Joe Pytka

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Joe Pytka
Joe Pytka
Born (1938-11-04) November 4, 1938
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Occupation Film director

Joe Pytka (born November 4, 1938) is an American filmmaker born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[1][2]

Early life

Pytka studied fine arts at the Carnegie Museum of Art, Carnegie Tech (now Carnegie Mellon), and chemical engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. He began his film career at WRS Motion Pictures while still in college. He moved to New York as a post production supervisor at MGM Telestudios but returned to Pittsburgh to make documentaries at WQED, a flagship production center of the then National Educational Television Network, now PBS.[3] His work there for NET Playhouse garnered many awards and the film A View of the Sky was the official United States Government film at the Expo '67 World’s Fair in Montreal.[citation needed]

He left to form his own production company with Rift Fournier and produced and directed many short films, documentaries and commercials. As a part of his documentary, Maggie's Farm, Richie Havens and Bob Dylan allowed him to use their music. It was a precursor to the current music video form. Through motorcycle racing, he met Steve McQueen, and they began to collaborate on a documentary on off-road desert racing. The project never came about but Pytka finished a short film High Flying Bird, featuring McQueen driving a off-road desert vehicle, again, to Richie Havens’ music.[4]

Through his love of jazz, Pytka began to use the music in much of his work, using Gary McFarland, Don Elliot, and Chico Hamilton during this period.[citation needed]

Professional life

Pytka adapted the documentary form into his work in commercials and eventually moved to New York, then to Los Angeles. To date he has directed many commercials,[5] several films, documentaries and music videos. He has been acclaimed for his work with celebrities and athletes ranging from Michael Jackson to Michael Jordan, doing extensive work with each.[citation needed] He’s done many of Tiger Woods’ commercials, including the acclaimed I Am Tiger Woods.[6]

Pytka has over fifty pieces of his work in the permanent collection of New York's Museum of Modern Art.[citation needed]

Pytka has directed over eighty Super Bowl commercials and won the USA Today Super Bowl Ad Meter Poll seven times.[citation needed] His commercial for Pepsi, Security Camerawas chosen as the best ever in the history of the poll.[citation needed] Another commercial for Nike, Hare Jordan was developed into the hit film Space Jam.[7]

Notable music videos

  • 1987: "Free as a Bird" was produced by Vincent Joliet and directed by Joe Pytka and depicts, from the point of view of a bird in flight, many references to Beatles songs. The video won the Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video in 1997.[8]
  • 1987: Music video for "The Way You Make Me Feel", almost 7 minutes long. The music video was released on October 31, 1987, and received one nomination at the 1988 MTV Video Music Awards Ceremony. The video, alongside Jackson's '"Bad" video, was nominated for Best Choreography, but lost to Jackson's younger sister Janet's video "The Pleasure Principle".[citation needed]
  • 1989: A five minute music video for the song Dirty Diana by Michael Jackson. This music video won the "Number One Video In The World" at the 2nd World Music Awards held on April 14, 1989.[citation needed]
  • 1991: "Heal the World" from Michael Jackson.[citation needed]

Noteworthy commercials

  • 1987: Partnership For A Drug Free America commercial as aid to launch the organisation.[9]
  • 1989: Pepsi-Cola commercial with Madonna named: "Make a Wish". Part of a sponsorship deal to finance a tour.[10][11] The two-minute commercial portrayed Madonna back in time to revisit her childhood memories.[12]

Awards

  • Director's Guild of America: three DGA Awards and fifteen nominations.[13] He was also given DGA Honors Award that “celebrates individuals and institutions that have made distinguished contributions to America culture.”[14]
  • Art Directors Club Hall of Fame: admitted in 2011[15]
  • One Club Hall of Fame.[16]
  • Emmy: commercial for HBO, "Chimps."[17]
  • Grammy: for Free as a Bird.[18]
  • Western Heritage Museum's The Wrangler Award: for his short film, "The Dream."[19]

Restaurant business

Pytka was owner of the fine dining restaurant Bastide. Although it got good reviews and was highly acclaimed, the restaurant closed in 2011.[20]

References

  1. ↑ Clioawards.com
  2. ↑ Adage.com
  3. ↑ Moreaboutadvertising.com
  4. ↑ Ovguide.com
  5. ↑ H. Dougherty, Philip (June 17, 1986). "ADVERTISING; Joe Pytka Wins Five Clio Awards". The New York Times. 
  6. ↑ Switzerlandllc.com
  7. ↑ Chicago Tribune
  8. ↑ Songfacts.com
  9. ↑ Mediabistro.com
  10. ↑ Taraborrelli 2002, p. 172
  11. ↑ Bignell 2007, p. 123
  12. ↑ Metz & Benson 1999, p. 131
  13. ↑ Reelchicago.com
  14. ↑ DGA.org
  15. ↑ Adcglobal.org
  16. ↑ Oneclub.org
  17. ↑ Highbeam.com
  18. ↑ Connection.ebscohost.com
  19. ↑ Nationalcowboymuseum.org
  20. ↑ Virbila, S. Irene (March 31, 2010). "The Review: Latest Bastide is simply a joy". Los Angeles Times. 

External links

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