Executive producers Luke Thornton and Liz Silver, former principals at bicoastal/international The End, have launched production house Believe Media, and teamed with director David van Eyssen to form a sister interactive shop, I Believe Media.
At press time, several elements had fallen into place for the two new bicoastal ventures, with other signings pending. Believe Media has entered into an association with Serial Dreamer, the West Hollywood production boutique headed by director Erick Ifergan and executive producer Gerard Cantor. Serial Dreamer was previously a satellite of The End.
Joining the Serial Dreamer fold are two directors: Darius Khondji and Vincent Jerome. The former is a noted DP—accomplished in spots and longform—who gains his first representation as a commercial helmer. Khondji’s feature cinematography credits include the just-released, Danny Boyle-directed The Beach, the David Fincher-directed Seven, Bernardo Bertolucci’s Stealing Beauty and the Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet-directed Delicatessen and The City of Lost Children. Khondji will be repped by Believe Media as a director/cameraman.
Meanwhile, Jerome continues to direct spots via Bandit, Paris. Best known for his sense of contemporary fashion and work in visual effects, Jerome was described by Thornton as an "up-and-comer" whose sensibilities should translate well into American advertising.
Ifergan has longstanding friendships and working relationships with both Khondji and Jerome. Earlier in his career, Jerome served as an assistant director to Ifergan. And Khondji has shot numerous Ifergan-directed spots and music videos; their first collaboration was on a music clip in Paris 11 years ago.
"In that sense, the expansion at Serial Dreamer is organic," related Ifergan. "These are directors who have been part of our filmmaking family. And Serial Dreamer is very much about nurturing those family ties and helping artists to grow and work together."
That same sense of family prompted Ifergan and Cantor to again link with Thornton and Silver, this time at Believe Media. Ifergan formed Serial Dreamer two years ago in partnership with Thornton and Silver at The End (SHOOT, 2/6/98, p. 1).
"They [Silver and Thornton] were very supportive of Serial Dreamer, and I wanted that relationship to continue," said Ifergan, whose latest credits include repeat business for Mitsubishi automobiles via Deutsch’s New York and Los Angeles offices, and a worldwide campaign for Marconi electronics stores via agency Athorn, Clark & Partners, New York, and Beaucoup Chapeaux, New York and Dallas. Ifergan also keeps active in Europe; at press time, Publicis, Paris, had awarded him a Renault job.
Ifergan began his directing career with music videos in ’87, and two years later, his clip for singer Alain Souchon won a Silver Lion at Cannes. Ifergan became a hot video director and then diversified into commercials. In ’90, he moved from Europe to Southern California to become more involved in the American market, initially through Limelight Commercials’ now defunct U.S. operation. He left Limelight in ’92 and surfaced at now defunct O. Pictures in early ’93. After nearly four years at O., he joined the then Tony Kaye & Partners, West Hollywood and London. Ifergan’s filmography also includes helming a full-length independent feature, Hollywood Salome.
I believe
The aforementioned van Eyssen becomes the key point person at I Believe Media. He was formerly—albeit briefly—at The End, which he’d helped to diversify into new Internet-driven forms of advertising. Via bicoastal The Moment, an arm of The End, Van Eyssen also recently co-directed with Ashley Beck three spots for software provider MicroStrategy—one airing during the Super Bowl telecast, the other two debuting in pre-game. The client-direct assignment was facilitated by Beaucoup Chapeaux. (Word has it that Beck is joining Culver City, Calif.-headquartered Gas. Food & Lodging.)
Mary Knox has been named head of sales for Believe Media and I Believe Media. She takes on that mantle independently of her ongoing rep firm Help!, New York and Minneapolis, at which she’s partnered with Alyson Daniels. Knox’s Help! endeavors include serving as head of sales for New York-headquartered Shooting Gallery Productions.
Believe Media has assembled a domestic sales force consisting of independent reps Michael Arkin on the East Coast, Gay Guthrey in the Midwest, Ron Hoffman in Detroit and Vicky Miller on the West Coast. Under Knox’s aegis, this sales team will also handle Serial Dreamer.
As earlier reported, Silver and Thornton exited The End last November, and were succeeded there by Roger Hunt (SHOOT, 12/10/99, p. 1).
