Mesha Kussman is a music video director and commercial content creator specializing in fantasy and musical numbers. She is also a choreographer (The Coen Brothers’ Hail, Caesar!, Lizzo, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Justin Bieber, The Offer on Paramount+…) and the founder of the aquatic entertainment company Aqualillies.
I grew up a child of free-love in San Francisco’s Haight Ashbury, steeped in counterculture and the arts. After graduating from N.Y.U.'s Experimental Theater Wing, I started my professional career creating avant-garde performance-art installations in N.Y.C. When I moved to L.A. I was hunting for a commercial outlet for my experimental creative antics. I started as an assistant to director Dennis Dugan on Adam Sandler movies and then pivoted to working with choreographers Rich + Tone (J. Lo, Madonna..).
In 2008 I founded a dance company focused on transforming pools around L.A. into installation performance spaces. Aqualillies, has since become an international water ballet phenomenon collaborating with Beyonce, Justin Bieber, Missy Elliott, Lizzo, Usher, Glee, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel... and pushing my work more and more on screen. My love affair with mixed media continued as I worked with the Coen Brothers to create the epic water ballet scene starring Scarlett Johansson for their feature film Hail, Caesar!
The experience whet my appetite for directing film and VR and I've spent the last few years working on short films and designing immersive experiences. I aspire to be a modern Busby Berkeley, redefining grand spectacle for today's audience.
REEL
DIRECTING
Conceiving of high concept visual narratives
Melding dance, film and emerging technologies
Working with production designers to create physical spaces that can be automated as choreography
Using heightened aesthetics to communicate internal worlds
Thinking of camera movement and editing as choreography
Addressing sensitive social issues with care and grace
Upholding a positive environment + working efficiently with a team to accomplish what’s needed
CHOREOGRAPHY
Designing large-scale spectacles and ensemble numbers for camera
Working with non-dancers
Combining genres of movement from a variety of styles
Casting and managing dancers with various skill levels
Creating a supportive environment in rehearsal and on set
Designing choreography based on how the camera will capture it
Making adjustments to the choreography on the fly
Presenting materials in rehearsal to prepare the director and camera crew
Breaking away from familiar mainstream choices and searching for novel concepts
Choreographing and rehearsing oners