Director James Dalthorp, formerly of now defunct 1/33 Productions, has joined Santa Monica-based Area 51 Films.
Already, Dalthorp—a former agency art director and creative director who specializes in visual storytelling with a cinematic look—has booked two jobs at Area 51: a Home Depot spot out of Dallas-based The Richards Group, and a spot for Wilson Golf via DDB Chicago. At press time, shooting of the latter was about to get underway in Toronto.
Area 51 executive producer Mark Thomas said it was the company’s sales reps—New York-based Mary Ford, Chicago-based Doug Stieber and L.A.-based Connie Mellors—who had worked with Dalthorp at 1/33, and brought the director to his attention.
"I think what James has in his favor," said Thomas, "is that he has been involved in some of the best advertising from some of the best agencies in the business."
Dalthorp had spent the past two and a half years at 1/33, which recently closed its doors (SHOOT, 2/11, p.1). Prior to 1/33, he worked through bicoastal/ international Propaganda Films for a year and a half. Dalthorp came to Propaganda from Hal Riney & Partners (now Publicis & Hal Riney), San Francisco, where he was senior VP/creative director.
The director related that he went with Area 51 after receiving offers from a number of production houses. That decision was based largely on his rapport with Thomas. Dalthorp cited the job Thomas has done in nurturing the directing career of former agency producer John Adams who earlier also worked at Riney. Said Dalthorp, "I’m just trying to give John a little competition."
During his four-year tenure at Riney, Dalthorp worked on Old Milwaukee and helped launch General Motors’ acclaimed Saturn campaign. He also began directing at the agency. His first assignment consisted of real-people spots for Ross Perot’s ’92 presidential campaign. Riney subsequently lost the account and the ads never aired. Dalthorp then helmed "Yellowstone," "Journey" and "Mt. Rushmore," all for Saturn.
"I became very accustomed to seeing things from both the creative side and the executional side," said Dalthorp. "Becoming a director myself was a natural progression." Before Riney, Dalthorp spent nearly four years at New York-based Ammirati & Puris (now Lowe Lintas & Partners); his other agency stints included Dallas-based Tracy-Locke (now DDB Dallas); DMB&B, St. Louis; McCann-Erickson, Houston; and The Richards Group, Dallas.
Among Dalthorp’s latest jobs is "Kindest Cut" for GTE via Ogilvy & Mather, New York and Dallas, in which the visual—a succession of young men receiving military-style buzz cuts—is used as a metaphor for the cookie-cutter service provided by other phone companies. Other recent credits include two effects-oriented spots, "Butterfly" and "Magnet," for Publix supermarkets via WestWayne, Tampa, Fla., which feature visual effects by Quiet Man, New York.
Additional highlights from his 1/33 tenure include the Partnership for a Drug Free America PSA, "Kitchen," via Arnold Communications, Boston, which depicts a father and son having breakfast in silence. This scene, the text relates, represents another missed opportunity for a parent to speak to his kid about drugs.
Dalthorp has also directed his first independent feature, Cottonmouth. The drama about police corruption has just been picked up for distribution by L.A.-based Main Line. Dalthorp said it is slated to make its theatrical debut in Houston.
Dalthorp joins an Area 51 directorial roster that also includes Adams, Paul Hopkins and Rob Davidson.
