LOS ANGELESaRSA Independent, the bicoastal shop that specializes in garnering spots for select feature filmmakers, has secured directors Scott Hicks (Shine, Snow Falling On Cedars) and Bronwen Hughes (Forces of Nature, Harriet The Spy).
Nominated for a best director Academy Award in 97 for Shine, Hicks just wrapped his commercial directing debut: eToys. coms Fireflies produced by RSA Independent for Publicis & Hal Riney, San Francisco.
Hughes also recently wrapped a project under the RSA Independent banner: a package of four spots for Giftcertificates. com starring Sophia Loren via Grey Advertising, New York. Hughes is no stranger to spotmaking, having assembled a body of directorial credits (i.e.aDiscover Card for DDB Chicago; General Foods International Coffee via Young & Rubicam, New York; Lever 2000 for J. Walter Thompson, New York) at O. Pictures, a house that closed in 97.
Subsequently repped for commercials through bicoastal Epoch Films, Hughes related that her schedule over the past couple of years couldnt easily accommodate commercials due to a feature docket that included the earlier alluded to Forces of Nature, and development of a Columbia Pictures movie based on a book about the life of the late photojournalist Dan Eldon.
Hughes said that she currently has a window of availability for commercials and is eager to get back into the ad discipline. She described RSA Independent as a dream set-up for me because its geared to feature filmmakers. Its a company that understands and encourages directors to be involved in different projects, including commercials and features. And its a place that is also exploring experimental shorts and Internet films.
Hughes related that executive producer Susanne Preissler, who heads RSA Independent, drew her to the company. The director said that Preissler has created a salon-type atmosphere where directors meet and talk. Its a great creative environment.
Meanwhile Hicks credited Preissler with getting him to start to seriously think about exploring the spot medium. He recalled that when Preissler approached him, I felt very much at ease with a company [RSA Independent] that clearly values filmmakers. I found I was able to translate my own process into this new arena, which made the experience [on eToys] a very pleasant one. Having all the accoutrements of a feature film production at your disposal for such a short, sharp period was quite exhilarating.
I found shooting the spot enabled me to reconnect with familiar creative people, and introduced me to some new ones too, continued Hicks. I can see great opportunities for working with different teams of people, and perhaps trying fresh ideas and approaches. As with any form of filmmaking, its largely about how you get on with people that matters. The biggest shock was wrapping the shoot at the end of day two. I found myself thinking, AHang on, weve only just started.
RSA Independent was formally launched when bicoastal RSA USA and Preissler entered into an agreement earlier this year (SHOOT, 1/21, p. 1). Other filmmakers available for spots via RSA Independent include: Doug Liman (Swingers and Go), Luis Mandoki (Message in a Bottle, When A Man Loves A Woman), Alfonso Cuaron (Great Expectations, A Little Princess), Lisa Cholodenko (High Art), Agnieszka Holland (Europa Europa), David Veloz (Permanent Midnight), Scott Elliott (A Map of the World), Erick Zonca (Dream Life of Angels), Kirk Wong (Blades) and Chris Smith (American Movie).
Among the latest RSA Independent-produced projects are: a Smith-helmed Pacific Bell campaign for Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, San Francisco; and a Skyy Vodka job that Mandoki was in the midst of wrapping for Del Mar, Calif.-based ad agency Lambesis.
