Director Sid Roberson has signed with New York-based Taxi Films for exclusive U.S. spot representation. Roberson, who hails from England, has directed humorous ads for the U.K. and European markets, and his style can be best described as outrageous British irreverence. He was last represented in the States by now-defunct Melsky Zander Roberson until the mid-90s.
In addition to his commercial work, the London-based Roberson has helmed a range of dramatic and comedic programs for U.K. television. Nothing seems to be safe from Robersons satiric skewers. If its sacred, lets put it down, Roberson said, explaining the mantra of Fast Show, a comedy he directed for British television. Its more difficult in commercials because people are more sensitive, but if possible, we try not to take ourselves too seriously. In First, a commercial for the snack Hula Hoops, two characters mock Queen Elizabeth I as they bluster the praises of the the snack product in thick accents. The spot was done for Publicis, London, through Roberson Films Limited, London, a company which the director runs and that represents him for commercials in England.
My belief [is] you might sell things better through entertainment than bashing people up. If people are on your side in the joke, I think it works. Roberson also noted that his London location would not prevent him from hopping the Atlantic to direct American spots since he already travels to other parts of Europe for directing duties there.
Roberson just finished spots for Volvo via Abbott Mead Vickers/BBDO London, and has upcoming commercials for retailer WH Smith through the same agency. Roberson is rewriting a screenplay adaptation of what he describes as a street version of Oliver Twist.
Roberson explained that he signed with Taxi because he had been looking to re-establish American representation and knew Richard Goldberg, one of Taxis executive producers. Roberson began his career as an art director for ad agencies including Saatchi & Saatchi and McCann-Erickson, both London. After his agency experience, Roberson became a photographer and was eventually asked to direct commercials and television.
Roberson is the second foreign director to recently come on board the Taxi roster; the other being Ian Gabriel, a South African, who currently runs his own production company, Giant Films, in Cape Town. He was previously represented in the U.S. in the early 90s by Rick Levine Productions, New York, and now-defunct Jennie & Co. His background also includes assorted anti-Apartheid film projects.
Gabriel joined Taxi in late December 98; the company represents him exclusively in the U.S. Elsewhere, the director is repped by Giant Films and its worldwide affiliates-except for Spain, where hes handled by Group Films. Gabriel said that for the moment he is booked until Easter, but said that he would make himself available after that to explore American work.
Gabriel has helmed spots for the European market, and has done commercials in genres ranging from humorous to technically intricate storytelling pieces. In Time Travel, a spot for international courier Speed Post via Ogilvy & Mather, Hong Kong, a courier carries a package through various settings that are moving backward in time. Giant Films produced the spot.
Executive producers Goldberg and Arnold Kaplan explained that the addition of Roberson and Gabriel fits into Taxis profile as an international company. In the last couple of years, weve taken directors all over the world, Kaplan said, noting that Taxi shoots have taken place in locations such as South Africa and Spain. And then we made it a point to try to get directors who lived all over the world. Kaplan added that he didnt think that either of the directors would have any problems bringing their style to the U.S. market. I dont think theres anything in either one of their [reels] thats not part of the American market, Kaplan said. We get more and more calls for directors who are not Americans. [Agencies] specifically want people with different points of view and different ways of looking at things.
Other Taxi directors include George DAmato, an American who lives in New York and Toronto, London-based Brit Barry Kinsman, New Zealand-based director/cameraman Ian Paul, and director Pieter Maas, an Amsterdam resident.
