The name rings the bell to most of the Michael Jackson fans! But Joe Pitka is mostly known in the commercial business, maybe the most famous commercial director of all time!
Not only he created Super bowl commercials, but also commercials for big corporations such as Pepsi and HBO. At 83, he ranks as one of the most influential, artistic and bad-ass commercial directors to ever make a camera sing. His commercials have featured Michael Jackson moonwalking, Muhammad Ali tossing jabs, Britney Spears singing, and, of course, Jordan being Jordan. He is a leader who has led by only comprising when it actually resulted in a better commercial.
Obviously, you know his name because… Well he created the following with Michael Jackson:
- The Way You Make Me Feel (1987)
2. Dirty Diana (1988)
3. Pepsi Commercial “DREAMS” with Michael Jackson (1992)
4. Heal The World (1992)
The celebrity Pytka admires most is Michael Jackson. Pytka directed commercials and music videos that starred Michael Jackson. Among them: the music video “The Way You Make Me Feel” and a two-minute Pepsi spot with Michael Jackson singing and dancing to his hit song “Bad.”
“Michael was always coming up with ideas and taking your ideas to another level,” said Pytka. The key — like with any great talent — was to let Jackson run with even the germ of an idea just as far as he could take it, he says.
But Pytka went further and directed movies such as “Let It Ride” and “Space Jam” (the original good one)
“What we do is so difficult that if you don’t fully believe in it, you will fail,” said Pytka, who founded PYTKA in 1984 in Venice, Calif., and still operates from there. He is in the process of setting down his commercial camera lens and is now focusing on documentaries and feature films.
Pytka, who is divorced, says his two daughters are the most important part of his life. His daughters, who are dual American and French citizens, traveled around the world with him when he was shooting ads globally, and both are fluent in English, French and Spanish.
Earlier this year, he became a grandfather for the first time. The arrival of his granddaughter, Fabienne, has rocked his life, Pytka says. “The birth of a grandchild takes you to another level. It’s the beginning of a new life and the hope for something better,” he said.
