Caviar Signs ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Director Reed Morano

Caviar has signed director, cinematographer, writer, and producer Reed Morano, LBB can exclusively reveal. 

Reed is best known for directing the first three episodes of ‘The  Handmaid’s Tale’, making Emmy history with 13 nominations and eight wins, including Outstanding Directing for a Drama and the DGA Award for Outstanding Directing. She made her directorial debut shooting the critically acclaimed film ‘Meadowland’, which scored her a  nomination for Best Cinematography at the Independent Spirit Awards. Other credits include the Sundance Special Jury Prize winner ‘I Think We’re Alone Now’, and ‘The Rhythm Section’, HBO’s ‘VINYL’,  Beyonce’s ‘Lemonade’, as well as Sundance Grand Prize Winner and  Academy Award-nominated ‘Frozen River’, among others. According to a press release from Caviar, signing Reed emphasises its “passion for shepherding creators from the film industry into the commercial world”. 

The move also marks Reed’s first ever commercial representation, despite some dabbling in commercials in the past as a cinematographer, notably with Pulse Films duo thirtytwo. “I started out as a cinematographer and with commercials you get to craft a very specific set of provocative images with the purpose of harnessing an emotion as quickly as possible,” Reed tells LBB. “It also gives you the opportunity to explore lots of different genres visually. Bringing my naturalistic aesthetic while experimenting with completely new ones to large campaigns like American Airlines, Pampers, and NatGeo, for example, while always challenging, has been super exciting.”

Reed’s first commercial shoot as a director was for a PSA for World Down Syndrome Day, called ‘Do You See Me’, which she made soon after directing ‘Meadowland’. She called on Olivia Wilde, who starred in the movie, to also feature in the commercial. “We had a limited budget and time, but we got to make something that not only supported a good cause but evoked such a powerful and moving message,” says Reed. “It’s the creativity behind the writing and shooting that are so gratifying - it’s truly cinema magic when you can create feelings and emotion in 60 seconds or less.”

On joining a commercial production company, Reed says that she always imagined her career would at some point head in this direction. But the ongoing strikes in the US filmmaking industry allowed her some time to reflect, after which she decided it seemed like a good time to begin having conversation in this realm again. “Having done commercials in the past was like fishing, so it was important to find a company that could really stand behind me.

“It’s important for me to have varied work and Caviar suited me for many reasons,” adds Reed. “They’re a global company and have a much larger umbrella than just commercials, they do TV and films too. Plus, I’m not limited to just what’s happening in the States. The team has been so supportive and hands-on, they know what I want and can go to bat for me. I’m inspired thinking about what we all could create together.”

“Reed represents some of the most modern and creative work of this decade,” says Tova Dann, executive producer of Caviar. “For the past nearly 20 years, we’ve been dedicated to telling stories that inspire consumers around the globe and championing inventive talent. The addition of her innovative stance in filmmaking to the Caviar roster will provide our clients with the best storytelling in branded content and commercials.”

Reed’s upcoming slate includes directing and producing ‘The Memory Police’,  a feature adaptation of Yōko Ogawa’s distinguished novel, and written for the screen by Oscar-winner Charlie Kaufman.

“I want to keep pushing ideas that are out of the box for whatever brand or agency is working on it,” says Reed. “I want them to love it as much as I do – so it’s thinking about what would grab my attention as a viewer and how can I create something that hasn’t been seen in a commercial before? 

“It’s always hard to get everyone on board, but I’m here to create something new and provide a new hook. It’s not just about what looks good on my reel, it’s about telling stories that capture eyes, evoke feelings, and are downright interesting.”