Veteran executive producer Jonathan Miller has revamped Two Trick Pony, a Hollywood-based production house, which he opened with director Judy Starkman several months ago. Miller and Starkman recently parted ways due to a difference of opinion over how to best manage the shop. Miller has since added to the company’s directorial roster stateside while pulling back on his initial plan to handle U.S. representation for helmers from overseas. Meanwhile director Starkman has signed with Culver City, Calif.-based V3, a specialty division of bicoastal Anonymous Content.
Coming aboard Two Trick Pony are an established director/cameraman, Julian Cottrell, who had been with bicoastal/international Morton Jankel Zander (MJZ), and a young, up-and-coming directing team, David Karlsberg and Gary Nardino, a.k.a. Karlsberg/Nardino. They join a lineup that also features director Steve Chavez, who’s been with Two Trick Pony since its inception.
Cottrell spent the past year and a half at MJZ; his last job there was a Philips Sonicare spot for Leo Burnett USA, Chicago. While at MJZ, he also directed several spec spots (BMW’s Mini Cooper, Absolut Vodka, Sony PlayStation 2) which showcased his ability to do justice to high concept work. This spec fare impressed Miller, who noted that Cottrell was already well known for his visual prowess. This reputation was fashioned during his U.K. days, which included his maintaining Julian Cottrell Productions (JCP) in London for some 18 years. Now, though, Cottrell said his professional commitment is to the U.S. market where he’s taking up residence. Among his credits are spots for such clients as BBL Bank via Young & Rubicam, Belgium; La Coste apparel for Paris agency Alice; Clarion out of Ogilvy & Mather, New York; Schweppes for Y&R, Paris; and Nescafe for Publicis, London.
The chance to work with Miller is what Cottrell said drew him to Two Trick Pony. The director cited Miller’s track record on both the agency and production house sides of the business. Earlier in his career, Miller was a producer for Leo Burnett, Chicago, and Foote, Cone & Belding, Chicago. Later he jumped over to the production house sector, serving as president of Image Point Productions, the former TV commercial division of Cannell Studios, Hollywood, and president of now defunct Harmony Pictures. Prior to opening Two Trick Pony, Miller was West Coast exec producer for Southfield, Mich.-based Millennium Pictures. Before then, he headed Los Angeles-based Mutiny Productions, the in-house arm of TBWA/Chiat/Day.
KARLSBERG/NARDINO
Karlsberg/Nardino’s spec work caught Miller’s eye. Included in that mix were several Converse spots, three of which scored in the shoemaker’s short film competition. The directorial duo’s “Half-Court” not only gained exposure on Converse’s Web site, but also airtime as a TV commercial in ’04. Karlberg/Nardino’s “Tommy” for Converse also made the Web site last year. Earlier this year, the directing team’s “Doubles” aired on TV and appeared on the Converse site. Additionally, graphics lifted from “Half Court” and “Doubles” were used in a billboard campaign for Converse.
Also on Karlsberg/Nardino’s reel are spec ads for Olympus, Pink Dot, Lady Footlocker and Timberland. The body of work is marked by people-based, comedy-driven storytelling. Miller cited not only the humor of the helming duo’s commercials but their appeal to the coveted 20-something demographic. Karlsberg and Nardino are childhood friends who in recent years started teaming on filmmaking projects. Two Trick Pony is their first full fledged production company home.
Two Trick Pony is no longer handling stateside representation for overseas directors as Miller has decided to focus on his core roster. The company had earlier, albeit briefly, repped France-based director Gil Bauwens in the American ad market, as well as an ensemble of helmers from Luscious International, Sydney.
Miller oversees sales for Two Trick Pony and handles the East Coast. Independent rep Dan O’Brien continues to cover the Midwest. And Miller has secured independent rep Yvette Lubinsky for the West Coast and Texas.
