Kevin Kerslake
After appearing in a couple Warren Miller films in his early teens, Kevin Kerslake embarked on a path to emulate Miller and his other childhood hero, Bruce (Endless Summer) Brown, making Super-8 surf, skate and ski films throughout his hormonal years. After graduating with a degree in film from Loyola Marymount University, Kerslake became one of a handful of directors responsible for forging the visual identity of the MTV generation, cutting his teeth directing award-winning music videos for Nirvana, Green Day, R.E.M., Prince, Mazzy Star, STP, Sonic Youth, the Rolling Stones, Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid, Rise Against, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and many more.
A hybrid surf film/commercial campaign for Quiksilver and the first of two movies on Electric Daisy Carnival launched a move into branded content where Kerslake has directed commercials and multi-media, brand-integrated campaigns for the likes of AT&T, Hyundai, Nike, Puma, Reebok, DC Shoes, Coca-Cola, Sprite, Sony Playstation, PETA, Doctors Without Borders and Amnesty International under his first start-up banner, Gigantic Entertainment (a satellite boutique of Quentin Tarantino's A Band Apart, Propaganda Films and The End) and its sister company, Manifest, formed as the exclusive film & video arm of Insomniac Events.
Building upon Kerslake's role in enhancing the value of iconic core culture brands like DC Shoes and Quiksilver, which helped foster successful moves into the mainstream, Manifest's client-direct work kept Kerslake working with premiere brands in the sweet spot of pop culture. His films and event trailers for EDM giants Insomniac Events and HARD Events, in particular, clocked hundreds of millions of views, and were instrumental in the explosive growth of both companies which led to high-value acquisitions by Live Nation.
In traditional scripted film & television, Kerslake has directed miniseries and one hour dramas for Disney/ABC and FOX, including the Fallen miniseries starring Bryan Cranston and Paul Wesley, and The Visitor starring John Corbett, plus shouldered screenwriting duties for Warner Bros, BBC, Sony, Paramount, Ed Pressman and Quentin Tarantino's A Band Apart.
Bad Reputation, his latest documentary on the life of Joan Jett, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, joining a list of critically-acclaimed core culture and music docs by the filmmaker that includes The Ramones: We're Outta Here!, Quiksilver: Continuum, Nirvana! Live! Tonight! Sold Out!, Bob Marley & the Wailers' Legend Remixed, The Electric Daisy Carnival Experience, and As I AM: the Life and Times of DJ AM.