DIRECTOR'S REEL
Enjoy.
A sampling of work. Full versions
of this material can be viewed below.
WORK
BLOG
LIFE
The moments that truly define us are rarely in a resume or can even be summed up in a single Bio. Rather, the moments that are special to us are mostly overlooked by the rest of the world.
This blog is my collection of a few "Special Moments". Some good, some bad but all important to me. If anyone would want to truly know me without meeting me, this is what I would tell them to read. I try to update it as I can. Thank you for your intrest. - Tone
BIO
Tony went on to self-fund his entire college career, which began at Western Michigan University and later Michigan State University relying solely on his own creative talents. He designed & sold collegiate apparel, printed promo posters and managed entertainment events with his fraternity - Kappa Alpha Psi.
BEGININGS
Tony Gavan Williams, known to family & friends as Tone, was born in Detroit MI, where his “Motor City” love of cars began. As an 80’s teenager at Kalamazoo Central High is where his entrepreneurial spirit and creative talents where first developed. A love for graffiti and airbrush painting apparel were the beginning sparks.
After leaving the School Of Advertising at MSU, the young designer started his corporate career in Atlanta GA. working for the advertising firm Bigelow & Eigle while attending the Portfolio Center of Atlanta at night. He later worked for B.B.D.O. South, Bayles Partners and Ivory Communications where he concepted & art directed for accounts such as Coca Cola, Bell South and Turner Broadcasting.
While in Atlanta Tony, also created and published a first of its kind automotive lifestyles magazine titled “GRIP – Urban Auto Styling’s”. A publication that served as the “blue print” for subsequent titles such as DUB and RIDES magazines. He later parlayed this experience into a contributing writer position with RIDES. In the year 2000, Tony moved to Chicago, IL where he continued his creative career working full time and freelance with ad firms such as DDB, JWT, Burrell, Zipatoni and UpShot creating TV, Radio and Print campaigns for major Fortune 500’s like Sears, Verizon, P&G, Dr. Pepper/7Up, McDonalds, Anheuser Busch & Lexus.
PROFESSIONAL
LAUNCHED
Spring 2004, while partnering with R.J. Dale Advertising as a turnaround creative director, Tony G. Williams was able to pitch and win a history making $28.5m general market advertising contract with the Illinois Lottery. It was the largest Illinois State
contract ever awarded to an African American owned
advertising agency at that time. Through this partnership,
the production company, GAVAN GROUP was established
and served as the creative production firm that would go on to
produce award winning work for all of the Illinois Lottery TV, Radio and Print executions including the unforgettable, Bernie Mac series of commercials.
Since its launch, the GAVAN GROUP has grown to service several other
corporate and nonprofit clients such as Disney, Motorola, The Salvation
Army and Roosevelt University. The GAVAN GROUP of holdings has also expanded to include the development of its own intellectual properties and creative content offerings including short & feature length documentary films, multi-series shows, music production and event development. In 2011, the director completed his first feature length documenatry titled, “DREAMERS – The Story Of Kappa Alpha Psi”
Tony G. Williams was named an affiliate director with Kartemquin films
( of “Hoop Dreams” and “The Interrupters” fame ) through the “Diverse
Voices In Documentary Films” Fellowship which is where he developed the concept for his current project.
Now in the year 2018, Tony is working to complete this latest feature length documentary titled:
CARBONERDIOUS - Rise Of The Black Nerd as well as developing multi-series shows such as MOTOFLI and Words With Blerds. And as always, Tony continues to maintain many long held as well as new professional production partnerships with ad agencies, companies and clients that he collaborates with from across the country.
