Bryan Buckley

Bryan Buckley is an American filmmaker, screenwriter, producer, and two time Academy-Award nominated director.[1] His successful career has led to him being dubbed the “King of the Super Bowl" [2]

For the British peer, see Bryan Burton Buckley, 2nd Baron Wrenbury.
Bryan Buckley
Bryan Buckley in 2015
Born (1963-09-03) September 3, 1963
Massachusetts, United States
OccupationFilm director, screenwriter
Years active1988 - Present
Spouse(s)Kiana Madani (m. 2017)

Buckley's directorial debut came with a series of commercials he created for NHL on ESPN, before creating the “This is SportsCenter” campaign for ESPN in 1999. The work became an part of the ESPN brand, and launched Buckley into the commercial world. Buckley would go on to direct 64 Super Bowl Commercials.

He has directed two feature films and four short films. Of his four shorts, Krug (2004) played at Sundance, Wake Up Caller (2004) played at Tribeca, while ASAD (2013) and SARIA (2019) have been nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at the Academy Awards. His two nominations in the same decade is the first time a director has managed to return to the category in over 30 years.[3]

His first feature film The Bronze (2015), opened the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, while his second, Pirates of Somalia (2017), premiered at the Tribeca film festival.

A 2010 Adweek Readers Poll named Buckley the Commercial Director of the Decade - he was also named one of the 50 best Creative Minds in the last 25 years by Creativity Magazine.

Personal Life

Bryan Buckley was born on September 3, 1963 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He spent his first years in Sudbury, a suburb of Boston, before moving in 1970 to live on a farm in Madbury, New Hampsire.

His father, a onetime Army reservist, worked as an art director in a small regional ad agency and later became chair of Boston's New England school of Art. His mother worked as a top promotional executive at Jordan Marsh department store. His parents were both activists involved in the anti-war and Civil Rights movements on the 1960s. In 1976, his parents separated and he returned to Massachusetts with his mother.[4]

In his senior year of high school, Buckley was selected to the Short Term Institute at Phillips Andover preparatory school on a full art scholarship. He was then admitted to Syracuse University's design program - he finished his first class in Advertising Design there in 1985, but never enrolled in a film class during his time in college.[4]

In 2017, Buckley married actress Kiana Madani. He has three children.

Early Career

After graduating Syracuse, Buckley began as an entry-level art director at Doyle Dane Bernbach.[5]

In 1988, he co-founded his own agency, Buckley / DeCerchio, with his Chiat/Day co- worker Tom DeCerchio. Their first client was the 4 million dollar Godfather's Pizza account. Buckley and De Cerchio then hired friends and filmmakers who would work cheaply. Within a few months, Buckley and De Cerchio were on the cover of Adweek. In their first year open, their work for Godfather's Pizza was awarded with a Gold Pencil at the One Show, a advertising awards show.[4]

The agency would go on to sign clients such as Yugo cars and Snapple, for whom they created the famous “Made From the Best Stuff on Earth National” tag. In December 1993, Buckley and DeCerchio made the cover of the New York Times Business Section.[6] The next day they announced that a new chapter had begun, and closed the agency.

This Is Sportscenter

In 1994, Buckley, with his collaborator Frank Todaro, was offered the chance to direct a few unscripted, ultra low-budget promos for ESPN's hockey telecasts. Buckley had never been behind the camera before, and the job was not paid.[5]

Over its 25-year run, the campaign has featured appearances from several sports stars, including Kobe Bryant, Wayne Gretzky, David Ortiz, Lebron James, Mike Tyson, and Michael Phelps. ’’SportsCenter’’ was named the best commercial campaign of the 1990s by The One Club.[4]

Hungry Man Productions

In 1997, Buckley co-founded Hungry Man Productions along with "This is SportsCenter" creator, Hank Perlman and long-time producer Steve Orent. The company quickly added several directors to its roster, such as Jim Jenkins, David Shane, Bennett Miller and Stacy Wall.

Buckley's first major work came in 1999 with his first Super Bowl spot, a commercial for Monster.com called “When I Grow Up.” In the 30-second spot, kids answered the question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” with responses such as “I want to be a ‘yes’ man’ and “I want to be forced into early retirement.”

Initially, the ad was considered a disappointment, as viewers gave the commercial low marks in the USA Today Ad Meter, a consumer poll of the best and worst Super Bowl ads that has become an industry standard for measuring public reaction (and therefore success) of a multi-million dollar project.

However,the Monster.com ad continued to get airplay over the next few days while conversation around other commercials died down, and the job site ended up crashing due to increased user activity. Monster.com reported an increase of 1 million site visits per month for the rest of 1999.[7]

By 2004, the company won the Cannes Festival's Palme d'Or as the top commercial production company in the world and has finished in the top ten for more than ten consecutive years, the first production company to do so. Hungry Man has offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Rio and São Paulo, and has a slate of directors including Taika Waititi, Wayne McClammy, and Nanette Burstein.

