He did it with Stanley Tucci, Ken Olin and Ted Demme, and now hes at it again. Encouraging directorial crossover between features and commercials, Lou Addesso, president of Creative Film Management International, New York, has signed director Nick Cassavetes for exclusive commercial representation.
Although Cassavetes has admittedly never shot a commercial before, Addesso wasnt worried. I need somebody to take a leap of faith like I did with all my guys, said Addesso, who introduced himself to Cassavetes during a screening for a Ted Demme movie. I have always admired his acting and his creative work as a director so I just approached him and said it would be good for him to do commercials in between projects, explained Addesso.
It was Addessos enthusiasm for Cassavetes future in commercials that gave the director/actor the push to sign with CFM. I had considered doing commercials before, but like anything in life, sometimes you dont explore something because you dont know too much about it or how to take the first step. When I talked to Lou, he assured me that he would take care of everything so I could do what I do best which is shoot, said Cassavetes.
Cassavetes, son of the late John Cassavetes, is an accomplished actor and director. Since 1974 he has appeared in 24 movies, most recently Face/Off, a Paramount Pictures production directed by John Woo (whos repped as a commercial helmer through A Band Apart.35mm, bicoastal and Minneapolis). Cassavetes has also directed two features of his own, Unhook the Stars, for Miramax in 96, and Shes So Lovely, also for Miramax, in 97.
In many ways Cassavetes is looking forward to the freedom shooting commercials will bring. Im a person that likes film and I like shooting and I think that there are opportunities to do stuff in commercials that I wouldnt necessarily do in film. I will be like a kid in a candy store, Cassavetes concluded.
Cassavetes joins CFM directors Demme, Olin, Tucci, Lesli Linka Glatter, John Herzfeld, Gregory Hoblit, Gary Lankford, Roger Lunn, Matthew Penn, Brad Silberling and Betty Thomas.
