Sebastian Strasser is a German director of commercials and films, and has received more than 200 international advertising awards.[1] Some of these include: 16 Lions in Cannes, multiple Gold at the London IAA, New York Film Festival, D&AD, Eurobest European Advertising Festival, One Show, Clio Awards, Montreux, etc. He won Gold at the D&AD Awards for the best Direction in France 2010, Gold at the German Advertising Festival (DWP) for the best Direction in Germany 2011, Graffite for the best direction at the London D&AD Awards 2019, Gold for direction at London International Awards 2019, Gold for direction at Cyclope Berlin 2019, and numerous Art Directors Club (ADC) awards worldwide. Strasser was ranked 13th in the Gunn Report’s Most Awarded Directors in the World, and his spot "Kids on Steps" for Volkswagen was elected among the 20 best commercials of the 21st century by the Gunn Report in 2015.[2] His first short film, Happy End, premiered at Berlinale Filmfestival in 2005. The latest short, Apparat, finished post-production in November 2019. His drama television series Darklands, is currently in development with Warner Brothers and Ratpack Films (writers room) and is estimated to start production in 2021.
Sebastian Strasser | |
|---|---|
 Sebastian Strasser in 2017 | |
| Born | |
| Occupation | Director |
| Years active | 2000–present |
| Website | www |
Life
editThe parents and grandparents of Sebastian Strasser were stage actors. By the age of 6, the young actor was taking part in stage productions and motion pictures. He completed his Abitur at the German Goethe College in Bucharest. From 1992-1996, he studied Journalism at the, German Sport University Cologne and Cinematic Art at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne. After his study at the Academy of Media Arts, he worked at the first German broadcast station (ARD) as an author and journalist for a famous German political broadcasting show, (Zak / "Privatfernsehen" with Friedrich Küppersbusch).
In 2000, Sebastian moved into commercial directing, becoming the highest awarded director in Germany and one of the most awarded directors worldwide.
In 2005 his first short film, Happy End (with Matthias Schweighöfer and Katharina Schüttler), was shown at the Berlinale film festival.
In 2016 Sebastian and his producing partner Christiane Dressler founded ANORAK, a Berlin-based production company, that ranked Nr. 1 in the creative ranking of the best production company in all years since foundation.
In 2016 Sebastian moved with his family to Los Angeles, where he is represented by Reset Content; his agents for film and television are at UTA: United Talent Agency.
In fall 2018, his dystopian series Darklands was picked up by Warner Brothers and is currently in development (writers room). The eight-episode drama television series, for which Sebastian signs as creator, writer, director and showrunner, is being co-written by Bernd Lange and produced by Ratpack Films.
In 2019 he wrote and directed Apparat: 15 min. short film, starring Ulrich Thomsen and Ayelet Zurer, with cinematography by Rodrigo Prieto. The film is produced by Radical Media and The Mill.
Works
editSelected awards
edit| Year | Campaign / Film | Festival | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Mercedes "Bertha Benz" | ADC Europe | Gold - Direction
Gold - Cinematography Gold - Editing Gold - Branded Content |
| 2020 | Mercedes "Bertha Benz" | One Show | Gold - Film
Gold - Cinema advertising Silver - Online Films Bronze - Cinematography |
| 2020 | Mercedes "Bertha Benz" | ADC | x2 Gold - Cinematography, Editing
x3 Silver - Direction, Camera, Casting x2 Bronze - Short form, Editing - single |
| 2019 | Mercedes "Bertha Benz" | Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity | Silver Lion - Film/TV
Silver Lion - Prod. Design Bronze Lion - Cinematography Bronze Lion - Casting |
| 2019 | Mercedes "Bertha Benz" | D&AD Awards | Graffite - Direction |
