Cuba Tornado Scott signs with Little Minx, bringing a family story full circle

When Cuba Tornado Scott was born in 1998, her mother, Rhea Scott, gave her the nickname Little Minx. That same year, Rhea founded her own production company—and gave it the same name. Now, the company and its namesake have become one, as Cuba—the daughter of director Jake Scott and granddaughter of Ridley Scott—has signed with Little Minx for commercial representation as a director. And she just completed her first job in that role—a 30-second spot for Mercy University. Making the news extra sweet, Scott and Little Minx both turn 25 this year, so the signing is an anniversary celebration as well. Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs Given her family background, Cuba was perhaps destined to work in film. Her very name comes from a documentary, “Soy Cuba,” that her father was obsessed with at the time. And according to family lore, Rhea, a producer at Propaganda Films in the ’90s, was back on set with David Fincher within hours of giving birth. “Already it was like a consecration into filmmaking,” Cuba told Ad Age recently. Yet she resisted that life early on, leaning instead into an obsession with horses—she would eventually compete internationally as a show jumper for a number of years. She was also drawn to illustration (a personal project, “Under the Influence of Bacon,” was a highlight) and did some fashion modeling, too, beginning at age 16. Eventually, though, the family business came calling. “I was set on being a horse person slash chef, and at a certain point I was even cooking to maintain my horse world,” Cuba told Ad Age. “Eventually I realized the way I had grown up, and the culture I had been exposed to—through a specific cinematic eye—had informed much of who I became. So it was sort of inevitable, in a sense.” By her late teens, Cuba was welcomed into the fold at RSA Films, the production company founded by her grandfather Ridley Scott and great uncle Tony Scott, also a noted filmmaker. In 2018, RSA pitched her to direct a project for Fairmont Hotels, and she happened to get it. “Suddenly, I found myself on set,” she said. “I was on YouTube looking at behind-the-scenes of Spielberg directing little Drew Barrymore, because I had to direct this little kid. I was watching the ‘Apocalypse Now’ behind-the-scenes to see what kind of language [Francis Ford] Coppola was using. Totally winging it from day one.” The whimsical, well-received Fairmont short, titled “9½,” premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival that same year, and Cuba was off to the races. “What I took away from that experience was the addictive quality of it,” she said. “Suddenly it justified all these people I had grown up around who were constantly on the road. I was like, OK, being part of this circus really makes sense.” A special relationship Joining Little Minx, Cuba said, has “formalized” a dynamic that’s been ever-present throughout her life—her mother Rhea’s support of her creative endeavors. “My mom has always been the Jiminy Cricket in my ear the whole time,” she said. “I now have the backing of everyone at Little Minx, which makes a difference, but it doesn’t change the unparalleled support and guidance I’ve had from my mom since forever.” Rhea—known in the industry for her preternatural instincts in spotting great directing talent, particularly underrepresented talent—said her daughter has always had a unique artistic voice and sensibility. It’s what Little Minx has always looked for, she said, going back to the company’s first big signing, Malik Hassan Sayeed, who’s enjoyed a stellar career as a commercial director and feature film cinematographer. “I have four children, and Cuba and I have a very special relationship,” Rhea said. “She always amazes me, scares me at times, but she has a very distinctive voice. It’s interesting because it’s an accumulation of so many different inspirations. There’s a different layer to her work. There’s a strength to it, as well. And she’s not scared of taking chances and taking the plunge.” Cuba directed other projects through RSA, including two behind-the-scenes documentaries about the making of the Ridley Scott dramas “The Last Duel” and “House of Gucci.” (She is still represented by RSA Films for special projects.) Before signing with Little Minx, she also worked with Sayeed directly—as a second unit director of photography and stills photographer on a global Visa project in 2021. “That was all over the world and very fast and very intense, but it was an incredible masterclass,” Cuba said. “Malik is so generous with his knowledge and his space. He was completely welcoming and generous. Observing his nuances and his sense of observation, specifically with light—Malik’s a master of light—it was amazing.” She’s also had the chance to work with other Little Minx directors, including Rodney Lucas (who directed an NFL spot for this year’s Super Bowl) and the Chartrands. Rhea said Cuba has an inner strength to go with her artistic taste—which may come from her years as a show jumper, which required painstaking focus and a certain fearlessness, developed over time, to be successful. “I remember she used to not want me to come to her competitions, because she said I wouldn’t necessarily bring her good luck, or she’d be intimidated by me being there,” Rhea said. “It makes you want to vomit when you see those jumps, when you see your child going through that. But that training, finding the inner calm she needs to gather herself before she takes the plunge on something—I think that’s going to serve her for the rest of her life.” Ad Age Creativity Bookmark our section covering the best in brand creativity every day Read more here Cuba doesn’t see it as fearlessness so much as extreme discipline. “I associate the term fearlessness with recklessness,” she said. “There’s a lot of tact and precision involved with horses in order to be accurate and to perform with style and grace—hand in hand with the balls it also takes to be competitive. I’m always kind of nuanced, and I think that definitely comes from the discipline I learned in the horse world, for sure.” Made for mavericks Cuba recently finished her first solo directorial project for Little Minx, and it happened to involve horses as well. Made by the agency Familiar Creatures and co-produced by Five to Sixty, the spot announced Mercy College’s name change to Mercy University. The 30-second spot (see below) tells a story about how Mercy is “made for mavericks.” “We were blown away from our first call by Cuba’s poise, conviction and ability to express her vision in a way we could picture as well,” said Justin Bajan, co-founder and creative director at Familiar Creatures. “Sometimes directors can get a little up in the clouds and forget we’re trying to deliver a 30-second commercial. Cuba did an amazing job expressing a story that would be otherworldly and achievable in a one-and-a-half-day shoot. She’s well on her way to being a superstar.” Cuba’s equine passions are continuing—she’s been working in Tuscany this year on a film about horses. In terms of her advertising future, she hopes to explore the branded documentary world more—particularly the space where documentary and narrative meld together. Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs “Things aren’t so boxed in anymore,” she said. “For example, musicians who go on tour need music-video shots, but then all of a sudden it’s branded and sponsored by a product. That’s really conducive to the documentary approach. I’ve seen this with Malik since forever, too, where yes, he has actors and a cast and a big crew and there’s a shot list, but in between takes, he’s shooting what’s happening around him to get the texture and the feel. That’s definitely what I’m talking about. That’s sort of my proposition within the ad world, I would say.” As for Rhea, signing Cuba has been a big highlight of Little Minx’s 25th year. But of course, there’s plenty of other work to be done—as she continues to build a production company dedicated to voices outside the mainstream. “The good news is, I have no sense of time,” she said. “It feels like I started this company last week, or a year ago. I swear, there’s no way it’s been a quarter of a century. But it’s still a hustle, you know? Someone like Cuba, or Amandla [Baraka], or Kaito—it takes a tremendous amount of energy to handle these young directors. When we worked with Child—for a director who’s been making commercials for less than a year, it’s no joke trying to convince an agency to hire them for a $7 million job.” She added: “We take a few filmmakers—one or two a year—and put our energy behind them. It’s very, very selective. And I love my team. Working with Elaine [Behnken] and Helen [Hollien]—all these amazing women. It’s the best vibe. The challenges are endless in this industry, as you know. But I feel we can really face just about anything together.”

Cuba Tornado Scott signs with Little Minx, bringing a family story full circle

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