Mark Romanek
Director, Anonymous Content
Award-winning director Mark Romanek crosses adeptly between commercials, music videos and feature films. His always-memorable work has gained critical acclaim across the advertising and entertainment worlds.
Romanek’s commercial work includes campaigns for high-profile global brands such as Apple, AmEx, Nike, ESPN, Heineken, Honda and Acura, among others. Recent credits include Nike Football’s “Fast is Faster” (W+K Portland), praised in tastemaker sites such as Creativity and Fast Company, and Kia’s More Soul (David & Goliath), which debuted during the 2011 MTV VMAs and called “the best Kia ad ever” by Huffington Post.
Other commercial highlights include Dodge Charger’s humorous Super Bowl spot “Man’s Last Stand,” and Nike’s “Chalk,” a cult classic depicting the joy LeBron James’ inspires on- and off-court, both via W+K Portland; now iconic Apple spots from the iPod/iTunes silhouette campaign, as well spots for Nano, Apple TV and a recent campaign for iPhone 4S that touts the novelty and convenience of Siri, all out of TBWA/Chiat/Day Media Arts Lab.
Never Let Me Go is Romanek’s most recent feature film. Based on Kazuo Ishiguro’s best-selling novel and starring Carey Mulligan and Keira Knightley, it was described as “a meditative, delicate film” by Roger Ebert. Romanek’s first feature was One Hour Photo, the unforgettable psychological thriller starring Robin Williams.
Romanek has directed music videos across musical genres for Nine Inch Nails, Johnny Cash, Janet Jackson, Jay-Z, Lenny Kravitz, Madonna, Mick Jagger, Red Hot Chili Peppers and R.E.M., to note only a few artists. His promo for NIN’s “Hurt,” performed by Johnny Cash, received the highest form of compliment with praise from other artists, including Bono, Michael Stipe and Anthony Kiedis. “Hurt” was honored with a Grammy for Best Short Form Music Video and the CMA Video of the Year.
Romanek’s music videos have also received over 20 MTV VMAs, 2 additional Grammy Awards and 3 Billboard Music Awards. MTV awarded Romanek a Video Vanguard Award for his overall contribution to the medium. And two of his videos—Madonna’s “Bedtime Story” and NIN’s “Closer”—are part of the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
