Palomar Pictures, Los Angeles, has signed a reciprocal agreement with noted London-based production house Godman.
Per the deal, Palomar will provide the lion’s share of Godman’s directorial roster with full U.S. commercial representation. The Godman directorial lineup includes Vaughan Arnell (also a Godman principal), Howard Greenhalgh, Kevin Thomas, Rory Rooney, John Selby, Edgar Wright, Ollie Blackburn and co-directing team Jake and Jim (consisting of Jake Sebastian Wynne and Jim Canty).
The move shifts the U.S. representation of Arnell, who had been repped stateside by bicoastal/international Propaganda Films, and of Greenhalgh, who had been affiliated with bicoastal HSI Productions. Both Arnell and Greenhalgh have directed numerous spots and music videos in the U.S.
Concurrently, select Palomar directors will now regain U.K. representation via Godman; Palomar shuttered its three-year-old London operation in early ’99. The Godman-repped Palomar lineup includes Neil Abramson, Nick Brandt, Buddy Cone, Breck Eisner, Ramaa Mosley, Melodie McDaniel, Dan Rush, Wyatt Troll and co-directors Chris Riess and Amy Hill (a.k.a. Riess/Hill).
Palomar chairman/CEO Joni Sighvatsson said the Godman deal was the first step in Palomar’s plan to "align itself with top companies and top talent in different territories." Added Sighvatsson, "I think it ties into the fact that business today is becoming global. But I also believe it makes a lot of sense to hook up with people in local territories, who know the territory and the clients. Even though we want to think global, it nevertheless is still very much a local business."
Sighvatsson assessed Godman managing director Jo Godman as having assembled one of the top U.K. companies: "Jo is great at working with established talent as well as developing new talent, which is what I like to think we do at Palomar as well."
Godman was launched in Jan. ’97 by Godman, the former managing director of RSA, London, along with Arnell and partners/ producers Philippa Thomas and Adam Saward.
In a released statement, Godman said, "We have been in discussions with numerous people in America over the past three years and have explored many possibilities, but have never found the perfect relationship. We starting talking with Jonathon Ker [Palomar president/executive producer of the commercial division] about six months ago, and I know for sure that we speak the same language."
Ker founded Palomar in August ’92 with former Propaganda head of music videos Anne-Marie Mackay. Before shifting over to the production side, Ker was head of television production at London-based Bartle Bogle Hegarty from ’83 to ’87. He came to the U.S. in ’87 to start the now defunct Limelight USA, where he served as executive producer of the commercial division.
Last summer, Sighvatsson—a founding member of Propaganda—acquired the majority stake in Palomar (SHOOT, 6/4/99, p.1). The company recently re-established its music video division, and has hired executive producer Lanette Phillips to head it up. Phillips will be working closely with Godman’s head of music videos, Juliette Larthe, to secure projects for both companies’ directors. Sighvatsson related that Palomar hopes to announce another key hire for the music video division within the next couple of weeks.
