Director Phelim Dolan has joined New York-based TAG Pictures, coming over from Zero 2 Sixty Productions, New York. His credits there included Checks.com’s "Blue," through Doner Direct, Baltimore, and Lysol’s "Big Jobs" via McCann-Erickson, New York. At his previous roost—Shelter Films, also New York—Dolan directed such jobs as Tang’s "Wrecking Ball" via Ogilvy & Mather, New York.
Dolan graduated from Brown University, Providence, R.I., with a BA in dramatic literature in 1985, and moved to New York to direct for the theater. But by the late ’80s, he had decided to pursue a film career. Through friends in the industry, Dolan started to take freelance production assignments on what he terms "several low-budget and no-budget shorts and features." He told SHOOT, "I talked my way into being first assistant director on a lot of these things, when I really had no conception of what a film director even did. But I was organized and I could get people there on time, which gave me the chance to observe how directors actually did their jobs." A quick learner, by ’91 Dolan had landed a job as a producer at MTV. He helmed promos and image campaigns for the network’s on-air promo department before joining Shelter in ’93. He remained at that shop until signing with Zero 2 Sixty in ’99.
Earlier this year, Dolan decided to look for new representation in order to take his career to "the next level." Agency people Dolan knew mentioned TAG Pictures as a possible roost, recommending that he contact the company’s president/executive producer, Jim Golden.
Parallel worlds
Meanwhile, a parallel plot was developing: Golden, who knew of Dolan and his work, discovered that the director was seeking a new home. One of TAG’s reps—Perry Schaffer of Schaffer & Company, New York—had known Dolan for years and was very enthusiastic about him. According to Golden: "My response to a director is always tempered by the response of our sales folks. And Perry and Corey [Rogers, also a rep with Schaffer & Company] were instantly chomping at the bit for us to hook up with Dolan. They felt he’d be a really strong fit for TAG."
In early April Golden phoned Dolan—but, as the producer recounted, "I didn’t hear back from Phelim for a week or two. When he called I thought he was returning my call, but it turned out that someone at an ad agency had given him my name." The two met shortly thereafter and Dolan was on the TAG roster within weeks.
Dolan explained, "What really attracted me to TAG was that Perry and Corey were very enthusiastic and Jim was very committed to keeping the company small. That was a nice combination. You talk to a lot of companies that have two dozen directors on staff, and it’s hard to get noticed in those kinds of situations." Describing himself on the job, Dolan said that he likes to "come up with an approach that makes people think twice about what’s going on. I bring a different point of view to your basic advertising situation and come up with solutions that are unexpected." Golden pointed out that Dolan’s "strong background in postproduction has also made him a hybrid; Phelim is often there [in postproduction], designing effects and editorial solutions right through the end."
TAG also reps director/DPs Beth Galton and Gordon Willis Jr., and directors Christopher Reeve and David Rosen. TAG’s Dogtag Films, a New York-based production division, under executive producer Kendra Gelner, represents Vince Aamodt and Liz Hinlein.
TAG and Dogtag are repped by Schaffer and Rogers on the East Coast, and by Chicago-based Lauren McNamara in the Midwest. Willis is repped by John Gilliland of Conspiracy Austin, Texas, in Texas and Florida. At Finn Saxon Represents, Rachel Finn in Los Angeles and Mary Saxon in San Francisco handle TAG on the West Coast and Texas; while Sandra Riley of Free Lunch, San Rafael, Calif., reps Dogtag on the West Coast.
