Ironically, Propaganda Films—which closed earlier this month (SHOOT, 11/16, p. 1)—finished once again in the top five of commercial production houses worldwide in the third annual Gunn Report, a compilation of results from 31 TV/cinema competitions (see story, p. 1). The Propaganda/Satellite combo entry is one of only seven to make Gunn’s top 25 each of the past three years.
That impressive accomplishment is just a small part of a long track record of stellar work from the Propaganda shops. And while some industry folk have been gossiping and gloating about Propaganda’s financial woes in the rumor mill of recent months, now that the end has come, the overriding reaction is one of sadness, at least in our informal survey.
"Even when I was fired by Propaganda, I wanted the company to continue to be successful," recollected Stephen Dickstein, former president of Propaganda’s commercial division and now partner/executive producer at bicoastal/international Partizan. "You want to see something you had a hand in creating continue to do well. The legacy and influence of that company will still be felt for a long time."
Dickstein noted that Propaganda "helped shape the architecture of this business. Companies modeled themselves after Prpoaganda … Also, think of the images from directors like [David] Fincher, [Dominic] Sena, [Spike] Jonze, [Michael] Bay. They changed the world of images, seen in homes around the world. The influence spread internationally. It [Propaganda] was a creative powder keg, a powerhouse."
Upon hearing of Propaganda’s demise, Dickstein said he touched base with several former colleagues. "I talked with Steve [Golin], Joni [Sighvatsson] and others who helped create the company. This [closure] is kind of like losing a family member."
Tim Clawson was head of production at Propaganda for 11 years (1988-’99). He is currently president of bicoastal Lot 47 Productions, which was launched this past summer. "I’m a little sad," related Clawson, "because Propaganda meant so much to all of us who were there. I’ve talked to so many people who maybe weren’t significant players at the company, but they got their first job in the industry as a runner or assistant there. It was a spawning ground for talent … Look at all the companies today that sprang up from executives and filmmaking talent who were at Propaganda. The talent there, the work they generated over the years represents quite a legacy."
While conjecture and supposed insights into Propaganda’s closure abound, Clawson observed a big part of the eventual closure "simply was that things run their course … Look back at the production companies in business 15 years ago. How many of them are still around?
"I hope that when people think back about Propaganda, they remember its influence and legacy," continued Clawson. "I guess what many remember will depend on how the company handles its debts now and the implications of that on the industry. But ultimately, I hope we can look back at the extraordinary accomplishments of that place."
The same tenor is evident in the reflections of some who aren’t Propaganda alumni. Chris Cooney, co-chairman/CEO of bicoastal First Look Media Co., the publicly traded parent to bicoastal commercial production house First Look Artists, said he was sorry to see "the demise of a once great company, which was a significant part of our industry’s history and evolution. It’s a huge loss. It’s a company that will be missed. You never like to see this happen. I just hope it is not a foreshadowing of things to come for others."
