Bicoastal/ international Propaganda Films has finalized a deal to represent European director Sebastien Grousset for spots, music videos, television and feature projects in the U.S. and in the U.K. Grousset continues to be repped in Spain by Madrid and Barcelona-based Tesauro.
At press time, Grousset was shooting his first Propaganda job: a MasterCard spot out of McCann-Erickson, New York, being filmed on location in China. He was unavailable for comment at press time.
Formerly repped in the U.S. by bicoastal HKM Productions, the 28-year-old, Madrid-based Grousset has been directing for a little over two years. In that span, he has directed projects for such clients as Spanish mobile phone company Movistar and digital TV network Via Digital, both out of Ruiz Nicoli, Madrid; phone company Retevision, Renault Clio and candy company Radical, all via Tiempo BBDO, Madrid.
Colin Hickson, VP of Propaganda Commercials, related that he met with Grousset at the suggestion of a freelance producer who knew of Grousset and had worked with the directors father, Laurent Grousset, owner of Madrid-based film production company, Setama.
Sebastien will be an important member of the Propaganda family, said Hickson. He represents an extremely exciting young filmmaker, combining the highest level of craftsmanship with both a very strong visual sense and razor-sharp narrative skills. Hes an amazing all-rounder.
He is incredibly energetic and enthusiastic, continued Hickson, and shows such a depth of maturity in his work-from the reportage/documentary style in his spots for Via Digital, to very art-directed spots like the Renault Clio. Then he also has very personal, very human and emotional spots, such as Movistar. We were just blown away by this guy, who has a real deft touch in so many different areas, so we said, AWe have to sign him.
The aforementioned Via Digital fare consists of a three-part spot package titled Passion For Football, which chronicles the drama of a rabid soccer fan who chains himself to a fence in protest because his girlfriend wont let him sign up for Via Digital to watch soccer matches.
The Movistar spot Sportsman is a compelling story in which a young soccer player is grievously injured; we see images from the grueling rehab he endures, assisted by a physical therapist. At the spots end, the young man returns to the stadium ready to play and, in his moment of triumph, calls the therapist on his mobile phone. The highly stylized Renault Clio ad is a surreal tale of a young man who, as a disciple of Satan, has existed through centuries and desires a companion to accompany him, only to have the Devil give him something better-the Renault Clio.
Hickson also praised a Grousset-directed spot, Father, for Solido khakis via Ruiz Nicoli, which raised controversy when it aired in Spain. The spot opens at a graveside cemetery service and flashes back to scenes of a young boy cowering and crying before his abusive father, who removes his belt in preparation to beat his son. The dramatic tension continues as the boy-now a nearly-grown man-takes off his own belt and angrily whips it against his fathers casket. The spot concludes as he and his younger siblings walk down the cemetery hill. The Solido khakis logo then comes up.
It was a powerful piece of filmmaking and a fantastically interesting spot with a very European sensibility, said Hickson. Im mightily impressed with it, although its nuance [to the American market] may be lost in the translation.
Born in Paris and raised in France, Spain and England, Grousset has been lauded in European commercial circles for his ability to combine strong visuals and emotional elements into a distinctive message. His work on multiple high-profile campaigns for Tesauro earned him the 98 award for best commercial director at the San Sebastian Film Festival.
Although Grousset has not yet done videos or longform jobs, Hickson said that the director would certainly be interested if they were the right projects.
Propagandas head of sales and West Coast rep is Dana Balkin. Chicago-based Dawn Rao covers the Midwest, and New York-based Matt Factor and Tara Ford handle East Coast sales.
