Drawing upon an exceptionally diverse background in the worlds of feature films, commercials and music videos, Brian Smith brings a unique storyteller's perspective to his every project he directs.
Brian began his career as a producer and screenwriter, after graduating from the film program at California State University, Northridge. He has produced, executive-produced or line produced more than a dozen feature films, and also sold or optioned several screenplays which earned him membership in the Writers Guild of America.
One of the few music video directors who is also a WGA member screenwriter, Brian believes the best clips blend striking visual imagery with an imaginative narrative structure. From the soulful moods of Robert Bradley's “Train" to the bawdy satire of Monster Magnet's “Unbroken” to the breezy Latin pop of Myra's "Siempre Hay Milagros" (a tie-in with Disney's feature film The Princess Diaries), his extraordinary versatility ensures every client is served in the most effective manner possible.
"Every artist, and every song, requires a totally unique point of view," Brian says, "with the goal of creating a perfect marriage of music and imagery. That's where my writing background comes in, and I enjoy the challenge of coming up with exactly the right treatment for every track."
Initially turning to music videos as something to do between feature film projects, he soon found it was a medium he truly loved. As a producer, he worked with the top echelon of recording artists, including Shakira, Ricky Martin, Sublime, Ice Cube, Korn, DMX, and many others, shepherding dozens of video productions to chart success. As a director, his concept-oriented music videos have garnered awards and exposure at numerous festivals and industry showcases, including the Los Angeles Int’l Short Film Festival, and the USA Film Festival’s National Short Film Competition.
In the commercial realm, Brian has guided local, regional and national campaigns with the same attention to creative detail and client satisfaction as his music video work. His 30-second clip for Vanguard Records' "New Ground" CD release (directed in tandem with the "Train" music video) won acclaim as "Best Commercial Spot" at the 2003 NARM Advertising Awards.
Recently, Brian directed the independent feature Remembering Phil, which premiered at the inaugural Downtown Film Festival, Los Angeles in August 2008 and has also been selected for festival showcases in Chicago, Beverly Hills, and Big Bear Lake. The darkly comedic character study, written by Michael Katz and produced through Prevalent Films, features a superb ensemble cast headed by Nicholas Turturro, Christina Murphy, Joanne Kelly, Peter Dobson, Steve Valentine and Dan Castellaneta.
Reflecting on the experience, Brian says, “As a director whose work has been primarily in the arena of music videos, I was excited about the opportunity to work on such an intense, character-driven piece.
One of the most gratifying aspects of the project was getting to work with this talented group of actors and help them bring out such strong performances.”
In addition to narrative films, commercials and music videos, Brian’s creative range encompasses still photography and documentary filmmaking. He is represented for features and television by Jennifer Good at The Alpern Group.
Throughout his years of experience, Brian has not only honed his craft, but also built and maintained relationships with a dedicated pool of talent, crew, and other creative allies, who are always ready to go the extra mile to help him achieve his vision.
Directing Credits
FEATURE FILM
"Remembering Phil" - Prevalent Films
World Premiere: August 14, 2008
Official Selection: 2008 Downtown Film Festival, Los Angeles
Official Selection: 2008 Big Bear Lake Int’l Film Festival
Official Selection: 2008-09 Beverly Hills Hi-Def Film Fest
Special Benefit Presentation: Gene Siskel Film Center, Chicago
Coming to DVD in Fall 2010 from Filmworks Entertainment
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MUSIC VIDEOS
Slum Peasants - "All the Love Is Gone" - Xealot Music
Italia Renata - "Mala Praxis" - Michel Music
Monster Magnet - "Unbroken (Hotel Baby)" - SPV Records
Kuky - "Ya No" - Machete Music / Universal Music Group
Poets & Pornstars - "Monkey" - Karmagun Records
Iced Earth - "The Reckoning" - SPV Records
Iced Earth - "When the Eagle Cries" - SPV Records
Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise - "Train" - Vanguard Records
Myra - "Siempre Hay Milagros" (movie tie-in: "The Princess Dairies") - Hollywood Records / Walt Disney Pictures
Lucyfire - "The Pain Song" - SPV Records
Butterfly Jones - "Anywhere But Now" - Vanguard Records
Butterfly Jones - "The Systematic Dumbing Down of Terry Constance Jones" - Vanguard Records
Serralde - "No Hay Na' Mejor" - Hollywood Records
Costumbre - "Y Ya Despues" - Hollywood Records
Willard - "Tidy" - Willard / Independent
Enuff Z'Nuff - "There Goes My Heart" - Pony Canyon / Spitfire Records
Laughing Us - "Le Boo" - Risk Records
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COMMERCIALS
Chocolate Milk: "Speed Bag / ¡Mézclalo!" - (2 versions: English & Spanish)
Vanguard Records: "Robert Bradley: New Ground" - Welk Music Group
Dig Jelly: "For Your Inner Angry Child" (multiple versions, including English & Japanese) - Centerline Entertainment
Home Depot - "Leave Your Hat On"
FileNet - "Decisions" - Moss-Warner Agency
E-Glass - "Dreams / Sueños" (2 versions: English & Spanish)
Tivo - "Panic"
Willard - Video Billboard Promo
Dig Jelly - "Got Jelly?" (internet promo) - Centerline Entertainment
American Career College - "Video Diaries" (series of 4 regional spots)
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Production Credits
FEATURE FILMS: Producer, Exec. Producer or Line Producer of more than a dozen feature films, including:
Co-Producer - "Remembering Phil" - Prevalent Films
Executive Producer - "Vice" - Taz Films
Line Producer / UPM (2nd Unit) - "Wicked" - Columbia/TriStar
Line Producer / UPM - "Hostile Intentions" - Saban Entertainment
Line Producer / UPM - "Lookin' Italian" - Vision Quest Entertainment
Producer - "The Silencer" - Crown International Pictures
Co-Producer - "Lena's Holiday" - Crown International Pictures
Producer - "Deathrow Gameshow" - Crown International Pictures
SPECIAL VENUE MEDIA - BRC Imagination Arts: Producer or Production Manager for a number of special attraction films and multimedia productions, including:
Media Producer - “Dream Big” and “Progress Begins as a Dream” - Information & Communications Pavilion, World Expo 2010 Shanghai
Production Manager - "Go For Launch" - NASA Constellation Visitor Center, Kennedy Space Center Florida
Production Manager - "Born In Amsterdam” and “Brew You” - The Heineken Experience, Amsterdam - 2010 THEA Award Winner
MUSIC VIDEOS: Producer of more than 50 major label music videos for artists in all musical genres, including Ricky Martin, Ice Cube, Shakira, K-Ci & JoJo, Krayzie Bone, Billy Ray Cyrus, DMX, Olivia Newton John, Sublime and many others.
COMMERCIALS: Producer or Production Manager of more than 100 national and international commercial spots, for clients such as Mountain Dew, GoDaddy, Maybelline, M&M Mars, and more.
Director’s Bio
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