Stink Rising has added director Sinan Sevinç to its global talent roster, marking his first professional signing. He is currently studying at the prestigious Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg for a diploma in Directing Advertising Film. Sevinç has already worked with brands such as Porsche and Mercedes-Benz, and has been recognized with numerous industry awards, including honors at Ciclope and 1.4, and the Young Directors Award at the DWP/German Advertising Film Awards.
Sevinç pairs a background in journalism with his own personal experiences–growing up as part of a multicultural household within a small German town, Sevinç was exposed to the dualities of life from a young age. Experiencing a typical German upbringing from his mother, and the Kurdish side from his father, he learnt to view the world through more than one lens; an insight which is evident in his work and filmography. Sevinç was inspired to shift careers from journalism to directing, due to a desire to tell stories from his own perspective, and portray his own creativity through film.
Despite moving away from journalism, Sevinç carries with him the need for precision, accuracy and authenticity in his directing. Intense periods of research form the basis of his films, which he strives to make as authentic and representative of the period or narrative that they are based in.
“Authenticity is key for me. As a trained journalist, I set great story by credibility. I work out every detail from set design, to cast, to costumes. I know that can be exhausting for all departments sometimes but in the end it’s the details that matter,“ said Sevinç.
His film, Born Guilty, for The Innocence Project, which works to tackle wrongful judgment in the U.S. criminal justice system, tells the true story of a young Black man, Huwe Burton, from the Bronx, who was unjustly accused and imprisoned for 19 years for killing his own mother, and spent the duration fighting for his freedom and innocence. The film earned numerous awards, including at the Shark Awards for Best Direction, bronze at Ciclope, two golds at the YDAs and winning at 1.4.
Sevinç said, “My ambition as a director is to tell authentic stories with a multicultural sensibility that trigger emotions. Stink is one of the biggest industry players globally, and I had great conversations with the whole team, so it felt like the right decision to join the Stink family.”
Hannah Belil, global head of Stink Rising and music videos, said, “We’re so excited to add Sinan to the Stink Rising roster, our global talent spotlight. Born Guilty, based on the true story of Huwe Burton, demonstrates his incredible ambition to tell important stories from marginalized groups and blends his journalistic roots with impressive craft to deliver really gripping storytelling. The other standout, Dirty Money, is equally as exciting, using a single visual motif, it’s so clever and has a sense of humor. Really looking forward to seeing what’s in store, we have high hopes!”
Blake Powell, Stink’s global head of film, added, “I think Born Guilty is an incredible piece of work. The craftwork is impeccable, especially for a director so early in their career. Sinan has an invigorating energy that is evident in his work.”
James Earl Jones, Lauded Actor and Voice of Darth Vader, Dies At 93
James Earl Jones, who overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen — eventually lending his deep, commanding voice to CNN, "The Lion King" and Darth Vader — has died. He was 93.
His agent, Barry McPherson, confirmed Jones died Monday morning at home in New York's Hudson Valley region. The cause was not immediately clear.
The pioneering Jones, who was one of the first African American actors in a continuing role on a daytime drama and worked deep into his 80s, won two Emmys, a Golden Globe, two Tony Awards, a Grammy, the National Medal of Arts, the Kennedy Center Honors and was given an honorary Oscar and a special Tony for lifetime achievement. In 2022, a Broadway theater was renamed in his honor.
He cut an elegant figure late in life, with a wry sense of humor and a ferocious work habit. In 2015, he arrived at rehearsals for a Broadway run of "The Gin Game" having already memorized the play and with notebooks filled with comments from the creative team. He said he was always in service of the work.
"The need to storytell has always been with us," he told The Associated Press then. "I think it first happened around campfires when the man came home and told his family he got the bear, the bear didn't get him."
Jones created such memorable film roles as the reclusive writer coaxed back into the spotlight in "Field of Dreams," the boxer Jack Johnson in the stage and screen hit "The Great White Hope," the writer Alex Haley in "Roots: The Next Generation" and a South African minister in "Cry, the Beloved Country."
He was also a sought-after voice actor, expressing the villainy of Darth Vader ("No, I am your father," commonly misremembered as "Luke, I am your father"), as... Read More