Randall Park signs with Magnetic Field to direct ads

Actor, writer and comedian Randall Park, who made the move into directing with an indie film at Sundance this year, has signed with production company Magnetic Field for commercial representation. Park is best known for playing the Huang family patriarch in the ABC sitcom “Fresh Off the Boat,” which aired for six seasons, wrapping in 2020. He has also played Jimmy Woo in several Marvel Cinematic Universe films. Park made his directorial debut with the indie feature “Shortcomings,” an adaptation of Adrian Tomine’s graphic novel. The film premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Ad Age A-List & Creativity Awards Final deadline approaching for annual program Enter here Whether writing, acting or directing, Park’s specialty is character-driven comedy. “I’ve never directed any ads before. But I’ve acted in many. And I’ve watched a ton,” he told Ad Age. “Having done a lot of comedy writing, I identify most with directors who make me laugh. I’ve also worked with many in the capacity of an actor over the years who are just amazing. I recently did an Amazon back-to-school campaign. Shout-out to Jody Hill—we had a great time.” Park also mentioned David Shane, Steve Rogers and Rick Famuyiwa as commercial directors he admires. “They are all great storytellers, with such beautifully composed shots, and strong, often-hilarious performances,” he said. Park connected with Magnetic Field through Co-founder Justin Lin, with whom he currently has a project in development. Soon they began talking about Park potentially directing commercials. “Randall is immensely talented and I’ve been a huge fan of his work since our film-school days,” Lin said. “We’re currently collaborating on a project and I’m thrilled to carry that working relationship through at MF and see how his vision plays out in the commercial space.” “We are excited to bring Randall’s creative edge as a director to Magnetic Field,” added the company’s other co-founders, Anthony and Joe Russo. “His film ‘Shortcomings’ showcased his talent as a character-driven storyteller, and that, combined with his comedic chops, will translate well in commercials.” Ad Age A-List & Creativity Awards Final deadline approaching for annual program Enter here Asked which specific spots he’s been drawn to lately, Park pointed to the Uber One campaign directed by David Shane, starring Robert De Niro and Asa Butterfield. “For me, it’s like a perfect commercial—it’s really funny, genuinely awkward, silly but also sweet, with terrific, grounded performances,” Park said. He also mentioned last year’s Lay’s spot with Paul Rudd and Seth Rogen, directed by Evan Goldberg. “That one gets super absurd, but it’s also a sentimental story about friendship. And it happens to feature two people I love,” he said. Finally, he added Taika Waititi’s Cola-Cola ad “The Letter” to the list—a spot he said “always makes me tear up.” In addition to his writing, acting and directing credits, Park is also producing projects through Imminent Collision, a production company he co-founded that develops comedy-forward projects from Asian American perspectives. Currently under a first-look deal with Universal TV, Imminent Collision has projects set up at Amazon, Disney+, Max and Universal, among others. More: Celebrities and the agencies they’ve started

Randall Park signs with Magnetic Field to direct ads

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