Director Marty Weiss has signed for worldwide spot representation with Cucoloris Films, the Venice-based production company headed by partners/ executive producers Linda Stewart and Bernie Wesson, and partner/director Danny Ducovny. Weiss was formerly repped by Santa Monica-based Trail Head, one of the shops in the Stoney Road family of commercial production companies owned by Michael Romersa. Last year, Trail Head—originally a hybrid spot production/postproduction shop—became an editorial house (SHOOT, 11/26/99, p. 1), later adding cutter Bill Marmor (SHOOT, 2/11, p. 7).
Weiss recently wrapped his first job under the Cucoloris banner: a three-spot package for Midwestern gas company Clark Oil via Shafer Condon Carter, Chicago. Additionally, he directed a Canadian campaign for the Heart & Stroke Lottery via Ogilvy & Mather, Toronto. The assignment was produced by The Partners’ Film Company, Toronto, with which Weiss continues to maintain an informal relationship for select jobs out of Canadian agencies.
The director’s final assignment with Trail Head was for Kia via Goldberg Moser O’Neill, San Francisco. After leaving Trail Head but prior to joining Cucoloris, Weiss helmed a client-direct short film for Anheuser-Busch which was produced by The Joneses, Santa Monica. It consisted of comedic sketches featuring actresses Portia DeRossi (Ally McBeal) and Gillian Anderson (The X-Files).
Wesson explained that Cucoloris’ relationship with Weiss dates back to the director’s days as an agency creative and director at DDB Chicago and its in-house production arm, Zone One. "We’ve always liked Marty and followed his career," Wesson said. "There are people whose paths you hope will cross with yours in a positive way. From there, it’s a pretty simple story."
Wesson added that Weiss’ work appeals to the company because it covers many genres and takes a contemporary approach to comedic storytelling. Weiss is also comfortable with integrating special effects.
Wesson also noted that the director has done a considerable amount of automotive work of late, including the Kia job and an ongoing campaign for Renault and the European market via Saatchi & Saatchi, Milan. The latter, which thus far has amounted to 14 spots over the past year-and-a-half, was recently nominated in the best direction category of the New York International Film Festival. The comedic, character-driven ads center on a young groom who, after being stood up at the altar, proceeds to track his runaway bride across Europe with the help of his Renault and several friends. Various spots were shot in Spain, Ireland and Holland. At press time, Saatchi & Saatchi was deciding whether the campaign would continue the established storyline, which has been a hit with the MTV generation, or move in another direction. Either way, both Wesson and Weiss were optimistic about the prospect of working on the campaign in the future.
Weiss joined Trail Head last spring (SHOOT, 5/14/99, p. 7). During his tenure there, he also directed a seven-spot campaign for Honda via Rubin Postaer and Associates, Santa Monica. Other recent credits include two Sprint ads featuring Candice Bergen for the Canadian market via The Partners’ and Grey Canada, Toronto.
The director said he was drawn to Cucoloris because of his longstanding relationship with its principals, and the fact that the company is "focused and well-managed." Prior to joining Trail Head, Weiss was represented for two years by Pavlov Productions, the now defunct commercial production arm of Culver City-based Sony Pictures. At Pavlov, he directed Budweiser’s "Space Party" via DDB, which was a Super Bowl XXXI favorite; as well as ads for Northwestern Hospital out of Leo Burnett Company, Chicago. Weiss’ first spot roost was San Francisco-based Pandemonium, where he helmed commercials for Mercedes-Benz via OWN +G, San Francisco, and Lowe’s home improvement centers via W.B. Doner (now Doner), Southfield, Mich.
Weiss’ ad for Levi’s, "Better with Age," was honored by the ’97 AICP Show in the spec category. A series of ads he directed for the Missouri Auction School through Zone One won various awards, including a One Show Silver Pencil, a Clio and several Gold ADDYs. Weiss is handled for features by Santa Monica-based Envision Entertainment, a talent management firm in which the aforementioned Romersa is partnered (SHOOT, 3/3, p. 1).
Weiss rounds out a Cucoloris spot directorial roster that includes directors Ducovny, Tracy Helms, Timothy Hutton, James Ivory and Peter Rodger. Cucoloris recently formed a strategic alliance with Berlin-headquartered DoRo, a European company active in music videos, concert films, television programs and spots. Per the arrangement, Cucoloris gains several benefits, including a conduit through which to procure international spot assignments (SHOOT, 1/14, p. 1).
