Cucoloris Films-the Venice-based commercial production house headed by partners/executive producers Linda Stewart and Bernie Wesson, and partner/director Danny Ducovny-has entered into a strategic alliance with DoRo, a European company active in music videos, concert films, television programs and spots.
Formed nearly 20 years ago in Vienna, Austria, by the directing tandem of Rudi Dolezal and Hannes Rossacher, DoRo first made its reputation in the music video arena. The studio’s credits include clips for such artists as The Rolling Stones, Tina Turner, Bruce Springsteen and Queen. Most recently, Dolezal and Rossacher teamed to direct a pair of videos, David Bowie’s "Under Pressure" and Elton John’s "The Show Must Go On," as well as a documentary of Whitney Houston’s two-and-a-half-month European tour.
The Bowie and John clips were produced through Berlin-based Department M, which is DoRo’s five-year-old music video division. Dolezal said that he and Rossacher launched Department M to develop other young, up-and-coming directors. DoRo also maintains commercial, concert film and TV program divisions. In addition to Vienna and Berlin, DoRo has offices in Cologne, Germany, and London.
Via its relationship with Cucoloris, DoRo establishes its first stateside foothold. Dolezal estimated that Department M shoots 10 to 20 European videos annually in the U.S. But beyond facilitating that work, the Cucoloris deal figures to open up other opportunities for DoRo, spanning such disciplines as American spots and videos. And in longform, DoRo-via its Department F division, Berlin-is in development on a feature film based on the life of Dolezal’s close friend, the late Austrian rock star Falco, who died tragically in a car accident. This feature is planned as a co-production of DoRo’s Department F, Cucoloris and Munich-based studio Bavaria Films.
