Live-action creative collective and production company Derby has been launched under the aegis of industry veteran and executive producer Mary Crosse. The new venture opens with a directorial roster for U.S. representation which includes Lucas Borrás, Nickolas Duarte and Brad Hasse who will be able to access leading talent and resources, as needed, through collaborative relationships with audio post company Sound Lounge as well as postproduction house Nice Shoes and its team of creative directors, colorists and VFX artists.
Derby will execute full-service productions for advertising agencies, brands and broadcast networks across all platforms, and currently has work in development with MRY and Saatchi & Saatchi for brands that include Listerine and Lucky Charms.
“Our directors will be able to tap the outstanding production management and the unparalleled post services of Sound Lounge and Nice Shoes to execute flawless, full-service productions across all mediums,” said Crosse who previously was at Big Block Live. Prior to that, Crosse was an EP at Click 3X and a partner at Lucky Branded Entertainment. She also spent more than a decade at a variety of agencies, including FCB, Publicis, Havas and mcgarrybowen.
Providing agencies and clients with the option of all-in-one production talent and resources through post, Derby also features directors Borrás on the East Coast, Hasse, previously repped by East Pleasant, and Duarte whose former roost was Riot Maker.
Borrás takes a mixed-media approach to storytelling, artfully blending animation, illustration and live action. He employs both traditional and experimental animation methods in his technique, with a focus on stop-motion and cel animation. His work has been shown around the globe in festivals like SXSW, Ottawa Animation Film Fest and St Kilda, and in such museums as The New Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts of Boston. Borrás has been working for the past 10 years between the U.S. and Europe, with credits for such brands as Levi’s, Trident and Old Navy.
Hasse has a diverse background in commercials, music videos, documentaries and television. He is distinguished by his highly inventive and absurdist creative vision, often combining practical and visual effects with humorous dialogue, and has created a multitude of viral videos, including 2015’s Texting Hat and 2014’s Planet of the Apes Party Fun Time. He has turned out content for clients that include Listerine, United Colors of Benneton, AutoTrader and MTV, among others, and music videos for RJD2, Gramatik, and Moby.
Duarte directs commercials, digital content and film, with a concentration on drama and sports. His narrative-driven stories, which often emphasize humanity, are characterized by a cinéma vérité style and visuals that are composition-focused and utilize negative space. His credits include such clients as Western Union, adidas and the University of Arizona. About his decision to join forces with Derby, Duarte said, “I’ve been focusing more on my feature and episodic career recently, as a series of opportunities presented themselves. But after just 30 minutes of chatting with Mary [Crosse], I was reminded of all the incredible and exciting stories that can only be told in the commercial space and was completely reinvigorated at the prospect. It’s that type of passion that keeps advertising a relevant part of our culture.”
EP Crosse has worked across a range of industries with clients that include Bank of America, Estee Lauder, L’Oreal, Disney, Kraft, American Express, Google, The Wall Street Journal and Jaguar. Sound Lounge partner, COO and sound designer Marshall Grupp described Crosse as “the perfect choice to lead and expand Derby.”
Derby is represented by integrated sales agents Carolyn Hill and Amanda Rosenberg from CarolynReps, based in NYC. Further regional representation is slated to come later.
