom Brady playing it straight while sporting a very bad disguise; and the Barton F. Graf spot for Bai called “Rat Tail,” featuring a clean cut guy who uses his one unsettling quirk to illustrate the drink’s diverse benefits. Riviera has also directed commercials for Priceline (BBDO NY) and Xfinity (Goodby Silverstein + Partners), among others, and the viral short Dad Metal for Funny or Die.
Riviera brings versatile experience to the director’s chair. He spent many years immersed in acting, studying improv with Del Close (Second City, SNL) and Gary Austin (founder of The Groundlings). His own work as a filmmaker is aptly performance driven, reflecting his ability to bring actors into a space where they can relax and do something interesting among all the distractions. Riviera has also been a writer at Goodby Silverstein + Partners on work honored at Cannes and the One Show.
“Spencer is a smart storyteller who understands the nuances of comedy, both performance and visually driven,” said Ralph Laucella, founding partner/executive producer of O Positive. “We were drawn to his enthusiasm and approach—to maximize each opportunity and make the creative the best it can be.”
Riviera said of O Positive, “For such a small roster of directors they’ve got a relatively huge footprint—especially when it comes to comedy. They’ve just got such high standards and there’s an expectation to do great work. They’re like the Seal Team 6 of commercial comedy directing, but with a much higher average body fat percentage.”
Riviera joins O Positive on the heels of the company finishing fifth in the Palme d’Or derby in Cannes this past June. O Positive’s directorial roster also includes founding partner Jim Jenkins, company partner David Shane, as well as Brian Billow, Kenny Herzog, Jonathan Klein, and (in the UK) Peyton Wilson (who is handled by Chelsea Pictures in the U.S.).
Tilda Swinton Explores Assisted Suicide In Pedro Almodóvar’s 1st English-Language Feature
Although "The Room Next Door" is Pedro Almodóvar's first English-language feature, Tilda Swinton notes that he's never written in a language that anyone else truly speaks.
"He writes in Pedro language, and here he is making another film in another version of Pedro language, which just happens to sound a little bit like English," Swinton said.
Set in New York, Swinton stars as Martha, a terminally ill woman who chooses to end her life on her own terms. After reconnecting with her friend Ingrid, played by Julianne Moore, Martha persuades her to stay and keep her company before she goes through with her decision.
Beyond the film's narrative, Swinton said she believes individuals should have a say in their own living and dying. She acknowledges that she has personally witnessed a friend's compassionate departure.
"In my own life I had the great good fortune to be asked by someone in Martha's position to be his Ingrid (Julianne Moore)," Swinton said.
She said that experience shaped her attitude about life and death: "Not only my capacity to be witness to other people in that situation, but my own living and my own dying."
Swinton spoke about "The Room Next Door," Almodóvar and he idea of letting people die on their own terms. Remarks have been edited for clarity and brevity.
Q: Tackling that role, what was the challenge to get into the character?
SWINTON: I felt really blessed by the opportunity. So many of us have been in the situation Julianne Moore's character finds herself in, being asked to be the witness of someone who is dying. Whether that wanting to orchestrate their own dismount or not, to be in that position to be a witness is something that I've been... Read More