Director Philip Kates has joined New York-based Open Frame Productions for U.S. spot representation. In Canada, he is repped by The Players Film Company, Toronto.
Toronto native Kates has directed regularly for the U.S. market since joining bicoastal Headquarters’ now defunct HQ division at the end of 1995. He left Headquarters in March, and signed with Open Frame last month. Kates currently divides his time between Toronto and New York.
At Headquarters, Kates’ directing credits included Wendy’s "Parachute" via Bates, Miami, and Nasdaq’s "MCI" via Messner Vetere Berger McNamee Schmetterer/Euro RCSG, New York.
Through Open Frame, Kates helmed phone company Verizon’s "Verizon Dive" via Arnold Communications, Boston, in honor of the Olympics. The spot features an Olympic diver who receives low scores, much to the crowd’s delight. Only later does the viewer realize that the scores refer to Verizon’s low phone rates. "Some nice visuals, gentle comedy," enthused Kates.
Kates’ versatility is evident in his range of visual techniques, from the stylized black-and-white beauty of Canada Savings Bonds’ "Woodcutter," through Vickers & Benson, Toronto (made while Kates was at Radke Films, Toronto), to the deadpan comedy of E*Trade’s "Whoa" (made through Players) via Grey Canada, Toronto, a celebration of men and their, er, members.
Kates has been directing since childhood. "Since I was ten years old, I’ve been making my own movies. My dad had all the Super 8 gear—a couple of cameras, titling kit, lights, a splicer, an editor," he recalled. Kates studied film and photography at Ryerson University in Toronto, completing his film coursework in ’84. "I am a non-grad! I think I owe them an English or a psychology [credit]," he admitted.
He became a freelance editor, and joined a series of Toronto-based shops: In ’87, he became an editor and later a director at Revolver Film Company. A few months later, when Revolver staff member Philip Mellows founded The Players Film Company, Kates joined that shop. There he started directing music videos for artists such as Sarah McLachlan. He moved to LTB Productions in about ’91, and started making commercials a few years later. Kates went to Radke Films in ’94.
This has been a time of changes for Kates. Earlier this year, he also returned to Players. "I’ve come full circle …," he laughed. "Actually, I haven’t been someone who flip-flops around; I’ve been very consistent," Kates continued. "But sometimes it’s good to change things and take advantage of a new situation, new set of clients, new contacts."
"Originally," he asserted, I wasn’t planning on changing things both in Canada and the U.S.; it just kind of worked out that way. I’ve still got excellent relationships with both those companies. It was just time for me to move on. Six years is a hell of a long time when you’re not a profit participant at a company," Kates pointed out, referring to his stint at Radke. "It was just time to move on and change things."
Kates didn’t want to rush into a new relationship, and, "rather than sneaking around behind someone’s back and looking for representation, I decided that it was time for me to make a shift. So I left Headquarters amicably and started talking to people." Therefore, "I didn’t feel like I had to hide or meet [interviewers] at a Denny’s by the highway."
News that Kates was looking for representation eventually reached Open Frame co-executive producer/co-founders Andrew Swee and Nan Swoyer through mutual associates. "When we actually found out he was looking [for representation], needless to say we were anxious to meet up," Swee explained.
He was just in time, according to Kates, who had been looking around for more than three months by the time the pair spoke in early August: "I was just about to sign with another company," Kates revealed. "Andrew called me up and asked for my reel, and we both had heard good things about each other." They talked on the phone, and Swee suggested that they meet right away. Kates agreed: "Within days, we had lunch. And right away, it felt really good. I almost missed my plane because we were still talking."
Open Frame appealed to Kates for several reasons: "I liked their roster and it was a small shop that seemed to offer focus and commitment. And I liked the fact that they were New York based. A lot of my work has come out of New York, and I happen to like New York as a city."
Swee was likewise impressed by Kates’ reel: "There’s a real consistency and strength throughout. So whether it be comedy or non-comedic performance, all of that was very consistent, as well as having a real visual sense of style, art direction and attention to detail. It was very clear that this was coming from one guy’s vision."
Currently, Kates is shooting Honda’s "Best of Breed" via ACLC Advertising, Toronto, which he is making through Players. He is also bidding on U.S. work.
Kates pointed out, "When I started directing, I was doing a lot of comedy performance storytelling. And then strangely enough as I got into the U.S. market, I started doing a lot more visual stuff, and, of course, that also affected the work I was getting back in Canada. So what I’m really hoping to do is bring the two together, doing work that uses performance and storytelling, but still bring some visual sensibility to it."
Open Frame’s other directors are Eric Barbier, Linzi Knight, David Stewart, and Zoo (David Fauche, Julien Rambaldi and Matthieu Montavani).
Open Frame is repped by Maggie Klein of New York-based Maggie Klein & Company on the East Coast; Tim Harwood of Chicago-based Tim Harwood & Associates in the Midwest; and Brent Novick of Novick & Associates, San Francisco, on the West Coast.
