Bicoastal production company ArtClass has signed director Maya “Mayachka” Margolina. Her irreverent and uplifting directorial style has made her a sought-after talent for fashion, lifestyle, and beauty content for such clients as Mercedes-Benz, Spotify, Lancôme, Yves Saint Laurent, Neutrogena, and MCM.
At ArtClass, Margolina will focus on commercials, promos, and branded content for linear and digital platforms. She has already completed a social campaign for Samsung, a branded content series for Pantene featuring comedian/social media star Celeste Barber, and a promo for Turner TV’s new unscripted series with style icon Jenna Lyons.
“ArtClass is full of thoughtful, caring people who champion creativity with integrity,” says Margolina. “I also love that Vince, Kate, and Geno have laid out a foundation for femme, LGBTQIA+, and POC filmmakers to thrive. As an immigrant, this creative culture resonates with me personally; empowerment for those not represented in mainstream media has always been a big part of my work — whether it’s in my casting, research, pitching, or concepting.”
“Maya was a force at Condé Nast,” adds Vincent Peone, ArtClass Partner/Director. “This was abundantly clear the moment we started working there together and has persisted with fury at ArtClass. Her deep connection to storytelling and the human condition can be found at every intersection of her work. A true auteur, Maya so effortlessly injects her unique personality into everything she touches; a skill most creators only dream about.”
Here’s a look at some of Maya’s work:
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Margolina’s brand of visual storytelling reveals a fluent interplay between genuine human interaction, pithy pop culture references, and an effusive sense of humor. The Uzbek-born director broke into the industry as a music supervisor and music video director for avant-garde indie musicians. It wasn’t long before Glossier hired Margolina, where she was part of the original team behind the Glossier brand launch, leading its new video department.
Margolina went on to relaunch and run the video department of Allure Magazine. She worked closely with Editor-in-Chief Michelle Lee on the brand creative and video content behind the magazine’s new digital presence.
Her tenure was highlighted by several viral original content franchises, which she developed and created. This included “Dispelling Beauty Myths,” which reached over 500 million views on Facebook alone; and “Centenarians,” which ended up being Condé Nast’s second most-watched video of all time on social.
Allure parent company Condé Nast provided the next stepping stone. Before being promoted to Executive Producer, she directed and wrote dozens of viral videos featuring A-list talent, including Lupita Nyong’o, Kim Kardashian, and Mariah Carey, among others.
Some of Margolina’s most notable work during this time included a Vogue video featuring Sutton Foster, and an Allure cover video featuring Kendall Jenner, which went hyper-viral and garnered a Webby Honoree award. Fashion and beauty brands took notice, as Margolina became a breakthrough commercial director with campaigns for Lancôme, YSL, and others.
Outside of ArtClass, Margolina’s docu-series pilot Buddy Boca was an official selection at the 2020 Miami Film Festival. She has a script in development called Bridge & Tunnel, a coming-of-age story about growing up as a rambunctious immigrant teen in Queens. She also music supervised a feature film starring FKA Twigs, slated to release in 2020.
Reel 360 wishes Maya all the best with ArtClass.
Follow her on Instagram.
