Session Preview: Building a Career Across Music Video, Advertising, Film & TV

Lisa Jackson
SXSX 2025 - SJMC Student Media Coverage

(The following content is a preview of a SXSW 2025 panel from a member of the SXSW Content Team, a group of 26 SJMC students who will partner with SXSW marketing professionals to cover the event from March 7-15. This is the 10th year of this collaboration between SJMC students and SXSW.)

What do Hiro Murai (“Mr. and Mrs. Smith” and “The Bear”), Alma Harel (“Lady in the Lake” and “Honey Boy”) and Mimi Cave (“Holland” with Nicole Kidman, premiering here at SXSW) all have in common? 

All three made their way through an ecosystem that will be discussed this session - and they all started their careers in music videos.

Unlike other bastions of the 80s and 90s (think cassette tapes and Walkmen), music videos are alive and thriving. They serve as vital stepping stones for directors, filmmakers, writers and producers. If you’re a creator,  you won’t want to miss this session’s invaluable industry insights. 

The Session and Panelists

Meet the panelists from award-winning production companies:

  • Henry Kittredge, Iconoclast - producer, film and TV 
  • Nina Soriano, Anonymous Content - producer 
  • Allison Hironaka, Caviar – head of film and TV

Drawing from their vast experience and industry-knowledge, the three panelists will share how music videos and commercials serve as an entry point into an ecosystem that can lead to career opportunities in film and TV.  They’ll discuss how music videos and commercials provide opportunities to build skills while developing a maker’s points of view and voice. 

“We’ll provide a sort of snapshot of how these three different worlds converge,” Kittredge said. “When thinking about developing your career as a filmmaker, not only consider the traditional pathways of making an independent film but also the pathways through music videos and commercials.”  

Soriano said director Autumn de Wilde, who made her feature-film directorial debut in 2020, is a perfect example of this pathway. 

“She was initially a photographer, signed to our commercials and music video roster and did a handful of commercials and music videos,” Soriano said. “She’s now managed on the representation side of the company and made “Emma” with Working Title Films, which was a huge, fantastic film for a first film. We’re passionate and excited about trying to get her next film off the ground with our studio.”

Discussion Topics

  • Learn about distribution arms and ecosystems. 
  • Understand the entry points of music video and commercials and how filmmakers can build a lasting career in filmmaking and storytelling.
  • Hear why developing a point of view and audience through music videos, commercials, documentaries and games is important to industry decisionmakers.
  • Filmmakers, directors and makers will gain inside knowledge of how these worlds operate and converge. In addition, they’ll learn where these intersections exist. 

Creativity from the Ground Up 

According to Soriano, cultivating a path forward like this can not only lead to succeed as a filmmaker – and be involved creatively from the get-go. 

“Being on set and creating anything as an artist is extremely valuable,” Soriano said. “It's a great way - especially when you're working with artists that are internationally renowned - to get your name out there and meet the right people, test different techniques as a filmmaker and work with different crews. I see a lot of success in our company and outside with filmmakers that have started from the ground up that way.”

Kittredge agrees, and believes Hollywood, especially these days where audiences demand their attention be grabbed immediately, is looking for filmmakers coming out of music videos and commercials.

“They develop a set of skills and can access money that maybe filmmakers that come up through more traditional paths don’t necessarily get to experience,” Kittredge said. “It’s a way to sort of cut your teeth and get more chances at bat and develop your skills as a filmmaker and a director.”

Session Information

This session is a must-attend for any aspiring filmmaker, writer, producer or creator. Building a lasting career in filmmaking and storytelling starts here. 

Building a Career Across Music Video, Advertising, Film & TV will take place on March 9, 2025, from 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. in Room 17AB at the Austin Convention Center.

Not registered yet? Get badges, wristbands and reserve hotels here.

Be sure to check out all of SXSW’s Film and TV industry sessions, meetups and panels here.