Commercial Work

Over the course of his career, Buckley has worked on several campaigns and commercial spots, including “What Happens in Vegas,” Verizon's first ever Spanish language campaign for the Oscars, and FedEx's “Castaway.”

As his work has grown in scale, Buckley has collaborated with celebrities such as Larry David, Jennifer Anniston, Conan O’Brien, Ellen DeGeneres, Leslie Mann, Taylor Swift, and The Rock, who starred in Apple's “The Rock x Siri Dominate the Day” commercial, which racked up over 80 million views.

His work has often garnered publicity, and has at times been described as "anticommercials". His commercial for E*Trade in 2000 featured a mock-amateur commercial. The setting: a disheveled two-car garage. A chimpanzee, wearing an oversize E*Trade T-shirt, is flanked by a pair of men. All face the camera. They clap, out of sync, to a tinny recording of ''La Cucaracha.'' At the end, the chimpanzee folds his hands over his crotch. A tag line appears: ''Well, we just wasted $2 million. What are you doing with your money?’’ In 2018, Adweek would declare it “The Most Subversive Super Bowl Ad Ever.”[8]

In 2011, Buckley directed a series of commercials for New Era apparel. The campaign, titled “Rivalry,” saw actors John Krasinski and Alec Baldwin engaged in ongoing trash talk as fans of their respective teams, the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. The spots were inducted into the Permanent Collection of the Museum of Modern Art. [9]

His 2020 Super Bowl spot for Hyundai, titled "Smaht Pahk," was a massive success. It was named on several best of the game lists by Time,[10] Adweek,[11] and Vogue.[12] It was also ranked #2 in the USA Today Ad Meter.[13] The spot, which starred John Krasinski, Chris Evans, Rachel Dratch, and David Ortiz featured the Massachusetts natives over-enunciating the distinctive vowels of the classic Boston accent as they talked about Hyundai's new Sonata.[14]

Awards

In 1999, Buckley won the Best Directing award from the DGA, a cumulative award for several commercials he directed that year, including his Super Bowl monster.com “When I Grow Up” spot, and work for E*trade.[15]

He has been won three Emmy Awards, and has won over 50 Cannes Lions, most recently the top honors at Cannes in 2019, a Grand Prix for his work on March for Our Lives “Generation Lockdown” campaign to raise awareness about gun violence prevention.[16] Buckley also took the Titanium Lion and the top honors, a Grand Clio for his Microsoft “Changing the Game” work showcasing Xbox's new adaptive controller, the first ever system designed to be inclusive of handicapped gamers. The same year, he won 15 gold pencils at the One Show for his work with both the Microsoft and March for our Lives campaigns.[17]

Buckley's two Academy Award nominations for Short Film within the same decade is the first time a director has managed to return to the category in over 30 years.[3]

Narrative Work

In September 2011, Buckley shot the short film ASAD in South Africa in September 2011 with an all Somali refugee cast. The story, which Buckley also wrote, follows a young Somali boy's tale of how he deals with the decision to fall into a pirate life, or become an fisherman. The film screened at over 50 film festivals worldwide and took top honors at the Tribeca Film Festival, ultimately receiving a nomination for Best Live Action Short Film at the 85th Academy Awards.[18]

Buckley's first feature film, The Bronze, was selected to open the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and made a splash in Park City as the breakout comedy of the festival.[19]

In 2017, Buckley wrote and directed the American drama film The Pirates of Somalia. The film stars Evan Peters, Oscar Winner Al Pacino, Melanie Griffith, and Barkhad Abdi. The film, set in 2008, is about rookie Canadian journalist Jay Bahadur's plan to embed himself among the pirates of Somalia to provide the first close-up look at who these men are, how they live, and the forces that drive them. The film had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 27, 2017. The film was released on December 8, 2017, by Echo Bridge. The Hollywood Reporter called the film “A lively tale bent on deepening our understanding of its sensationalism-ready subject.”[20]

In 2019, Buckley wrote and directed the short film SARIA. The film explores the life of young female orphans at the Virgen de La Asuncion Safe Home in Guatemala, leading up to the fire which claimed 41 of their lives in 2017. The film was received well by critics, and Variety called the film "harrowing, but completely convincing in the way it presents the sexual and psychological abuse they endured... an influential chapter in a story that’s still being written."

Rather than using traditional child actors to play the roles of the orphans, Buckley opted to reach out to orphanages throughout Mexico to participate in the film. Ultimately, he established a partnership with Ministerios De Amor Orphanage in Mexico City. None of the girls had ever acted before they participated in the film. They received extensive training from an acting coach who would come to the orphanage daily.

The production team bypassed the traditional festival circuit and four-walled the film for Academy Consideration just two days after completion, an unproven process that did not allow the traditional press cycle to build buzz around the film. However, the plan succeeded and the film received a nomination for Best Live Action Short Film at the 92nd Academy Awards.

