VENICE, Calif.—The directing team The Russo Brothers—Anthony and Joe—have joined philsfilms, Venice, for exclusive commercial representation in North America. This marks the first time the brothers— who recently won an Emmy for outstanding direction of the TV comedy series Arrested Development—are being represented for spots.
On why they are expanding their reach into commercials, Joe Russo explained, "We love experimenting with all forms of media and we think that the commercial is a fantastic venue for experimentation and reaching a wide audience. Telling a story visually in such a compact time frame is an incredible challenge—and we love challenges."
It was a mutual friend, producer Maureen Tunney, who brought the directors’ work to the attention of executive producer and co-founder of philsfilms James Kadonoff. "They’re extremely talented, and we have a flair for comedy over here," Kadonoff said. "The main reason [why I signed them] is because I am a huge fan of the show Arrested Development, and as soon as I heard that these were the guys who were doing the show, I was instantly on board."
Both the directors and their producer said they anticipate working on projects with strong visuals and comedic sensibilities. "We’re interested in anything that’s visually exciting, and anybody that wants to tell a story in a compelling visual fashion," Joe Russo related. "And if comedy happens to be a part of it, then that excites us even more."
Two For One
The Russo Brothers’ helming experience ranges from television to features and from comedy to drama. They have directed feature films like Pieces and Welcome to Collinwood, and are currently working on NBC’s new drama series LAX, starring Heather Locklear and Blair Underwood, which they co-executive produce as well.
The Russos have been directing as a team since 1994, and produced their first film, Pieces, in ’97. "We try to be all encompassing and that’s something we want to bring to commercials as well," Joe Russo said. "We bring a director and a producer’s mind to the project. We are always looking to push things in a visually exciting way, yet we’re also budget-conscious and very aware that what we do is a business."
The brothers’ upcoming projects include an hour-long drama for HBO, a half-hour comedy for Showtime, the political thriller Triggerfish through Paramount Pictures, and a comedy for New Line Cinema titled Barry and Stan Gone Wild.
Also on philsfilms’ directorial roster are: Whitey Bel-Air III, Danny Boyle, Rocky Lane, Dusty Nelson and Scott Randall.
Independent reps Sherry Howell, Jay Anderson and Rich Schafler represent philsfilms on the West Coast, in the Midwest and on the East Coast, respectively.
