NEW YORK—Director Anouk Besson has come aboard bicoastal Celsius Films for exclusive spot representation in the United States. Besson, who spent the past three years at bicoastal Epoch Films, continues to be handled for European commercials by Los Angeles-based rep Volker Fleck, and in Canada by Wire Films, Toronto.
Besson gravitated to Celsius in part to reunite with company executive producers Bob Fisher and Stephanie Oakley. Dating back to when they were at the since shuttered Fahrenheit Films, the trio collaborated on spec spots in 1994, which helped launch Besson as a director. This spec fare—produced by Fisher and Oakley—included a PSA for Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), as well as spots for MAC Cosmetics and the Robin Hood Foundation. On the strength of this work, Besson was courted and signed by now defunct The End in ’95.
Best known over the years for visually driven vignettes as well as beauty/fashion/cosmetics fare, Besson has recently broadened into more narrative storytelling. She said that Fisher and Oakley will help further this diversification, citing the reel that they have assembled for her, which showcases a mix of European and American projects.
The latest storytelling work in Europe includes a spot for Schwabisch Hall/Nintendo Game Boy, out of Ogilvy & Mather, Frankfurt, as well as Diadermine cosmetic commercials, one for DDB Dusseldorf, Germany, and the next for the successor agency on the account, BBDO Dusseldorf. The latter ad was, at press time, about to make its European debut.
Also showcasing Besson’s affinity for storytelling, humor and even cars is a spec spot for Mini Cooper, which made SHOOT’s "The Best Work You May Never See" gallery earlier this year (2/28, p. 11). The ad shows two women in a Mini Cooper exchanging flirtatious glances with a hunky guy in an SUV. The two vehicles are side by side, motoring down a wide-open roadway. While three’s company seems to be the case here, four is clearly a crowd, as we see a motorcycle cop waiting roadside for lawbreakers. However, the Mini Cooper is blocked out from the policeman’s view by the speeding SUV. When the cop gets on the guy’s tail, the girls continue to use the SUV as a shield by pulling in front of the larger vehicle. The girls speed off into the distance as the guy is pulled over for a moving violation. A parting super against a black background reads: "Now in America size matters."
While her storytelling endeavors have become more frequent and prevalent the past year, Besson exhibited her narrative sensibilities earlier on in her career. For example, several years ago she helmed a documentary for God’s Love We Deliver, an organization that delivers food to the homes of people stricken with HIV and/or AIDS. From that documentary, six moving PSAs were culled promoting God’s Love for Ogilvy & Mather, New York.
And in ’99, Besson directed "Shoeshine," a Volkswagen spot for DDB Dusseldorf, which meshed the automotive beauty shot with narrative humor. In the :30, a street-smart youngster with a shoeshine kit knows exactly where to position himself for optimum business: on a sidewalk next to a curbside-parked Passat. Pedestrians walk by and admire not only the sleek black car but also themselves, as they see their reflections on the vehicle’s surface. Invariably, the male pedestrians notice that their shoes pale in comparison to the ebony Passat—and see the need to get their shoes shined by the nearby entrepreneur. But all good things must come to an end. A man gets into the Passat and drives off, rendering the lad’s opportune business location obsolete.
Besson joins a Celsius directorial roster that also includes Peter Kagan, David Wagreich, Greg Ramsey, Bobby Sheehan, Mark Tiedemann and Harvey Wang. Jack Fahey is head of sales for Celsius. Wendy Kalison handles the East Coast, Liz Laine the Midwest, Courtenay Smith the West Coast and Phil McAlpine the Southwest. Celsius’ executive producers are Fisher, Oakley and Jonathan Gribetz.
