LOS ANGELES—Bicoastal commercial production house Coppos Films is going out of business after 20 years. The shop’s New York office shuttered on June 25, and executive producer Michael Appel—who acquired Coppos Films from its founders, chairman Bill Bratkowski and director Mark Coppos, in 2001—confirmed at press time that the company’s Los Angeles headquarters was about to close.
Appel declined to discuss the extent of the production house’s debt. He said that as operations are winding down, he and legal counsel have been exploring possible courses of action relative to the company’s financial obligations.
When Appel took over the business some three-and-a-half years ago, Bratkowski went into a self-described "semi-retirement" while Coppos continued to direct select spots through the firm, primarily in tandem with co-helming colleague Virginia Lee. Both Coppos and Lee have now moved over to Green Dot Films, Santa Monica (see separate story, p. 1). Earlier, Joanne Ferraro, New York-based managing director of Coppos Films, departed to become executive VP of The Blue Rock Editing Company, New York (SHOOT, 6/25, p. 7).
Not yet known are the plans of the other directors at Coppos Films, including Tom Schiller, Maria Demopoulos and the recently signed Lisbon Okafor (SHOOT, 2/6, p. 7).
With the benefit of hindsight, Appel—who’s been with the company since its inception, serving for many years as a freelance producer and working regularly for director Coppos—said that he bought the shop at the worst possible time. He cited such factors as continued fallout from the six-month actors’ strike against the ad industry in ’00, the 9/11 tragedy, the war in Iraq and a spotty economy. Appel further observed that Coppos Films needed a mainstay director, particularly since Mark Coppos had elected to take on less work than in years past in order to devote time to other interests. Appel noted that the company had successfully groomed one such helmer, Craig Gillespie, but he left to join bicoastal/international Morton Jankel Zander in ’00, the year prior to Appel assuming ownership of the production house. Gillespie has gone on to garner two Directors Guild of America (DGA) Award nominations for best commercial helmer of the year.
Nonetheless, Appel noted that Coppos Films managed to make some progress during his tenure, such as helping to build the directorial careers of Schiller and Brian Aldrich, who is now with bicoastal/international Believe Media (SHOOT, 1/30, p. 7). Furthermore, Coppos Films made some inroads internationally through a reciprocal representation/production support agreement with Errecerre, a production house with offices in Barcelona and Madrid.
Appel came on staff with Coppos Films in ’99 as its VP/ executive producer. He said that he owes a debt of gratitude to Bratkowski and Coppos for giving him opportunities to develop his career over the years. Appel noted that Coppos Films has enjoyed many high points along the way, including winning the coveted Palme d’Or at the Cannes International Advertising Festival in ’91. That year, Coppos Films garnered two Gold Lions and four Silver Lions.
Coppos Films’ track record at Cannes also includes a Bronze Lion in ’88, a Silver and three Bronzes in ’92, two Silvers in ’94, a Silver and Bronze in ’95, and a Bronze in ’02. Additionally, Mark Coppos was nominated for the DGA Award as best commercial helmer of ’93. The Coppos Films-produced Energizer Batteries work, "Launch/Tres Caf?/Nasatine," directed by Brent Thomas (now with Green Dot Films) was inducted into the Clio Hall of Fame in ’02. And Coppos Films’ fare has scored multiple honors over the years at the Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP) Show, as well as Gold and Silver Pencils at The One Show.
"It’s been a great run," related Appel of Coppos’ 20 years in business. "I’ve met and worked with some wonderful people. It’s just sad that things had to end this way."
