RadicalMedia Signs Director Joe Talbot for Commercials, Branded Content and Music Videos

RadicalMedia has signed award-winning filmmaker Joe Talbot to their iconic roster of directors for global representation spanning commercials, branded content, and music videos. Joe is a breakthrough talent, who directs feature films, music videos, and commercials.

Joe is best known for his feature-length debut, “The Last Black Man in San Francisco”, which won the 2019 Sundance Film Festival Directing Award, as well as a Special Jury Prize for Creative Collaboration. The hit independent film, which launched. Joe’s career, was described by The New York Times as “heart-skipping, astonishing and exultant” and garnered Film Independent Spirit Award nominations for Best First Feature and Someone To Watch distinction for Joe. Written and directed by Joe and based on his friend Jimmy Fail’s real-life experiences, “The Last Black Man in San Francisco” is a quirky, unflinching examination of gentrification and toxic masculinity, which instantly touched the hearts of critics and audiences alike. 

Joe has also honed his filmmaking craft and highly stylised aesthetic with short-form content, such as his Sundance-winning short film, American Paradise and Adele’s viral music video for “I Drink Wine.” Adele initially reached out to Joe after seeing “The Last Black Man in San Francisco”, saying the film “blew me away aesthetically.” Adele continued by describing the film as “so poetic and moving and such an amazing love letter to San Francisco…whoever directed this, I’ve got to work with him.” In less than a month, the music video has racked up 20 million views and counting. Adele herself said it was her “favourite video she’s ever made.”

Joe is a fifth-generation San Franciscan and founder of the production company, LONGSHOT. As a jack of all trades with a desire to tell important stories, Joe commands a key skill set of directing, writing, producing, editing, and composing original scores for his work. His sophomore feature, “The Governesses”, a feverish period piece starring Lily-Rose Depp, HoYeon Jung and Renate Reinsve, is currently set at A24.

“I remember when I saw The Last Black Man in San Francisco I was blown away. I knew then that anyone who could tell that kind of story with such great performances with an unknown actor in the lead was someone we needed to work with,” said RadicalMedia President and EP, Frank Scherma. “Seeing the new Adele video just solidified those thoughts. We are very happy to have him join us.” 

“I’m thrilled to join Radical, who’ve consistently been behind some of the most exciting work in the commercial space for years now. I admire the way they’ve brought feature directors into the ad space so tastefully, without losing any of what makes them such great long-form storytellers,” said Joe Talbot. “I look forward to making work together on that level for years to come.”