Director Michael Cerny has departed Dallas-based Concrete Productions to launch his own Hollywood-based production house, Mirella Film Company. He is joined in the venture by Kelli McDowell, his regular line producer over the past seven years, who will serve as partner/executive producer.
Cerny has actually had two stints at Concrete; the first lasted from 1990 to A94. After he shifted over to Santa Monica-based Petermann/Moss Films (SHOOT, 9/23/94), where he remained until early 1997 (now bicoastal Moss Petermann Holtzman), he rejoined Concrete (SHOOT, 4/4/97, p.7).
According to Cerny, opening Mirella is a long-held dream. He related that he and McDowell had discussed forming their own shop for quite awhile, but the timing wasnt right until now. The opportunity just presented itself, said Cerny, and we said, ALets do it. I havent looked back. Im as excited as I was as a kid because, although it sounds cliche, you have control of your own futuresink or swim. Hopefully, we have enough experience behind us to do the right thing.
At press time, Cerny was preparing to do his first job under the Mirella banner: a spot for the National Institute of Health out of DMB&B, New York. He was slated to shoot the spot on location in Pittsburgh. Among Cernys recent credits are a Pantene commercial via Grey Advertising, New York, an ad for European telecommunications company Connex via DMB&B, Romania, and a PSA for the Make A Wish Foundation via MARC Advertising, Pittsburgh.
Cerny got his start as a producer in broadcast television, working on a magazine show for a public television station in Corpus Christi, Texas. He proceeded to produce the Leeza Gibbons-hosted PM Magazine for a Dallas TV station, and Two on the Town for WCBS-TV, New York. In 1984, Cerny opened a production company in Dallas through which he conceived, directed and produced 26 spots for the Texas Sesquicentennial.
Following a stint in Los Angeles working on the reality show Americas Most Wanted, Cerny returned to Dallas and signed with Concrete in 1990. While his entree to the commercial world was as a real people director, Cerny has since broadened into cinematic storytelling.
In 1992, Cerny was introduced to McDowell by his DP Randall Gregg. McDowell had spent five years at Dektor/ Higgins & Associates (now Dektor Film), Hollywood, where she had served as director Leslie Dektors production manager.
We share a certain sense of honesty, integrity and loyalty, said Cerny. These are the tent poles that this new company is founded upon. I know were in business to make money, but were a business founded on something larger. Its not just the bottom line. This company is about a core group of people who share the same work philosophy.
Ultimately, the company intends to add at least one more director. McDowell said they want to assemble a small group of select directors with similar creative vision. She added, I think that would also help us attract great conceptually storytelling boards, which is Michaels forte.
Cerny will retain his affiliation for Canadian-originated spotwork with Toronto-based The Partners Film Company. Mirella is presently in discussions with sales reps in major markets.