Directing Style

His early work has been characterized as anarchic and populist. Defined by a “run and gun” style that often challenged the importance of advertising to begin with. "It ain't feel-good advertising," Buckley acknowledges.

Buckley's work has been primarily comedic. New York Times Magazine wrote “Bryan is an interpreter of American fears. He doesn't make commercials; he writes haiku.” He has been celebrated for his casting ability, and in his skill for directing unprofessional actors, whom he often casts for a more raw performance. Bryan's later work has typically involved more prominent celebrity roles, driven by character-driven comedy.

Though his body of work is primarily comedic, Buckley has shifted to a more socially-conscious approach in recent years.His narrative work has been defined by a focus on the oppressed and oppressors, and the need to illuminate otherwise unknown or under-reported injustices.

Activism

Buckley has been a long-time supporter of activism and philanthropy. In the past, he was worked with organizations like Women's March to create advocacy campaigns at no cost.

Activist Estephany Raquel Arreaga Jimenez (from left) Congressmen Vicente Gonzalez and Adriano Espaillat with Bryan Buckley after their 2020 meeting.

In 2019, Buckley directed work for the “Generation Lockdown” campaign on behalf of March for our Lives, an organization dedicated to preventing gun violence in the USA. The commercial was created in support of the S.42 Background Check Expansion Act, and was cited by several members of Congress to advocate for stricter gun control.

After the release of his 2019 short, SARIA, the film was cited by members of Congress in a 2020 letter to the Secretary of State. Congressmen Adriano Espaillat and Vicente Gonzalez stated the film "amplifies global awareness" of the issue, and demanded justice for the victims and an investigation into the whereabouts of the remaining survivors. Buckley has stayed involved with the pursuit of justice within Guatemala, attending a meeting on Capitol Hill between Stef Arreaga, a prominent activist and Congressmen Adriano Espaillat and Vicente Gonzalez Jr.[21]

King Of The Super Bowl

Buckley's work has consistently aired during the Super Bowl, leading to the New York Times deeming him the “King of the Super Bowl” in, Buckley has directed over 60 commercials. His work is often rated at the top of every year's Super Bowl Commercial rankings.

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References
  1. "Bryan Buckley". IMDb. Retrieved 2020-07-06.
  2. Liu, Jennifer (2020-01-30). "Director of over 60 Super Bowl commercials: 'Better decisions are made when you have no time—you have to go with your gut'". CNBC. Retrieved 2020-07-06.
  3. "Browser Unsupported - Academy Awards Search | Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences". awardsdatabase.oscars.org. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  4. Levine, Mark (2002-02-03). "30-Second Auteur". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  5. Lipin|April 10, David; 2000. "creative profile: King of Comedy". www.adweek.com. Retrieved 2020-06-19.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. Rothenberg, Randall (1989-06-30). "THE MEDIA BUSINESS: Advertising; 2 Youngsters, No Frills: Off They Go". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  7. Schad, Tom. "Meet Bryan Buckley, the director behind more than 50 Super Bowl commercials". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  8. "The Genius of E*Trade 'Monkey,' the Most Subversive Super Bowl Ad Ever". www.adweek.com. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  9. Jr, Mike Fleming; Jr, Mike Fleming (2012-06-21). "Top Commercials Helmer Bryan Buckley Returns To Features On 'Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus'". Deadline. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  10. "These Are the Best Super Bowl 2020 Commercials Because They're Some of the Best Reasons to Tune in". Time. Retrieved 2020-07-06.
  11. Griner|February 2, David; 2020. "The 10 Best Super Bowl Ads of 2020". www.adweek.com. Retrieved 2020-07-06.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. Specter, Emma. "The 10 Best Super Bowl Ads of 2020". Vogue. Retrieved 2020-07-06.
  13. Schad, Tom. "Jeep, Bill Murray win USA TODAY's Ad Meter with hilarious 'Groundhog Day' commercial". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2020-07-06.
  14. "Watch the full version of Hyundai's Boston-themed Super Bowl ad | Boston.com". www.boston.com. Retrieved 2020-07-06.
  15. "Awards / History / 1999". www.dga.org. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  16. admin. "Saria, Director Bryan Buckley | Film School Radio hosted by Mike Kaspar". Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  17. "The One Club / The One Show - Archive of Award Winners". www.oneclub.org. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  18. oscar.go.com https://oscar.go.com/news/nominations/short-film-live-action-oscar-nominations-2020. Retrieved 2020-06-19. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  19. Friday, Sundance Institute; January 23rd; 2015. "Day One: The Bronze Makes A Raunchy Premiere, John Legend Shines at What Happened, Miss Simone?". www.sundance.org. Retrieved 2020-06-19.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  20. "'The Pirates of Somalia': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  21. ""Saria" Filmmaker Bryan Buckley Teams With Congressmen To Push For Justice In Guatemala". SHOOTonline. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  22. Hungryman.com
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