West Coast-based production companies Accomplice Media and The Joneses have joined forces under the Accomplice name. Executive Producers Jeff Snyder and Mel Gragido will co-manage the company, overseeing a roster of 16 directors that includes award-winning filmmakers Don Burgess, Jeff Gorman, Vincent Laforet, David Jellison, Rick Knief and Hans Petter Moland, as well as the dynamic young directing team Sherpas Cinema.
Accomplice’s founding strategy is to grow into a next generation production company with the size and diversity of resources to attract top directing talent and service the world’s top agencies and brands while remaining nimble in an ever changing environment. With two experienced executive producers, the company will build on its base in broadcast advertising while pushing further into branded entertainment, web and mobile media, as well as television projects. The company’s directorial roster also includes John Bonito, Josh Forbes, Andy Lambert, Johan Skog, Sten Helvig, Anniken Lien, Duane Crichton, Tom Feiler and Guy Sagy.
The new Accomplice will present a wider variety of talent and greater flexibility while working with agencies to maximize creative projects and production value. “We are really focused on partnering our directors with agencies and clients to push creative concepts to the best place and then intelligently execute them to deliver the best results,” says Snyder. “We are very excited about the model we are developing and see huge opportunities for the growth of the company and our directors.”
Gragido describes the coming together of the two companies as “a perfect marriage.” “I like the energy and intelligence Jeff brings,” adds Gragido. “We’re going to be stronger working together than we were separately.”
Accomplice director Tom Feiler recently wrapped campaigns for Walmart and Sears. The Joneses produced a campaign for Springs Preserve with Don Burgess at the helm (fresh from his success as cinematographer on the Warner Bros. hit 42). The two companies kicked off their work as a combined entity by producing a soon-to-break campaign featuring New York Giants star Eli Manning as well as a spot for Century Link helmed by Pulitzer Prize-winning director Vincent Laforet. Laforet used the digital gyro stabilizer MoVI for the shoot, the first-ever commercial shot with the revolutionary piece of gear. The following week he was at NAB to assist in launching it.
Snyder launched Accomplice in 2010 after a stint as Executive Producer at TWC. He has a history of building directorial careers while producing work for such brands as Visa, McDonald’s, Speed Stick, Skittles, MasterCard, Kraft, Jeep, Burger King and many others.
Gragido has been involved with The Joneses for most of the last decade. Under his direction, The Joneses became the launching pad for a number of young commercial directors. He has also helped several top European directors gain access to the U.S. market, including Han Petter Moland, who recently won a Gold Clio Award for his work on Amnesty International’s No Means No campaign.
About Accomplice
Accomplice Media is a unique blend of award winning directors, visual media artists and creative production teams creating and telling stories for advertising agencies and brands through various media platforms. The diverse roster includes directors John Bonito, Don Burgess, Sherpas Cinema, Duane Crichton, Tom Feiler, Josh Forbes, Jeff Gorman, Sten Helvig, Vincent Laforet, Andy Lambert, Anniken Lien, David Jellison, Rick Knief, Hans Petter Moland, Johan Skog and Guy Sagy.
For more information, visit www.accomplice-media.com.
