Director Walter Pitt and executive producer Kristoffer Knutson have teamed to launch a Minneapolis production company, Salvation.
Pitt had spent the past two-and-a-half years at Minneapolis-based Young & Company, which was shuttered at the beginning of the year by director/ owner Eric Young; before that, Pitt had a brief stint at Minneapolis-based Dublin Productions (now headquartered in Hollywood). Knutson was formerly a producer at Fallon McElligott, Minneapolis, where his producing highlights over four-and-a-half years include the launch of the Miller Lite Dick campaign as well as spots for United Airlines, Lee Jeans and Holiday Inn Express.
Knutson, a graduate of the Minneapolis College of Art & Design, explained that he departed Fallon in May 99 due to a desire to be more creatively involved in projects. I came from art school, so an ad agency was the last place I thought Id ever be, explained Knutson. But when the opportunity came up, I knew what experiences it would offer me and [Fallon] certainly gave me all that and more.
Having known Pitt and his work for quite a few years, Knutson called the director about forming a production company. Knutson related he found himself most impressed by Pitts work, assessing it to be fairly broad in scope. Too much of my experience in Minneapolis, said Knutson, was [during] the heydey of the locked-down camera, where someone does something funny in front of the camera. I think the work Walter was doing brought a lot more to that.
For Pitt, the idea of teaming with Knutson to launch Salvation was appealing. The two had first worked together in November, when Knutson had line produced one of Pitts final Young & Company jobs: a regional McDonalds spot via Elgin DDB, Seattle.
Even before Young & Company folded, recalled Pitt, Kris and I began talking last spring about what we were seeing happening and what we wanted to do, and how to fulfill our dreams. Id been thinking more and more about how to be more collaborative with clients and agencies. We wanted to try to do something that had our own mark on it. I talked to some of my clients about it and they were really supportive and [eager to] try and move their work to a higher level. Kris and I saw there was more and more synchronicity between us, so we formed Salvation.
Kris is an agency producer who really knows the politics of whats going on, and can really be in [agency creatives] heads, added Pitt. Im concerned with how things can be fit together on a practical level.
Pitt, who earned a M.F.A. from NYU Film School in 85, first garnered notice for a student film he wrote, directed, produced and edited. Entitled Welcome Back Mr. Fox, it was a darkly humorous short involving a man who was cryogenically preserved, only to come back as a head. It was screened at Sundance and other film festivals in 83 and 84, and picked up assorted awards before it was subsequently bought and aired by the A&E cable network.
Pitt proceeded to direct some fashion-oriented spots, as well as some music videos for such artists as KRS-One and the Psychedelic Furs. He hooked up briefly in 88 with the former Johnston Films in New York, an affiliation that came about via Pitts friendship with Johnston rep and fellow NYU schoolmate Jonathan Weinstein (now partner/executive producer at bicoastal Go Film).
After Johnston Films relocated to the West Coast, Pitt moved to Minneapolis in 91 and began directing projects through his own Minneapolis shop, WPA, which existed from 92-97. He joined Dublin in early 97 (SHOOT, 1/31/97, p. 1) and, after six months, he signed with Young & Company.
Now at Salvation, the partners intend to work in a variety of disciplines, including creating and developing Internet content. Pitt related he is currently working on a deal to develop web episodes of the aforementioned Welcome Back Mr. Fox; Pitt is also in discussions to license the short film itself for Internet airing. Pitt commented, A lot of people say AWere into longform, the Internet and interactive. Those things are a given these days, we feel.
In addition, Knutson and Pitt hope to collaborate with artisans from other disciplines; among them is Paris-based freelance designer/animator Dan Mestanza, with whom Pitt is developing several short animation pieces. Another is freelance 3D animator Chris Evans who, while he was formerly at Minneapolis-based HI-WIRE, worked on Dream Home, a regional spot that Pitt recently directed through Salvation for builders association Parade of Homes via Bolin Marketing/Advertising, Minneapolis.
Its about involving people from different creative areas that can feed off each other, said Knutson. For instance, maybe a designer has a different way to look at a film project and can offer some input from their reality. Part of the idea of the company is to create an environment of interdisciplinary creative. Knutson added they are also interested in adding to the directorial roster, possibly with a tabletop shooter.
Salvation is currently in discussions to secure sales representation. Were trying to determine whether its better to go with traditional reps or to develop people who have a desire to maybe do other things as well, said Pitt. Were interested in the marketing of our company, not in someone whos just carrying reels.
