After graduating from NYU with degrees in Fine Art Photography and Psychology, Douglas Avery began his career in photography, lighting for famed photographers Richard Avedon, Steven Klein, Albert Watson and Annie Leibovitz. He learned to stay ever curious, to experiment with lighting and to work closely with talent. He spent a year in Japan, then went on to work in London and Paris as a fashion photographer for ID, The Face and Dazed & Confused.
Eventually he decided to pursue his affinity for narrative, moving away from the fashion industry to shoot short films. His second short – Hitch - was selected for Saatchi & Saatchi’s New Directors Showcase at Cannes. He followed this up with a Levi’s campaign for BBH London which won him Best New Director at the British Arrows. A year later he won a CLIO Award for Direction for an Altoids commercial.
Avery’s work is characterized by gripping performances, cinematic visuals and compelling storytelling, as seen in his recent Woody Creek Distillers campaign, with William H. Macy delivering his eccentric cool for the brand he is a partner in, and AXA “Kathmandu,” a candid portrayal of a heart wrenching true story from 2015’s devastating earthquake in Nepal. Always working at the highest level, he has collaborated with agencies Chiat/Day/LA, Wieden+Kennedy, Venables Bell & Partners, Grey New York, Publicis Worldwide, BBH and many others.
