Director Mark Rowen has signed with Tropix Films, Santa Monica, for commercials. His last formal spot representation was via Los Angeles-based Tag Team (formerly Wright-Banks Films). Most recently, he had been working on a freelance basis out of Atlas Pictures, Santa Monica. A satellite of Atlas, Tropix was launched earlier this summer as a joint venture among executive producer David Coulter, his wife Patti Coulter, who serves as Tropix’ head of production, and Atlas president Sterling Ray (SHOOT, 6/23/00).
Rowen, who has been directing spots for five years, specializes in the kids arena, but he is looking to broaden his repertoire. David Coulter said he is currently bidding on some non-kid fare, including a beer ad.
"I love the kids stuff. It’s a lot of improv because it has to be, and that’s just pure fun," said Rowen. "But I’m also interested in more dialogue and performance-oriented work."
Rowen’s final assignment through Atlas was "Teachers" for Lightspan.com, an education portal. The campaign was created by Culver City, Calif.-headquartered Pittard Sullivan. Through Atlas, Rowen also recently helmed a five-spot package for Sears, which was created by Simmons Durham, St. Louis, and aired in the U.S. and Canada.
The director joined Wright-Banks Films shortly before the company was restructured and renamed Tag Team (SHOOT, 3/12/99). However, the association was short lived and Rowen soon began working through Atlas. "Working with Sterling was great," Rowen said. "When Tropix became a satellite, it seemed like they had some great directors and that I would also get a lot of attention from Dave and Patti, but still have some input from Atlas. So it seemed like the best of both worlds."
Prior to joining Wright-Banks, Rowen was repped by Stardust Productions, Los Angeles. While there he helmed "Poet," a spec ad for Nike via Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.; and commercials for Shell Oil out of Ogilvy & Mather, Houston, and Pizza Hut via BBDO Toronto.
Before his two-year tenure at Stardust, he signed a two-year writing/producing deal at Fox for TV and features. From that association, Rowen earned writer/ producer credits on the telefilm, The Secret of Rawley Valverde, and the sketch comedy series, In Living Color. He also directed Babysitter Blues.
Rowen’s additional credits include some in-house spot work for Coca Cola ("Ol’ Ballgame") and Disney home videos. In ’94, he traveled to the Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway, where he produced and directed segments for the CBS Sports broadcast.
Rowen studied acting and performed as a stand-up comedian for about a year before landing a job as a production executive for Academy Award-winning producer Jeremy Thomas (The Last Emperor). Rowen later produced Tom, Dick and Harry, a short film helmed by Tom Shadyac (Liar, Liar).
In the late ’80s, Rowen worked as a freelance producer and assistant director for directors David Fincher, David Kellogg and Michael Bay at bicoastal/ international Propaganda Films. (Fincher and Kellogg are now repped by bicoastal Anonymous.)
Between spot assignments, Rowen continues to serve as a freelance consultant to DreamWorks SKG’s home entertainment marketing division, a post he’s held for two years. DreamWorks is the Los Angeles studio formed by Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen. In that capacity, Rowen said he’s involved in "cutting trailers and TV spots, advising on media buys-anything that has to do with the marketing of home entertainment products."
Rowen also maintains his own entity, Blue Collar Productions, Santa Monica, a two-year-old company through which he recently directed a five-minute corporate video for Lucky Brand jeans. The director also has several longform projects in development.
Rowen joins a Tropix directorial roster that also includes Martin Brierley, Larry Carroll, Martin Shewchuk and Richard Taylor. The company is represented by New York-based Pangea on the East Coast; Chicago-based Patti Hereau in the Midwest-except for Detroit which is handled by Pat Costa-and Los Angeles-based Molly Montgomery on the West Coast.
