Morton Jankel Zander (MJZ), Los Angeles, has added director Tom De Cerchio who comes over from bicoastal Reactor Films, part of the Michael Romersa-owned Stoney Road Productions family of companies.
DeCerchio spent a short time at Reactor after his former roost-the Stoney Road-owned bicoastal Nitro Films-was folded into Reactor earlier this year (SHOOT, 2/12, p.1). Before he joined Nitro in fall of ’97, the director spent some three years at bicoastal HSI Productions.
MJZ executive producer David Zander said he was very impressed by DeCerchio’s body of comedy/dialogue work, which reflects not only great talent direction but is also distinguished by filmic-looking visuals. "Unlike a lot of guys in this [comedy] genre, Tom’s been able to do both," said Zander. "I think the most important thing to him is the idea, working on better and better ideas."
Zander noted DeCerchio’s focus on ideas was grounded in the director’s initial career on the agency side. DeCerchio served as a copywriter at Chiat/Day (now TBWA/Chiat/Day), New York, before co-founding the former Buckley DeCerchio, New York, where he was a co-creative director from ’88 to ’93.
"That discipline is all about the idea," said Zander. "Tom can sit down with an agency, if they’re open to it, and truly collaborate with the agency creatives. He really is a three-dimensional thinker." DeCerchio’s agency background also gives him a significant problem-solving advantage in that he truly understands the needs of agencies and their clients, added Zander.
DeCerchio said he’d devoted the past two months to talking to a number of production companies. MJZ is a "very well researched move," he related, explaining that he has the highest regard for what Zander has accomplished in helping build directors’ careers. "I think David’s skill in managing directors and helping them get to the next level played a serious role in [my decision]," said DeCerchio. He added that former HSI colleague, director Geoffrey Barish, obviously thought so, too; Barish recently joined MJZ satellite, The Seven Ounce Man (SHOOT, 4/23, p.1).
"I really like what they’ve done there," continued DeCerchio, who also praised MJZ director Rocky Morton as one of the industry’s preeminent directors. "I think they’re smart and have got it together. I was most impressed by the fact that the team he has in place has been together for a long time; the newest member-head of production Jeff Scruton-has been there for four years, which is unbelievable in this business."
Affirming that boards with strong concepts are his priority, DeCerchio believes that MJZ is best-positioned to get them, crediting Zander and the MJZ sales force: West Coast rep Shirley Schackmann; East Coast rep Chris Messiter; and Midwest rep Richard Miller of Creative Management Partners.
"I’m really very satisfied," said DeCerchio. "I love working with Zander; he’s incredible … got a lot of energy. I really think I’m going to get there with this guy."
"I’m in the mood to be handheld right now," DeCerchio summarized, "and David is the king handholder. I want a lot of attention and I want it now."
At press time, DeCerchio was preparing to helm a Canadian Ford Quality Care job out of Young & Rubicam, Toronto, being produced by Toronto-based Radke Films, which reps him for Canadian work. He has recently completed a five-spot Michelob campaign out of The Leap Partnership, Chicago, including the Super Bowl-aired spot "Trade," which depicted a ballplayer traded for a case of Michelob Light. He’s now in the midst of a "top secret" project out of Bozell Worldwide, Southfield, Mich., which he is writing and directing.
DeCerchio joins an MJZ directorial roster also composed of Rocky Morton, Annabel Jankel, Bob Richardson, Sean Thonson and Kieran Walsh. Barish is with the aforementioned MJZ satellite.
