Bicoastal O Positive has signed director Pep Bosch–formerly of Hello! & Company and its predecessor shop Rock Fight–for stateside representation.
Bosch’s latest spot, Volkswagen Polo’s “Cool,” is a satire of American teenage-themed films from the 1950s. “Cool,” which just began airing in Europe, was filmed on a backlot in Sofia, Bulgaria, and was produced by Agosto, the house which reps Bosch in Spain. He also continues to maintain representation in France via the shop Irene, and Germany through Triggerhappy.
Although Bosch is known in Europe for his strong visual sense, both O Positive partners, director Jim Jenkins and exec producer Ralph Laucella, took immediate note of Bosch’s casting as well as his comedic sense.
“I have a strange sense of humor and like to use it,” Bosch said. “I enjoy the visual storytelling, cinematic situations and characters. But it’s always the humor that attracts me to a script. Even if it’s a dramatic or visual one, you cannot confront it and try to make it better without some sense of humor. That allows you to play with expectations and come up with an approach that wasn’t anticipated.”
A prime example is the Bosch-directed “Babysitter” for Audi out of DDB Barcelona. A grown man recalls his childhood babysitter with fond memories; she’s a beautiful woman who trains like she’s a professional athlete. She carries him through the city in her arms–jumping hurdles on the track, running through the park, competing in a relay race. When she leaves him, life becomes boring and static, and he often reminisces. It’s not until years later that he recaptures the special feelings of his childhood by driving an Audi.
Born in Spain, Bosch got his start as a graphic designer working at a toy factory. He studied photography at IEFC in Barcelona, then directed backgrounds for Karaoke videos before landing at Rodar Films in Barcelona where he began directing commercials. Today he lives in Barcelona with his wife and two children.
Over the years Bosch has directed for such clients as VW, Ikea, Audi and Volvo. His commercials have garnered numerous awards at such competitions as the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival, Eurobest and the Clios. The Bosch-helmed “Amnesia” spot for VW out of Barcelona agency Tandem Campmany Guasch DDB (now DDB Barcelona) won a Cannes Gold Lion in 2001.
Ron Cicero and Bo Clancey Launch Production House 34North
Executive producers Ron Cicero and Bo Clancey have teamed to launch 34North. The shop opens with a roster which includes accomplished directors Jan Wentz, Ben Nakamura Whitehouse, David Edwards and Mario Feil, as well as such up-and-coming filmmakers as Glenn Stewart and Chris Fowles. Nakamura Whitehouse, Edwards, Feil and Fowles come over from CoMPANY Films, the production company for which Cicero served as an EP for the past nearly five years. Director Wentz had most recently been with production house Skunk while Stewart now gains his first U.S. representation. EP Clancey was freelance producing prior to the formation of 34North. He and Cicero have known each other for some 25 years, recently reconnecting on a job directed by Fowles. Cicero said that he and Clancey “want to keep a highly focused roster where talent management can be one on one--where we all share in the directors’ success together.” Clancey also brings an agency pedigree to the new venture. “I started at Campbell Ewald in accounts, no less,” said Clancey. “I saw firsthand how much work agencies put in before we even see a script. You have to respect that investment. These agency experiences really shaped my approach to production--it’s about empathy, listening between the lines, and ultimately making the process seamless.” 34North represents a meeting point--both literally and creatively. Named after the latitude of Malibu, Calif., where the idea for the company was born, it also embraces the power of storytelling. “34North118West was the first GPS-enabled narrative,” Cicero explained. “That blend of art and technology, to captivate an audience, mirrors what we do here--create compelling work, with talented people, harnessing state-of-the-art... Read More