SANTA MONICA—Reactor Films has added director Thomas Kloss to its roster. Kloss comes to the Santa Monica-headquartered shop from Venice, Calif.-based Chased by Cowboys, his spot roost for the past year.
Kloss said he was drawn to Reactor based on executive producer Nancy Fishelson’s track record of advancing directorial careers. Also, he’s been a longstanding fan of director Steve Chase’s work, and he values the company support provided by executive producer Michael Romersa.
Among Kloss’ latest endeavors have been a documentary-style campaign for Arizona Jeans out of DDB Chicago, a State Farm shoot, also for DDB, and four commercials for Assience hair products via Hakuhodo, Tokyo. The latter was an international campaign and an elaborate production featuring Zhang Ziyi of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon fame.
Kloss made his first major industry mark as a cinematographer. He came to be regarded as a leading spot DP, working with such directors as Marcus Nispel, who’s now with bicoastal/international Morton Jankel Zander, and Francis Lawrence of DNA, Hollywood. Three years ago, Kloss made the transition to director, initially at F.M. Rocks, Santa Monica (a shop with a commercial operation now under the Boondoggle banner).
For the past two years, Kloss has been exclusively directing and has made major strides establishing himself as a helmer. His credits include numerous spots for Target via Peterson Milla Hooks, Minneapolis (one of which, "Gift Giving I," garnered a 2004 AICP Show honor in the musical arrangement category for Hest & Kramer, Minneapolis); ads for Cover Girl, Generali Insurance and DOC optical lenses; and music videos for such artists as Lee Ann Womack and Marilyn Manson.
While his background lends itself to visually driven fare as a director, Kloss has also diversified beyond that niche to encompass more storytelling and content-driven spots. He believes Fishelson will help to continue and build upon that diversification. "She is an executive with a company that has a track record of getting a director from one place to another—rather than just getting work for a director," related Kloss. "Reactor represents the ideal situation, an organic fit, for me."
Fishelson worked with Kloss in years past during his cinematographer days. "I’ve been a long-time admirer of his talent, dating back to him as a DP and extending now through what he’s been able to accomplish as a director," said Fishelson. "I’m excited that Reactor has him at this juncture of his career."
Kloss joins a Reactor directorial roster that consists of Chase, Thor Freudenthal, Warren Kushner, Ray Lawrence, John St. Clair, Marcus Stevens, Fernando Vallejo and Rich Wafer.
