Directorial duo the Docter Twins (Matt & Jason) has signed with Mortar, Inc.–the Hollywood house headed by director David Merhar and executive producer Grayson Bithell–for exclusive representation.
Matt and Jason Docter come over from DUCK Studios, Los Angeles. They are up-and-coming talents as underscored by their inclusion in last year’s SHOOT New Directors Showcase on the strength of such work as the comedy commercial “Gotcha,” part of a multi-spot Wienerschnitzel campaign out of DGWB Advertising, Santa Ana, Calif.
The live-action helming team got into the Showcase shortly after joining DUCK Studios, a mixed media shop with a longstanding reputation in animation.
“Gotcha,” originally a broadcast spot, has since taken on a viral life of its own, generating 300,000-plus hits on YouTube. Additionally “Gotcha” gained inclusion into the TBS Network special The Funniest Commercials of 2008.
While the Wienerschnitzel work was predominantly live action, the Docter Twins often found themselves helming the live-action portions of mixed media jobs at DUCK. They want to continue to mesh disciplines yet feel they are better positioned to focus on live action at Mortar, which was a prime factor attracting them to the company.
Also drawing them to Mortar was their personal history in that years back when they broke into L.A. filmmaking, Matt and Jason Docter served as production assistants on jobs directed by Merhar.
From this grass-roots perspective, The Docter Twins got to know the director and his long-time producing compatriot Bithell, and kept in touch. The Docters also became fans of Merhar’s work as he went on to direct noted spots via such shops as HSI and Sandwick Films.
Mortar’s signing of The Docter Twins represents the company’s first expansion of its directorial roster. Formed about a year ago, Mortar began eyeing additional directors in November, ultimately gravitating towards The Docter Twins based on what Merhar described as their “smart comedy and smart visuals.”
That mix of comedy and visuals is reflected in the Wienerschnitzel campaign as well as in a two-spot package for POMx iced coffee out of in-house agency The Fire Station, and a Kellogg’s Gripz commercial conceived by Leo Burnett, Chicago.
One of the offbeat POMx spots, “Breakroom”–featuring human beings dressed as sheep characters–recently won a Gold Medal at the Los Angeles ADDY Awards.
Content development
The Docter Twins additionally see the opportunity for their creative chops to be put to good use at Mortar which, said Jason, “is not just a production house but also very much a creative shop.”
He cited Merhar’s agency creative experience [at Fusion Idea Lab, Chicago], which has translated into special projects at Mortar, including a sitcom pilot developed at the company and written and directed by Merhar.
The sitcom, said Bithell, also lends itself to the integration of other marketers’ products “without being heavy handed. It’s an innovative integrated comedic pilot.”
Merhar added, “Production companies are looking to get into other forms of content. We are in a unique position in that we are able to create that content ourselves.”
Rock roots Both Jason and Matt Docter are graduates of the University of Illinois where they each double majored in English and film. In college, the Docter Twins established an indie rock band which went on to tour with internationally known acts such as Oasis, Matthew Sweet and Sheryl Crow.
Between tours, Matt began producing and directing documentary projects for PBS while Jason moved to Los Angeles to record a solo record and then entered the world of television commercial production.
Matt shortly thereafter joined his brother on the West Coast and the twins then garnered a record deal with Virgin Records.
The contract birthed songs which have been placed in shows like Army Wives, ER, Roswell and MTV’s The Real World.
The Docter Twins even did a musical end tag for the aforementioned POMx television commercials that they recently directed.
