Jeff Kling, executive creative director at Euro RSCG Worldwide, New York, noted that nestled somewhere in what he described as a “pile of good intentions” sitting on his office floor is a DVD containing a humorous piece by up-and-coming director Joe Leih. The project–a Web-based, tongue-in-cheek PSA designed to help get agency employment for copywriter Marc Guttesman and art director Tom Millar–has elicited quite a buzz, generating hits on the marcandtom.com Web site and coverage in SHOOT (1/21 iWork).
Still it wasn’t until last week when Kling served as a panelist during SHOOT‘s third annual New Directors Showcase event that he got a full look-see at “marcandtom.com,” which was screened at the DGA Theatre in New York along with samples of the work from 20 other Showcase directors, including a two-person team.
The New York-based Leih recently secured representation in Canada via Sparks Productions, Toronto. However, he remains in the market for a U.S. spot roost. In that regard, just after our story unveiling the helmers in the New Directors Showcase appeared (5/13, p. 1), SHOOT fielded a phone call from a rep with a prominent commercial production house inquiring about Leih.
Similarly other production company queries came in for Leih and certain other Showcase helmers during and right after the event. Whether these initial feelers will turn into substantive discussions and ultimately any signings remains to be seen. But if at least a few doors can be opened for up-and-coming helmers, then a major part of the Showcase quest has been realized.
Twelve of the 21 Showcase directors turned out for the event and were introduced to an industry audience after the compilation reel was screened. The dozen on hand were: Leih; Jeremy Arth, an aspiring director who is currently an associate producer at Young & Rubicam, Chicago; Harry Cocciolo, who recently signed with bicoastal Tool of North America; David Gray of bicoastal/international Hungry Man; Jerry Kosinski of bicoastal Anonymous Content; Sara Marandi of bicoastal/international @radical.media; Wyatt Neumann of Neverstop, New York; Matt Ogens of bicoastal Headquarters; Alan Poon of Biscuit Filmworks, Los Angeles; Paul Santana who’s seeking representation; Yael Staav of Reginald Pike, Toronto (repped stateside by Biscuit); and Ben Weinstein of Santa Monica-based Notorious 24:7.
The other nine Showcase directors are: Michael Downing of harvest, Santa Monica; Jared Hess of bicoastal/international Moxie Pictures; Henry Littlechild of Outsider, London and Santa Monica, and The Viral Factory, London; Chris Nelson of Little Minx@RSA, Los Angeles; Greg Popp of bicoastal Supply & Demand; Aaron Ruell of Area 51, Santa Monica; The Shammasian Brothers (Ludwig and Paul) of Godman, London; and Brett Wild of Picture Tree, Johannesburg. (For mini-profiles of each Showcase director, see SHOOT, 5/13, pp. 15-22.)
PANEL DISCUSSIONS
Following the screening of the compilation reel, there were two roundtable discussions, the first being a New Directors panel, in which five of the Showcase directors reflected on their initial career paths, and two agency artisans–Jennifer Golub, executive producer of TBWA/Chiat/Day, San Francisco, and Euro RSCG’s Kling–offered their observations on the marketplace for new directorial talent. Next up was a relationships panel in which such topics as mentoring of new helmers, director contracts, and the production company/director/stock footage connection were explored.
The first panel, moderated by SHOOT editor Robert Goldrich, featured directors Cocciolo, Kosinski, Leih, Neumann and Staav.
Cocciolo, who has an extensive agency creative pedigree–encompassing such San Francisco shops as See, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, and Leagas Delany–related that he had been tempted to pursue directing in the past, but resisted because he enjoyed nurturing creative ideas. He related that after he and his wife had their first child, he decided “to get the nurturing at home,” and joked that it seemed like a good time to give up agency security for directing. He signed with Tool earlier this year, and has since helmed several projects, including two that earned him Showcase inclusion: “Tail” for the San Francisco Zoo, out of BBDO West/San Francisco, and “No Brakes,” for Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Wyoming for Denver agency Cactus.
Kosinkini related that initially, he didn’t have a strategy for getting into directing, noting that when contemplating career choices, he thought he would he either be a jazz musician or an aerospace engineer. While in school, he began studying architecture, and realized he could blend the artistic and technical. He also worked with digital tools that allowed him to design environments, which led to filmmaking. He created a spec spot called iSpec, and later directed a short film in the Nike “Art of Speed” series, moved to Los Angeles, and recently signed with Anonymous.
Leih came to directing via Columbia University, where he studied for his MFA. He joked that while at school, he was exposed to some independent filmmakers who made one film every 10 years, and he wanted something more immediate–thus commercialmaking made sense. He then created a spec reel, which led him to meeting a creative team for which he directed the aforementioned marcandtom.com Internet short.
Neumann came into directing from a photography background, and one of his first efforts was the “Rainier Vision” branded content project for Rainier Beer, out of Cole & Weber/Red Cell, Seattle, which aired on local public access channels, and in :30 cut-downs. The branded entertainment package has gone on to win the ANA/AICP Battle of the Brands competition, as well as gold in the inaugural hybrid category of the Art Directors Club honors.
