Director Vanessa Black signs with production company Picture North and embellishes their roster with authentic, sustainable, and impact-driven storytelling.
“I’m very passionate in what people are up against and what drives them,” Black says. It was this focus that kickstarted her career in 2014 when she flew overseas to cover the youth behind the headlines in the Ukrainian Crisis. Leveraging that documentary work, she developed a large portfolio of environmental work and was one of the pioneers ushering in an era of activism-focused content for brands.
Her work pushes ideas and movements forward, especially social and environmental topics, utilizing impact-driven stories with measurable data and metrics.
This niche evolved into a forte, catching the attention of Picture North’s Executive Producers, Neha Schultz and Martin Rodahl.
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“We were immediately drawn to Vanessa’s visual aesthetic, superb taste level, and passion for impact-driven work. She is also deeply empathetic and is constantly pursuing personal and artistic evolution which make her a great partner for agencies and brands as well as a valued addition to our roster,” Neha commented.
Martin continued, “Vanessa is a force of nature just waiting to be unleashed and I’m so happy that she’s chosen the Picture North family for that next step in her career. She’s truly a global citizen and the way she connects with people and their causes is special. I look forward to developing projects alongside such a great talent and I can’t wait to see where her reel takes us as a company next.”
A cornerstone of her cinematic philosophy and storytelling pivots around what she calls “everyday heroes”, the everyday people pushing limits and inspiring positive change.
While impact is a cornerstone to her storytelling, she is excited to continue building on the technical side of her craft, collaborate with artists on every level and integrate more of her creativity into her commercial work beyond documentary.
“I love hyperrealism and, on the flip side, the magic that comes with surrealism and craft. I look forward to stretching my creative wings at Picture North and being able to integrate all parts of myself as a director with this incredible team,” Black says.
In addition to her commercial work, she consults on sustainability initiatives and recently co-wrote a feature length screenplay that dives into her interest in surrealism and consciousness.
Ultimately, she states she’s very excited to be working with Picture North and to be a part of a strong film community.
“I love this business for the people and I feel so lucky to be able to work with Neha, Martin, the incredible reps and team who make up the Picture North family,” Black expresses.
Check out Vanessa Black director’s reel here
