Steve Ross, executive producer of Cylo tvc, has also been named president of the bicoastal commercial production house. Ross joined Cylo tvc as exec. producer late last year—the plan being that once acclimated to the company culture, he would assume the presidency, succeeding Cindy Akins, who wanted to take a more proactive role in career management for directors. Akins now becomes Cylo tvc’s executive producer/director of marketing.
Akins was instrumental in bringing Ross into the Cylo fold—having worked with him years back when he was freelance producing and she was in executive capacities at bicoastal RSA USA, and, before that, at the former Jennie & Co. Cylo partners Julie Atherton, Beth Kinder and Akins initiated the search for a president/executive producer in early 2000, eventually linking with and hiring Ross.
Atherton is CEO of the overall Cylo, which encompasses both Cylo tvc and bicoastal/international convergent media firm Cylo itv. Kinder also straddles the two Cylo shops, serving as COO/ executive producer overseeing day-to-day operations. For Cylo tvc, Kinder continues to executive produce East Coast projects.
Prior to joining Cylo tvc, Ross was an executive producer at bicoastal HSI Productions. He earlier served as a co-producer on The Cell, which marked the feature directing debut of Tarsem, who helms commercials via bicoastal/international @radical.media. As a freelancer, Ross regularly produced Tarsem-directed spots shot in the U.S. Ross has served as a producer since 1983, first in New York for five years before relocating to Los Angeles, freelancing for assorted companies such as @radical.media, RSA USA, Jennie & Co., bicoastal/ international Propaganda Films and The Artists Company.
Cylo tvc’s directorial roster consists of Edouard Nammour, Rachel Harms, Jeff Kaumeyer, Vadim Perelman and Les Sharpe. Akins oversees a recently revamped Cylo tvc sales team, comprising independent reps Kelly Flint and Robin Fried of New York-based RnK, which handles the East Coast; Marguerite Juliusson and Dawn Ratcliffe, who cover the Midwest; and Mark Andrews of Los Angeles-based Where’s The Boards? on the West Coast.
Additionally, Akins will continue to serve as executive producer on projects helmed by Sharpe, who earlier in his career served as an agency creative in South Africa. Sharpe made the transition to director, first in the South African ad market through his own production shop, and then in Australia via Sydney-based Film Graphics, which continues to handle him Down Under for spot assignments. Last year in the midst of the actors’ strike against the advertising industry, Sharpe signed with Cylo tvc for stateside representation. He recently wrapped a Kawasaki job for FCB/Orange County Santa Ana, Calif., as well as two Pontiac commercials for Canada. Described by Akins as a "classic European director who’s escaped being pigeonholed," Sharpe has a body of work that spans varied storytelling disciplines, from visual to actor performance-driven.
Akins said that Sharpe fits the Cylo tvc directorial profile in that he not only can translate others’ ideas onto film, but also offers strong creative conceptual prowess. For Sharpe, the latter is rooted in his agency experience. Akins noted that conceptual ability has become invaluable for helmers in traditional commercialmaking, as well as in emerging new-media ad forms. Ross concurred, relating that Cylo tvc is looking for conceptualists as it builds its roster. He conjectured that Cylo tvc would ultimately add one to three directors.
Ross said he was drawn to Cylo tvc by its directors; the chance to be part of a management team with Atherton, Akins and Kinder; and a company philosophy which is committed to its helmers’ careers and cultivates opportunity in the changing ad landscape.
