MJZ and Park Pictures each had two directors scoring nominations for the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials for 2016. MJZ’s Dante Ariola and Fredrik Bond are up for the honor as are Park Pictures’ Lance Acord and AG Rojas. Rounding out the field is Derek Cianfrance of RadicalMedia.
Cianfrance and Rojas are first-time DGA nominees. By contrast, Ariola and Bond have been nominated seven times, with Ariola winning the award in 2006. Ariola was also nominated in 2000, 2002, 2004, 2007 and 2011. Bond’s prior nominations came in 2004, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012 and 2013.
Acord is also no stranger to the DGA nominees’ circle. This is his fourth career nomination, the first three coming in 2003, 2011 and 2012.
This time around, Acord is nominated on the strength of two spots: “Frankie’s Holiday” for Apple via TBWAMedia Arts Lab; and Kohl’s “Movie Night” out of Anomaly.
Ariola’s latest nomination is on the basis of three entries: SunTrust’s “Hold Your Breath” for agency Strawberry Frog; Lyft’s “Riding is the New Driving” from Made Movement; and Beats’ “Tell Me when To Go.”
Bond’s seventh career nod comes for a trio of spots: Apple’s “Dive” via TBWAMedia Arts Lab; Philips’ “Everyday Hero” for Ogilvy & Mather; and LG’s “World of Play” out of Energy BBDO.
AG Rojas’ first career nomination is for S7 Airlines’ “The Best Planet” from Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam, and Samsung’s “The Snail” for Leo Burnett USA.
And Cianfrance’s first nod comes on the strength of four entries: Nike Golf’s “Chase; Powerade’s “Doubts” and “Expectations; and Squarespace’s “Manifesto.” The latter is from agency Anomaly while “Chase,” “Doubts” and “Expectations” are all from Wieden+Kennedy, Portland, Ore.
The winner will be announced at the 69th Annual DGA Awards on Saturday, February 4, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills.
Here’s a rundown of the commercial director nominees and some of their supporting teams behind the nominated work:
LANCE ACORD
Park Pictures
“Frankie’s Holiday,” Apple, TBWAMedia Arts Lab
First Assistant Director: Thomas Smith
“Movie Night,” Kohl’s – Anomaly
First Assistant Director: Thomas Smith
Second Assistant Director: Rob Kay
DANTE ARIOLA
MJZ
“Hold Your Breath,” SunTrust – Strawberry Frog
Unit Production Manager: Natalie Hill
First Assistant Director: George Nessis
Second Assistant Director: Isaac Mejia
“Riding is the New Driving,” Lyft – Made Movement
Unit Production Manager: Natalie Hill
First Assistant Director: John Lowe
Second Assistant Director: Julian Metter
Second Second Assistant Director: Dave Liehn
“Tell Me When To Go,” Beats
Unit Production Managers: Natalie Hill, Susan Levin
First Assistant Director: Chris Medak
Second Assistant Director: Adam Stern
Second Second Assistant Director: Jani Vournas
Ariola won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials for “Snowball” (Traveler’s Insurance), “Human” (Johnny Walker), and “First Taste” (Coca-Cola) in 2006.
FREDRIK BOND
MJZ
“Dive,” Apple – TBWA/Media Arts Lab
First Assistant Director: Howell Caldwell
“Everyday Hero,” Philips – Ogilvy & Mather
“World of Play,” LG – Energy BBDO
Unit Production Manager: Line Postmyr
First Assistant Director: Anthony Dimino
Second Assistant Director: Spencer Taylor
Second Second Assistant Director: R. Ben Parker
Additional First Assistant Director: Chris Blanch
Additional Second Assistant Director: Steve Bagnara
DEREK CIANFRANCE
RadicalMedia
“Chase,” Nike Golf – Wieden + Kennedy Portland
First Assistant Director: Rick Lange
Second Assistant Director: Ethan Ross
“Doubts,” Powerade – Wieden + Kennedy Portland
First Assistant Director: Mariela Comitini
Second Assistant Director: Brad Robinson
“Expectations,” Powerade – Wieden + Kennedy Portland
First Assistant Director: Mariela Comitini
Second Assistant Director: Brad Robinson
“Manifesto,” Squarespace – Anomaly
First Assistant Director: David Backus
Second Assistant Director: Josh Voegelin
AG ROJAS
Park Pictures
“The Best Planet,” S7 Airlines – Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam
“The Snail,” Samsung – Leo Burnett USA
First Assistant Director: Robert Dean Phillips
