UNIT9 has brought directorial team Pleasure Craft–consisting of Matt Ching and Derek Hanson–aboard its roster for their first U.S. representation. This gives the New York-based filmmakers–who specialize in CGI and live-action fare–continuity in representation on both sides of the Atlantic as they continue to be handled as a duo by UNIT9 in the European market.
Pleasure Craft starts by casting a wide creative net and exploring different jumping-off points for the story, gradually paring away excess to get to the core of the idea. Their first project with UNIT9, a film for Oakley, “Crush the Ordinary,” incorporated visuals of larger-than-life sunglasses and apparel descending from the sky and landing on the cityscape of the film’s hero. Pleasure Craft’s live-action filmmaking style blended with CGI can be seen in campaigns for Saturday’s NYC, Instagram, Jelly Smack, Versace, Prada, Adidas, and a music video for indie pop artist Jesse Gibson for his song “The Ride.”
Since their inception, Pleasure Craft has maintained creative DNA in which technology has been a major component–though their roots remain in live-action filmmaking. Pleasure Craft’s deep love for visual effects allows for an expansive sense of possibility when conceptualizing a film, using their tech-based prowess to bring deeply imaginative worlds to life.
Pleasure Craft shared a statement which read, “UNIT9 is the perfect production company for us. We share a love for mixed media and a desire to drive the culture forward with excellent filmmaking and innovation. We’re thrilled to expand our relationship in the U.S. and look forward to creating more films with them.”
UNIT9’s executive producer Emily Malito added, “We were immediately excited about them, and that incredible Oakley project they launched with us really solidified that. Pleasure Craft is in a league of their own, and we couldn’t be prouder to have them with us at UNIT9.”
