Keegan Wilcox

Cars/Storytelling

From Keegan…

When you spend enough time doing something you love, it becomes more than a creative passion, it becomes a necessity—a way of life. I’ve been doing this a long time and around every turn there are constant surprises. When I was twelve I got my hands on athen-new Panasonic VHS-C “Palmcorder” and, in an overzealous attempt to tell the story of a spaceship crash landing, I nearly burned down my parents’ backyard. The scolding I got probably made me a more cautious practicioner, but my pursuit of spectacle has never changed.

I love every phase of fimmaking. From the writing and production, to the editing, sound design, and especially the music.  Telling stories has come to be how I live life.  My impulse is to search for the story in everything. Even the glossy image of a car driving down a paved road sparks my imagination: Where’s it going? Who’s behind the wheel? The viewer may never get an answer but I always find myself creating one. I believe everyone can sense thoughtful intent behind even the simplest image. 

And nothing is more thrilling to me than creative minds working in unison toward the same goal.  I have good friends from childhood who I still collaborate with—yes, those same friends who helped me nearly burn down my backyard—and we turn to each other for perspective.  This keeps the soul rich and reminds us of who we are, shaping our unique points of view.

I’ve also directed abroad, and the experience has opened me to new cultures and styles of communication.  It reaffirmed for me the universal power of storytelling, how the same desire to express a story is shared by millions.  When my narrative short “Porcelain Unicorn” won an international award for Philips, I couldn’t believe how well it translated.  Hundreds of people from across different continents reached out to express their appreciation. Holocaust survivors invited me to screen at a Shoah service and shook my hand.  That moment was more fulfilling than getting a Cannes Gold Lion…though those can be nice, too.

To have discovered one of my greatest loves so early in life, I consider myself lucky. I love my career as a car director—I’ve never had a bad time working on a project (never!). I’ve had the pleasure and opportunity to direct for brands like Mercedes, BMW, Google, United Airlines, Starbucks, Roll-Royce, Jeep, Hyundai, to name some. I’ve made friends with folks at 72 and Sunny, RSA Films, Merkley+Partners, Globalhue, KBS+, Greenlight…along with hundreds of amazingly talented actors and crew.  I sometimes hear a concern expressed over how rapidly the industry is changing. But I see an exciting future, one where visionary artists are far more empowered by technology than before, and the possibilities are limitless.

Thank you for stopping by.

Keegan