Greenpoint Pictures has added director Ryan Staake to its roster of talent. Noted for effects-led storytelling since the days before AI, Staake worked as a human interface designer at Apple, and later founded the creative studio Pomp & Clout. He has since moved to a farm in the Hudson Valley, starting this next chapter with Greenpoint Pictures.
Before Staake became a director, he studied graphic design at RISD, where he found himself magnetized to motion-based storytelling. There, he created video flyers for LOVELIFE parties, attracting the attention of Diplo and earning Staake a spot as a visual artist for Major Lazer’s first tour. This design background heavily influences Staake’s approach to finding the simplest yet most evocative images, and he views film with deep consideration of how an audience engages with it.
Finding the most direct and in-depth pathway through a story has proven fruitful for Staake. He has won a Webby Award, numerous Vimeo Staff Picks, along with an MTV VMA, a D&AD Pencil, a Creative Circle Gold, and a 1.4 Show Silver Award for directing Young Thug’s music video “Wyclef Jean.” Other artists who’ve tapped Staake to direct their music videos include Charli XCX, Troye Sivan, Ed Sheeran, Chance the Rapper, J. Cole, Lil Wayne, and alt-J. Commercially, he’s directed multiple campaigns for brands like Xbox, Humane, Meow Mix, Volkswagen, Pepsi, Lays, Casper, Oculus, Twitch, Samsung, Adidas, and Puma.
Marking a full-circle moment, Staake’s first project with Greenpoint brought him back to Apple to direct the music video “Appreciation” for their most recent keynote conference, which closed out WWDC 26. The energetic film features Erick the Architect rapping lyrics that name-drop an impressive amount of iOS App Store apps.
Staake remarked, “Greenpoint reached out to me about an Apple job, and it went so well that it just seemed like a no-brainer to follow that path and see what other great stuff we can make. After running Pomp+Clout for 10+ years, I decided it was time for new opportunities, and Greenpoint felt like the right place for that, as another independent studio leading with craft and creativity.”
Michael Kuhn, founder of Greenpoint and fellow director, added, “Ryan knows what it’s like to lead a successful independent company in this industry, so we had an immediate shorthand. We’re also just cut from the same cloth–independent spirits with a David and Goliath mentality, and a shared love for the independent way over the large corporate route. On top of that, he’s a director who knows no limit when it comes to making something visually arresting. He’s a great filmmaker, and he has personally inspired me for years.”
