LONDON, UK — PRETTYBIRD UK is excited to announce its partnership with de la Revolución, the production company founded by filmmaker Melina Matsoukas. PRETTYBIRD UK will exclusively represent Melina and her international roster of Directors, Creatives and Photographers. This strategic alliance brings together the creative forces of Melina Matsoukas and her esteemed roster of talent with the innovative production experience and offering of PRETTYBIRD UK.
Melina, known for her diverse portfolio as a director has long been recognized for her collaboration with industry icons like Beyoncé, creating politically driven yet beautiful work, which outlines the nuanced and often rich culture of her culture and heritage. Her work in film and TV (including Queen and Slim, written by Lena Waithe and starring Jodie Turner-Smith and Daniel Kaluuya as well as the HBO Issa Rae favorite Insecure) has garnered great acclaim, as has her award-winning commercial and music video projects such as Beats’ “You Love Me” and Beyonce’s “Formation.” She is the first woman and first Black filmmaker to win the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials.
By opening her own production company and studio, with the backing of the PRETTYBIRD commercial and music video production engine, Melina hopes to develop and nurture the next generation of diverse filmmakers within a free-flowing, yet experience rich, environment. With an emphasis on compelling narratives and visual spectacle, the roster has been carefully curated by Melina Matsoukas herself to find talent who have traditionally been underrepresented, and more importantly, under-supported in this business.
Melina commented, “I have been fortunate in my career to be lifted by other Black women who saw me, saw my talent, saw my ambition and my passion, and saw a business that isn’t accepting of people that look like me. They didn’t keep their flowers to themselves, they made space for me, brought me in, and now I want to do that for others. At this point in my career, I’m finding so much joy in working with other filmmakers – not to make them conform to my point of view or way of seeing the world, but to nurture their own voices and give guidance and support when needed. I am making it my mission with de la to find projects that our filmmakers can bring their passion and talents to.”
The de la Revolución roster showcases multidisciplinary artists, notably Grammy-nominated director child, feature filmmaker Nia DaCosta, actor/director Aziz Ansari, and Academy Award nominee Sophia Nahli Allison. In its first year, it has already produced an award-winning campaign for Levi’s helmed by Melina, multiple spots by child for Johnnie Walker, Smartwater, Chase and Expedia, and projects for Meta, Pandora, Calvin Klein, and more.
Commenting on the collaboration, Mia Powell, Head of Business and Strategy at PRETTYBIRD UK, said: “As part of PRETTYBIRD’s DNA, we always seek to find exciting stories to tell in visually compelling ways. Melina has curated a wonderful roster that we can’t wait to collaborate more with here in the UK. We aim to continue to bring authentic storytelling paired with beautiful visuals to the forefront of the industry. An indicative representation of this is the work which is already being produced with talent such as child. who has already collaborated with Anomaly London as well as Universal Music and Expedia.”
This collaboration represents a natural progression for both parties, as Melina, a part of the PRETTYBIRD UK family since its inception, has a shared ethos around the industry as its leadership. She will assume a crucial role as CEO and Executive Producer, working closely with the directors and the Prettybird UK team on every production.
