From the release:
Hornet is pleased to announce the global signing of director Sam Mason to their roster.
Always obsessed with world building, Sam Mason grew up inspired by artists such as Terry Gilliam, Jim Henson and Yuri Norstein, auteurs known for creating unique and immersive worlds.
Wanting to dip his toe into the building fantastical landscapes territory, his passion to create beautiful things embedded with secret languages landed him at Central Saint Martin’s in London. His student short won the attention of many studios, not to mention that year’s Annecy circuit. His short film also led to his mentorship with acclaimed director Pete Candeland.
Sam started out scanning artwork and quickly found himself creating storyboards to then co-directing films directly with Pete. This partnership launched his directing career on worldwide campaigns for Coke, Toyota, Mazda and Honda as well as music videos with Sofi Tukker and a sweet short film with Mario Hugo.
In terms of his craft, Sam is always excited about applying a style of CG that reflects his lo-fi/hi-fi hybrid approach to making things. He prefers to utilize emerging technologies to apply a physicality and textured realness to his films. He especially likes to start with real objects and from there set up constraints that he can work within, like he did with his collaboration with Hugo Marie for “Little Things” where they scoured vintage markets for objects that could ground the film.
With a romantic look back to the textured details of the Baroque movement, to the reduced instincts of Bauhaus, Sam seeks to create a middle ground aesthetic; a style that straddles both animation and traditional film. The excitement around his methods is a continued push to find a new form and way of creating a moving painting. With Sam, the undercurrent of his work is the desire to make something romantic and playful; not over designed, yet rich with feeling and detail, and always rooted to history. In Sam’s own words, his work is never cool but is always playing with the vulnerable.
Hornet’s EP Hana Shimizu articulates, “As someone who has followed Sam’s work over the course of his career, this signing is an incredible opportunity on many levels. First to be able to witness his evolution into a multi-disciplinary director and see how he’s continued to hone his voice and craft is so exciting. He’s always possessed a unique ability to weave disparate aesthetics and techniques to create a rich, evocative world that is so otherworldly yet nostalgic as if its part of my own memories.
“I love that with every film, he invites his audience into a new landscape but to reconnect with something that might already be familiar to us. It’s a beautiful juxtaposition of ideas and it feels very true to who he is as an artist. Lastly to finally align our efforts and work together at this stage of his career is wonderful for Hornet and more than ever we feel like we’re the right partners to pave the way to a new wave of work and expression from Sam.”
