Open Frame executive producers Andrew Swee and Nan Swoyer have signed director/designer Linzi Knight for exclusive U.S. commercial representation. The deal also solidified a loose affiliation New York shop Open Frame had with Knights Toronto-based production company Red Rover.
It gives Open Frame more flexibility because there are times when it makes sense to produce in Canada and now that were working with Linzi, it makes all the sense in the world, said Swee, who had been working informally with Knight since 96, when they met through an acquaintance.
Knight opened Red Rover along with her husband, animator Andy Knight, four years ago. While originally based in London, the animation/live action/ film graphics company moved to Toronto in 96. Just this past year, Knight was briefly represented in the U.S. through bicoastal Curious Pictures.
Knight opened Red Rover immediately after graduating from Sheridan College outside of Toronto with a degree in graphic design. Since then, her graphic style, described by Swee as earthy, honest and unpretentious, has been tapped by the United Nations, Footaction, Red Dog and Toyota. But after several years of working as a film graphic designer, she decided she wanted more. I love graphics but Im a little tired of decorating other peoples film. I would really love to tell my own story, explained Knight, who started to actively pursue live action about a year ago.
Three years prior, Knight had directed a short film based on the Tom Waits song Pasties And A G-String as a way of teaching herself how to produce a film from beginning to end. Pasties is a 70-second film shot in Knights self-described docu-style with her aptitude for film graphics and typography well represented. In fact, most of Knights work employs graphics of some sort.
Knight went on to direct four PSAs for Covenant House through Red Rover, and a spot for GTE Satellite Service titled The Way You Want It with Open Frame via Temerlin McClain, Dallas. She also shot a network promo for the Womens Television Network. Her first official Open Frame job since cementing the deal with the company is a 12-spot campaign for Mervyns, a California-based department store chain, via Martin/Williams Advertising, Minneapolis.
Knight joins Open Frame directors June Manton, David Stewart and Kevin Jones. Open Frame is represented by Perry Schaffer on the East Coast, Tim Harwood in the Midwest and Joanne Madden on the West Coast.