| 2019 | Mercedes "Bertha Benz" | London International Awards | Gold - Performance/casting
Gold - Direction Gold - cinematography Gold - Editing Gold - Scripted short film Silver - Branded content |
| 2019 | Mercedes "Bertha Benz" | Epica Awards | Grand Prix - Film
Gold - Film |
| 2018 | Volkswagen "Kid's Dreams" | Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity | Silver Lion - Film/TV |
| 2018 | Volkswagen "Kid's Dreams" | New York Film Festival | Gold - Advertising |
| 2018 | Volkswagen "Kid's Dreams" | ADC | Gold - Promotional Spot
Silver - Single Spot Silver - Point of Sale Bronze - Online Film ADC Award - Direction ADC Award - Casting |
| 2017 | Nissan "Battle Tested" | Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity | Bronze Lion - Best VR |
| 2016 | Mercedes 'Time To Look Up Again' | London International Awards | Gold - Direction |
| Gold - Cinematography | |||
| Gold - Production Design | |||
| Silver - Editing | |||
| Silver - Visual Effects | |||
| 2015 | Audi 'Mechanics' | Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity | 2x Silver Lion - Film/TV |
| 2015 | Audi 'Mechanics' | ADC | Silver - TV/Kino Einzelspot |
| Bronze - Director | |||
| Bronze - DoP | |||
| Bronze - Internetfilm | |||
| 2014 | Vodafone 'Add Power' | Cristal Festival Europe | Cristal & Grand Cristal |
| 2014 | Vodafone 'Add Power' | Clio | Gold |
| 2014 | BMW X4 X-World 'Embrace the Unknown' | Eurobest | Bronze |
| 2013 | Volkswagen 'People are People' | ADC | Silver |
| 2012 | ASOS 'Streetdance' | Cannes International Advertising Festival | Gold Lion - Design |
| Bronze Lion – Best Video | |||
| Bronze Lion – Best Soundtrack | |||
| 2012 | ASOS 'Streetdance' | Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity | Gold Lion - Design |
| Bronze Lion – Best Video | |||
| Bronze Lion – Best Soundtrack | |||
| 2012 | ASOS 'Streetdance'
Grand Prix Eurobest 2012 |
London International Awards | Silver |
| 2012 | Hornbach 'Let there be spring' | ADC | Silver - Film/Craft Direction |
| Silver - Film/Craft Camera | |||
| Bronze - Film/Craft Editing | |||
| Bronze - Music & Sound | |||
| 2011 | Hornbach 'Let there be spring' | VDW Germany | Gold - Best Director |
| Gold - Best Sound Design | |||
| 2011 | Hornbach 'Let there be spring' | London International Awards | Silver - Use Of Music |
| 2010 | Citroen 'Le Chien' | D&AD France | Gold - Best Director |
| 2010 | Citroen 'Le Chien' | Cannes International Advertising Festival | Silver Lion - Film Craft |
| Bronze Lion - Film / Cars | |||
| 2008 | NSPCC 'Click' | London International Awards | Silver |
| 2007 | Volkswagen 'Dribbling Machine' | Art Directors Club | Gold |
| 2006 | Mini Cooper '30 Seconds' | Art Directors Club | Gold |
| 2006 | IKEA 'Freedom' | Cannes International Advertising Festival | Silver Lion |
| 2006 | IKEA 'Freedom' | Shark Awards | Gold |
| 2005 | Volkswagen 'Kids on steps' | New York Film Festival | Grand Prix |
| Gold - World Medal | |||
| 2005 | Volkswagen 'Windup car' | New York Film Festival | Silver |
| 2005 | Volkswagen 'Windup car' | Mobius | Gold |
| 2005 | Volkswagen 'Kids on steps' | Cannes International Advertising Festival | Bronze Lion |
| 2005 | Volkswagen 'Kids on steps' | Golden Award of Montreux | Gold |
| 2005 | Mercedes-Benz 'Watering can' | Cannes International Advertising Festival | Bronze Lion |
| 2005 | Volkswagen 'Kids on steps' | Clio | Silver |
| 2005 | Volkswagen 'Kids on steps' | One Show | Silver |
| 2005 | Volkswagen 'Kids on steps' | London International Awards | Winner |
| 2004 | Volkswagen 'Windup car' | Eurobest | Gold |
References
edit- ^ "Happy End" (PDF) (in German). Berlinale. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
- ^ "Gunn Report, 2015".
External links
edit- Official website
- Sebastian Strasser at IMDb
- Biography Filmportal
- Artist Network
- Sebastian Strasser at RESET
- Sebastian Strasser at Stink
- Sebastian Strasser at Anorak Film