Director Mike Bigelow and executive producer Bill Reilly have launched Space Program, a commercial production company based in Hollywood. Most recently, the pair had been working out of bicoastal Coppos Films, which they joined in the latter part of ’97.
Bigelow and Reilly officially launched their new venture April 3. After exiting Coppos, Reilly secured office space at the Hollywood Center Studios, and East Coast sales representation via New York-based Lew & Co.’s Sharon Lew and Kira Gourguechon. (Gourguechon formerly repped Coppos on the East Coast; Joanne Ferraro, Coppos’ New York-based managing director/national sales director, now handles East Coast sales for Coppos.)
Bigelow and Reilly will also continue their associations with Toronto-based Radke Films and Paris-based Première Heure, which represents Space Program in Canada and Europe, respectively.
The pair is currently in production on its first assignment under the Space Program banner: an ad Bigelow will direct for KFC restaurants via Young & Rubicam, New York. That job will be followed by a Bigelow-helmed ad for REI outdoor stores out of Seattle agency WongDoody.
Additionally, Space Program is producing a pair of spec ads for Boylan’s diet root beer to be directed by first-time helmer Billy Jayne. An experienced actor looking to launch a directing career, Jayne is a friend of Bigelow and Reilly. The goal of the spec ads is to secure directorial work for Jayne through Space Program. "He’s got great comedic instincts and he’s a great actor, so right away he has a leg up on directing talent," said Bigelow, who predicted that Jayne’s strengths will be comedy and dialogue.
Both the director and executive producer expected Space Program’s talent roster to lean toward dark, offbeat comedy. "We hope to form a company of directors who share our sensibility, mentality and lack of good taste," Bigelow said, adding that the aforementioned spec ads are not only humorous but also "potentially offensive."
Reilly described Space Program as "a natural evolution for us," and said Coppos and bicoastal HKM—where he and Bigelow both worked for about four years prior to joining Coppos—will serve as templates for Space Program. "I want it to feel like those companies, but with our spin on it," Reilly said. Added Bigelow: "Both are really well run, and the people are great. We’re starting our company using those companies as models."
Reilly envisions taking on three or four directors, and Bigelow added that one of the main reasons for forming their own venture was to take advantage of the executive producer’s skills in building directors’ careers. "What’s very appealing is having other directors to develop," Bigelow said. "Bill’s been very good at that in the past," he added, referring to directors Brian Aldrich of Coppos and Martin Canellakis of bicoastal/international hungry man. Before striking out on their own last year, Aldrich and Canellakis were formerly the directing team known as Marty + Brian. About three years ago, Reilly began collaborating with the duo on a freelance basis as they were building up a spec reel. Reilly joined Coppos a year later, which proved to be the catalyst that landed Marty + Brian their first commercial roost—they came aboard Coppos soon afterwards. Canellakis recently shifted over to hungry man (SHOOT, 3/31, p. 1).
Also in the planning stages at Space Program is a Web site geared toward the digital distribution of reels. "We plan to expand the company into other areas," Reilly said. "The Internet, streaming video, things like that."
Bigelow’s recent directorial credits include a three-spot campaign for Pella Windows via Young & Rubicam, New York, and Coppos, which was executive produced by Reilly. Bigelow’s additional credits include ads for Miller Lite, the NFL, Coca-Cola and Budweiser. An earlier ad for Pella, "The Elopement," was nominated for a primetime Emmy Award in ’98.
Prior to launching his directing career in ’93, Bigelow spent 12 years as a special effects artist at feature visual effects house Dream Quest Images, Simi Valley, Calif., which was later acquired by Walt Disney Pictures (SHOOT, 10/11/96 p. 1). Reilly was a sales rep at HKM prior to launching his producing career. Before HKM, he served as head of sales (’88-’92) for Lucasfilm Commercial Productions, a precursor to what is now ILM Commercial Productions, San Rafael and Los Angeles.
