Riverside Entertainment has signed director Emily Anderson to its roster, adding an award-winning filmmaker known for blending authenticity, absurdity, and style. Equally at home with real people, scripted comedy, or that sweet spot in between, Anderson brings an infectious curiosity to every set — and a track record of turning small human moments into big, memorable stories.
Anderson’s path to the director’s chair wasn’t typical. As Ogilvy NY’s first female in-house director, she spent eight years writing, producing, and directing documentaries and commercials for global brands — work that sent her around the world and cemented a versatile, craft-driven voice. “I didn’t take a traditional route,” she says. “After my first documentary in Vietnam for Philips, it clicked that everything I’d done — photography, journalism, design — pointed me here.”
Her signing also reunites Anderson with longtime producing partner Katie Maguire, who joined Riverside as Executive Producer in 2024. The pair’s collaborations span Absolut, Citizens Bank, Delta, Ford, IBM, Philips, and UPS. “Traveling the world together, we became partners in storytelling,” Maguire says. “I know Emily’s voice and how far she’ll push to protect an idea. She’s smart, funny, bold — and tireless.”
“What Katie and I had at Ogilvy — and later at Hogarth — was special,” Anderson adds. “That same spark lives at Riverside: camaraderie, community, and wide-open creative opportunities. It feels like a door wide open.”
Anderson’s work ranges from game-show–style spots for Delta and Lyft to a slate of personal films rooted in her home of Montauk. Her poetic, hilarious doc short “100 Miles From Montauk” explores the beauty and peril of commercial fishing, while her newest short, “Portrait of the Lighthouse,” premieres this October at the Hamptons International Film Festival. Across formats, she gravitates toward the human condition — disarming performances, precise framing, and jokes with a heartbeat.
The signing aligns with Riverside’s dual strengths in premium advertising and long-form/branded storytelling. “In any form or genre, Emily’s work makes you feel something,” Maguire notes. “She embodies the Riverside culture: hard-working, energetic, imaginative — collaborators who feel like home.”
Reel 360 News wishes Emily the best of luck.
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