Staav noted that she didn’t go into directing with a strategy, but rather progressed to spots via photography and music videos. She noted that her work is based in rhythm, citing the look of two ALS Society of Canada spots “Running” and “Hugging,” out of BBDO Canada, Toronto. She related that she’s aligning herself with smart people and “trying to find strong ideas.”
When asked under what circumstances an agency creative or producer would use a new director, Euro RSCG’s Kling quipped, “when you have no budget, and no time.”
Golub related that getting ideas sold through to clients takes time, and that a great deal of consideration goes into the script. She looks for directors–new or otherwise–who love their work as much as the agency team behind a particular spot does.
Kling noted that the director is a critical component of a spot’s success, and that working with an established director may not always get the best result. Both he and Golub noted that a director’s treatment and interpretation of a script goes a long way to helping them find the right director.
On the topic of spec work, the agency panelists had differing views, with Kling all for it, and Golub a bit wary. Her feeling was that it makes more sense for an aspiring director to align himself or herself with a creative team to produce some budget-challenged work, or to look for opportunities in the PSA arena, either through ad agencies or by dealing directly with public service organizations. Kling related an old expression about there being finders and minders in the world, noting that most people are minders, who keep the status quo, while a few are finders, who go and “create opportunity, [and in the case of directors] create an amazing reel.”
Both Golub and Kling encouraged new directors to continue to pursue the viral arena, although Kling cautioned that new directors aren’t alone anymore in the viral space, that more and more already successful directors are turning to the medium. He encouraged the new directors to “exploit the crap” out of the viral dynamic.
Golub noted that virals presented good opportunities for directors, and that when creating treatments, directors should present viral possibilities along with their broadcast solutions.
RELATIONSHIPS
SHOOT publisher Roberta Griefer moderated the second panel, which examined different relationships for directors, ranging from contractual to those with production house execs. Griefer said the concept was to start the evening “with great work and then conclude it with great advice.”
Griefer kicked off the second panel with some sobering statistics, provided by The Source: There are 746 commercial production companies in the U.S., and 5,480 directors of TV spots. There are probably less than 1,000 actual working directors making their living at helming spots. About 20,000 to 25,000 national spots are produced annually. Probably somewhere between 50 and 100 new directors pop up each year, and maybe 10 percent of those go on to establish themselves as viable in commercials. It takes on average about three to five years for a director to become established, unless he or she hits it big with a major hit immediately. In the past, directors could stay on top for 10 to 15 years. With so much competition today, that run may more realistically be about six years.
Session panelists were: Lauri Aloi, head of sales for Hungry Man; Jamie DiVenere, director of creative services, film, for Getty Images; Bonnie Goldfarb, founder/executive producer of harvest; attorney Jeffrey A. Greenbaum of Frankfurt, Kurnit, Klein & Selz; and Shawn Tessaro, founder/executive producer of Biscuit Filmworks.
Goldfarb related that a priority for her in trying to help build directorial careers is simply “to find and promote good ideas.” Downing is a prime example; he did a Bud Light spec piece for DDB Chicago, with harvest’s backing. The spot, “Sky Diver,” was bought by Anheuser-Busch and went on to debut during this year’s Super Bowl telecast. The comedy commercial then topped the field of Super Sunday ads in the USA Today poll. “There’s a lot of chance and commitment involved, but the American dream for a director is possible,” said Goldfarb.
Aloi observed that such dreams extend well beyond the U.S. She noted that while “it’s a global industry, it’s a small community,” which can translate into opportunities for directors–and the mining of concepts from international markets.
Tessaro and Goldfarb both picked up on that point. They noted that when they started their respective companies just several years ago, it was harder to garner business from foreign markets. “It’s a lot different now. You don’t necessarily need to have an office in London to do work in London,” said Goldfarb, noting that harvest has recently wrapped jobs for London agencies BBH and AMV BBDO. “Through SHOOT, through the Internet, boundaries have been broken through with agencies seeking talent no matter where it’s located. Geography is no longer a big deal. Access is there.”
Several directors in the SHOOT Showcase first established themselves as ad agency artisans. Tessaro and Aloi noted that there are advantages to aspiring directors having a creative pedigree. But one has to be careful about how to capitalize on that ad shop experience. Tessaro hearkened back to when Biscuit’s Noam Murro, who won the DGA Award this year as best commercials director of 2004, started out. She said that key to his career development was seeking out work from agencies that didn’t know him. “We were careful not to do work only where he had worked on the agency side,” she shared. “You need to build beyond that to truly establish yourself.”
DiVenere added another perspective to the proceedings as Getty works with directors, DPs and production companies to develop content for its inventory of footage. She noted that this Getty quest goes far beyond seeking conventional visuals often associated with the stock biz such as time lapse clouds and other pretty pictures. While visuals clearly remain important, DiVenere noted that Getty is seeking work that is more narrative in scope, “building sequences and challenges” for directors.
Attorney Greenbaum, who authors SHOOT‘s LegalEase column, chimed in with advice on the contractual relationship between directors and production houses. While financial terms and benefits are important, Greenbaum urged directors to focus on the people with whom you are entering into a relationship. The key, he said, is to align yourself with professionals who are committed to building your career and have clearly demonstrated the ability to nurture directors. “A good contract with the wrong person and the wrong company is of no value,” he concluded.
