Rodeo Show has signed Him & Her, a directing duo consisting of Kevin Zacher and Christa Renee, for representation in the U.S. market. Him & Her's directorial credits include commercials for San Diego Tourism, Burger King, McDonald’s and Sony.
The duo’s commercial output blends slice-of-life moments with natural aesthetics and a spritz of pop culture. Their eclectic Western upbringings contribute to this blend, with Renee originating from California’s misty Central Coast and Zacher emerging from Arizona’s rugged landscapes.
Katie Walker, executive producer at Rodeo Show, commented, “Kevin and Christa each have their own eclectic styles and skillsets that have enabled them to flourish in the commercial space individually. But when they team up, something magical happens – a beautiful dance that builds on their strengths as artists. They also have a battle-tested shorthand that our clients will appreciate, whether they’re bouncing ideas off each other to elevate the creative, prepping extensively for a shoot, or swiftly tackling a production challenge on set.”
Renee and Zacher broke into directing following award-winning photography careers spanning commercial and fine art. Having helmed shoots in the capacity of live-action director and still photographer, they bring a unique vantage point, both as storytellers and collaborators, as they aim to create an inclusive and harmonious on-set environment for agency creatives and video and photography crews to thrive while ensuring visual consistency across all campaign deliverables.
“At our core, we are visual storytellers, and commercials are a medium where we can bring our worldview as artists, parents, and consumers to help brands reach audiences in fresh ways,” remarked Zacher. “That’s our sweet spot; trusting our instincts and allowing those honest yet impressionistic human moments to come out as naturally as possible without being overly scripted.”
Renee, a graduate of the Art Center College of Design, has had a camera in her hand since the age of 8. From portraiture to advertising, fashion to travel, her diverse portfolio reflects her wanderlust spirit and passion for family bonding and motherhood. Splitting her time between city life, ranch life, and traveling the world, she has solo directed spots for Chase, Subaru, Holiday Inn, Target and Quicksilver. She’s had assorted photography clients, including Apple. Renee is a PDN 30 recipient whose work has been honored by American Photo and Communication Arts.
Zacher, who grew up skateboarding, snowboarding, and listening to punk music, naturally gravitated towards a career as a snowboard photographer for magazines and brands worldwide, eventually elevating to a tenure and principal photographer for Burton Snowboards. After navigating one too many avalanches and sketchy helicopter landings, Zacher shifted his creative lens to campaigns for consumer brands. He has solo directed commercials for the likes of Levi’s, Verizon and Sony, and turned out photography for Apple, Coca-Cola and Anheuser-Busch. His expansive body of work has been honored by American Photo, PDN, Communication Arts, and the Telus Ski and Snowboard Music Festival Photographer Showdown.
Joining Rodeo Show marks a homecoming for Him & Her. They were last repped as a duo by the company before departing to pursue directing careers separately. They soon recognized the strength of their partnership, especially with the production resources offered by Rodeo Show. Consequently, they chose to reunite and rejoin the roster.
“Family is important to both me and Kevin, personally, and Rodeo Show and their reps align with those values on a professional level,” concluded Renee. “They took a chance on us earlier in our career when we transitioned to the director’s chair, and they’ve been nothing but supportive and loyal to us as friends and collaborators ever since. We are thrilled to build on our relationship through this signing.”
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