By Robert Goldrich
LOS ANGELES—Director/cameraman Bob Gordon has entered his Flying Tiger Films into an association with Form, the Los Angeles-based production house founded a year and a half ago by executive producer Craig Rodgers and director Jesse Dylan.
Gordon recently bought out his longstanding partners at Flying Tiger—executive producers Skip Short and Jeff Devlin—to become sole owner of the seven-year-old shop. (Short is now partnered with executive producer Lance O’Connor and director Klaus Obermeyer Jr. in Santa Monica-based Aero Films. Devlin has formed Media Logic, New York, through which he serves in key capacities for Aero and Los Angeles-headquartered Original Film—SHOOT, 5/9, p. 1.).
Having assumed full ownership of Flying Tiger, Gordon began exploring his options, ultimately deciding to link up with Form for its business, production and sales infrastructure. He continues to team with Sheila Tighe, his executive producer at Flying Tiger, which still maintains its Santa Monica quarters. Plans call for Flying Tiger and Form to avail themselves of one another’s facilities, as needed.
Gordon, a veteran director known for his visual and storytelling prowess, has numerous spot credits over the years, spanning such clients as Heineken, Anheuser-Busch, Coors Light, Ford, the United States Golf Association, Jeep and Visa. For the latter, he helmed the lauded "Kangaroo Dreams," a :60 out of BBDO New York. The spot promoted Visa’s sponsorship of the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. At first the ad appears to be an inspiring story attesting to the human spirit and competitive drive of Olympic athletes.
But an unexpected plot twist reveals that not only was it a dream—it was a dream of a kangaroo who imagines himself winning the triathlon. "Kangaroo Dreams" earned distinction as a SHOOT Top Spot (4/28/00, p. 14). The commercial also went on to be honored at the ’01 Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP) Show in the editorial category. (The spot was edited by Bob Jenkis, who is now at Crew Cuts/West, Santa Monica.)
In addition to the AICP Show recognition, Gordon-helmed work has also garnered honors at such competitions as the Clio Awards, the ADDY Awards, the automotive industry’s Caddy Awards and Canada’s Bessie Awards.
At press time, Gordon was headed to Sydney to helm his first job since Flying Tiger entered into its joint venture with Form: a five-day shoot for an undisclosed international beauty/fashion client. Gordon’s other recent work includes Ford featuring pro golfer Phil Mickelson for J. Walter Thompson, Detroit; Top Flight golf balls starring golf legend Lee Trevino for agency Allen & Gerritsen, Boston; and a Bell Canada campaign via agency Cossette, Toronto. The latter was done through Mad Films, Toronto, which handles Gordon in Canada.
All this recent work continues a diversification that started with the aforementioned "Kangaroo Dreams," whereby Gordon—whose initial reputation was in visually driven stories—has broadened his filmmaking palette to also encompass light comedy and more actor-based performance fare.
Gordon said that last year was his career best in terms of business volume and number of shoot days. "I needed a comfortable infrastructure to continue to support that," he related. "Craig’s leadership and working philosophy is simpatico with mine—and the same for Jesse [Dylan]. Through this joint venture with Form, I will be able to focus my efforts on where they should be—on the creative process."
Rodgers said he’s a long-time fan of Gordon and has tracked the director’s career over the years. Form executive producer Rossi Cannon recently introduced Rodgers to Gordon, which laid the groundwork for the affiliation. "Bob is coming off his best year," related Rodgers, "and we’re looking to maintain the Flying Tiger reputation and to add to the number of opportunities for him."
The link with Flying Tiger comes on the heels of Form signing directors Enda McCallion, Harry Patramanis and Lisa Cholodenko for commercials (SHOOT, 5/23, p. 1). They joined a core roster at Form that includes helmers Dylan, John Adams, David Denneen (who continues to maintain his Filmgraphics, Sydney), Bill Timmer, Charles Wittenmeier, Rob Lieberman, Chris Woods and Paul Boyd.
Flying Tiger is now handled by Form’s sales force consisting of independent reps Carol Biedermann on the West Coast, Tracy Bernard in the Midwest, and Chris Messiter and Ann McKallagatt on the East Coast. Separately, Gordon continues to be repped in the Detroit market by Ron Hoffman.
Alec Baldwin Urges Judge To Stand By Dismissal Of Involuntary Manslaughter Case In “Rust” Shooting
Alec Baldwin urged a New Mexico judge on Friday to stand by her decision to skuttle his trial and dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against the actor in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of a Western movie.
State District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case against Baldwin halfway through a trial in July based on the withholding of evidence by police and prosecutors from the defense in the 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust."
The charge against Baldwin was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it can't be revived once any appeals of the decision are exhausted.
Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey recently asked the judge to reconsider, arguing that there were insufficient facts and that Baldwin's due process rights had not been violated.
Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer on "Rust," was pointing a gun at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal when it went off, killing her and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has said he pulled back the hammer — but not the trigger — and the revolver fired.
The case-ending evidence was ammunition that was brought into the sheriff's office in March by a man who said it could be related to Hutchins' killing. Prosecutors said they deemed the ammunition unrelated and unimportant, while Baldwin's lawyers alleged that they "buried" it and filed a successful motion to dismiss the case.
In her decision to dismiss the Baldwin case, Marlowe Sommer described "egregious discovery violations constituting misconduct" by law enforcement and prosecutors, as well as false testimony about physical evidence by a witness during the trial.
Defense counsel says that prosecutors tried to establish a link... Read More