Director Douglas Keeve Signs with Curious Pictures

Director Douglas Keeve, best known for his fashion-focused documentary film work and his years as a fashion photographer shooting both editorial and advertising assignments, has signed for TV commercial representation with Curious Pictures.  The announcement was made by Mary Knox, Executive Producer at Curious Pictures.  Keeve was most recently represented by Saville Productions.  

Keeve’s feature documentary Unzipped remains a landmark behind-the-scenes peek into the world of high fashion and couture, as well as one of the top grossing docs of all time.  In addition to this breakout film, Keeve also directed Naomi Conquers Africa, a VH1 special documenting supermodel Naomi Campbell’s visit to South Africa to visit Nelson Mandela, and Seamless, a Sundance Channel doc produced in collaboration with American Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour. The film follows the efforts of three promising young designers to get their fashion lines off the ground. 

Keeve’s advertising clients include Seagram’s, Calvin Klein, Carolina Herrera, Victoria’s Secret and L’Oreal.  Other recent commercial assignments include a trio of documentary-style web shorts for Nintendo’s portable DS system and a campaign for Macy’s INC apparel line, shot for the retailer’s in-house agency.  A series of celebrity-driven web films for The New York Times are slated to launch in November.

The director was first introduced to Curious when the studio stepped in to produce the aforementioned Macy’s campaign. Between production companies at the time, he was introduced to Knox and her team by a mutual contact, and the relationship grew from there.

Knox says that Keeve’s work will mesh well with the expanded emphasis of Curious Pictures on producing long-form entertainment. The studio is currently in development on a new feature film directed by Michel Gondry, is producing long-form content for Swarovski Entertainment, has a feature film and videogame deal with bestselling author James Patterson and will soon debut its first primetime network special, Little Spirit: Christmas in New York, co-produced with Macy’s and Mediaedge, which airs on NBC in December.

While committed to working in commercials, Keeve’s career in long-form narrative for both broadcast and new media distribution shows no signs of slowing down.  His documentary about celebrity hotelier Ian Schrager’s makeover of New York’s Gramercy Park Hotel is winding up negotiations for theatrical release and TV distribution.  Keeve is also working on a web series titled Heidi Saves Fashion Week, a zany spoof in which supermodel Heidi Klum plays a superhero battling an evil genius intent on destroying the fashion world, and is partnering with Ryan Murphy Television (Nip/Tuck) to co-create/produce and direct a network series set in the fashion world.