Bicoastal RSA USA has accepted the resignation of director Marcus Nispel, and ended its business relationships with managing director Linda Ross and independent representation firm Creative Management Partners (CMP), bicoastal and Chicago.
At press time, Nispel had already found a new roost, joining Los Angeles-based Morton Jankel Zander (MJZ). According to company partner David Zander, MJZ and Nispel reached an agreement over the Memorial Day weekend.
The departure of Nispel from RSA USA and the ouster of Ross and CMP were the direct result of a spot actors’ strike-related print ad that RSA USA placed in the 5/12 issue of SHOOT. The ad targeted the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), showing a picture of a black woman’s breasts with a caption that read: "In South Africa, this is what SAG means." The ad went on to relate that "to service clients, Marcus Nispel is setting up a temporary office in South Africa, where production is cost-effective and they’ve never heard of SAG." The RSA USA logo and a line identifying CMP as handling spot representation for the production house appeared at the bottom of the ad.
The National Association For The Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), SAG, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), the AFL-CIO, the Writers Guild of America West and Congresswoman Maxine Walters (D-Los Angeles) were among those denouncing the ad as racist and sexist. Two protest rallies were held at RSA’s West Hollywood office, and union picketers targeted RSA USA spot shoots.
Directors Ridley and Tony Scott, the founders of bicoastal/ international RSA-under which the commercial shop RSA USA resides-issued an apology the day of the first protest rally (5/18) in West Hollywood, stating that they had no advance knowledge of the ad. "We knew absolutely nothing about this advertisement and are as upset, sickened and appalled by this situation as anyone else," read their statement. "We do not support the advertisement and apologize for the actions of our employees."
The Scotts’ condemnation of the ad generated immediate speculation along the industry grapevine that those allegedly responsible could find their jobs in jeopardy.
Nispel issued a statement in which he said that the print ad "was not written by me. I did not have the authority to run it. I resigned from RSA because I did not like the way the whole situation was handled. I regret that I did not make a greater effort to stop the ad and deeply apologize to all those offended by it."
CMP principal Tim Case released a statement which read: "I wish to express my sincere regret that my former clients Ridley and Tony Scott have been implicated in the ad A Neither Tony, Ridley, nor any of the Scott family knew anything about this advertisement. Additionally, I wish to apologize to Marcus Nispel. Ridley, Tony and Marcus have been falsely characterized as racist and anti-unionist. Their personal and professional lives have been unfairly targeted by the offended parties. The ad was wrong and to the extent I collaborated in it, I am deeply apologetic to those offended by it, whose reactions are certainly justified. This being said, I would hope that anger be translated into discussion and discussion into resolution."
SHOOT was unable to reach Ross at press time.
Jules Daly, a producer with RSA USA for more than 10 years, has been appointed managing director of the company, succeeding Ross. Andrea Marcucci, who had been responsible for in-house sales at RSA’s U.K. operation, is relocating to RSA USA’s New York office. She will be the point person taking over representation duties from CMP.
A press spokesperson for RSA said that the company has no plans to open an office in South Africa or to enter into an alliance with a South African production house.
