One year in, Venice-based MIGHTY has built a stable of multifaceted directors to fulfill its vision of becoming a new creative home for filmmakers, writers and artists working across the media spectrum. Company Owner Blair Stribley, who has run production mainstay Backyard for 20 years, determined early on that the new studio would be an autonomous entity that continues to offer traditional work, while also expanding on more experimental, visually-driven work, and he has recently sought two key talents who build upon that concept by adding the multidimensional Kim Nguyen and Spanish talent Hugo Menduiña.
"We’re focused on developing careers from a creative perspective," Stribley explained. “MIGHTY leans toward visual excellence, placing an emphasis on creativity above all."
They certainly found a unique voice in female director Kim Nguyen, a versatile MTV vet, who recently directed a series of MasterCard PayPass and Google Wallet commercials, and brings to MIGHTY an intimate familiarity with all sides of the advertising business, from copywriting to brands to production.
“When I surveyed the production landscape, I was looking for a studio that could see the potential in my history and help me break through to the many next levels,” noted Nguyen. “MIGHTY is the perfect home for me, as it is going to be a tremendous collective of experienced directors who can help a curious, collaborative young director like myself build a career.”
Menduiña has just wrapped work on a spot with legendary actor Clive Owen. A specialist in feature-film quality commercials, and known for employing subtle humor in his work, Menduiña captures the essence of a product in freewheeling adventures that leap across time and space, connecting with viewers through strong characters and powerful literary devices.
“After meeting with the team at MIGHTY, I knew they’d be a great fit in helping me realize my full creative potential,” stated Menduiña. “They have the resources, and, more important, the foresight, to help me elevate my work to a new plane.”
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Director Alexander Paul, who most recently completed the expressionistic short Film The 10th Floor and a three-spot campaign for Hyundai, via Innocean, has built a mammoth reel of more than 450 spots with elegant, lifestyle and performance-driven visuals for global hotshots Maserati, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Mercedes-Benz, Alfa Romeo, Porsche and Volkswagen. Currently, Paul is prepping a multi-spot package for Subaru with Carmichael Lynch.
This trio has emboldened an already robust roster of talent. Swedish import Jesper Ericstam recently won a Cannes Bronze Lion for the ambitious Whoever You Are, his cinematic 2:25 short for Norwegian State Railways’ largest bus company Nettbuss. Phil Brown rounds out MIGHTY‘s multitalented arsenal of versatile visual artists.
“These new directors, along with Alex (Paul), Jesper (Ericstam) and Phil (Brown), are MIGHTY‘s core, and their impetus to join us was to be with a company that can help them develop and that can attract a higher level of creative work,” said MIGHTY owner Blair Stribley.
"Because the marketplace is constantly evolving, there’s real value in companies and directors who operate in a multipurpose fashion," said Stribley. "Clients are looking for new ways to effectively spend their ad dollars to reach consumers – whether that’s through traditional spot work, online initiatives, mobile platforms, long-form work, live events, or whatever else – so there are going to be more opportunities if you’re playing on different fields, and having a versatile set of directors gives MIGHTY a huge competitive advantage."
About MIGHTY
MIGHTY is a creative production home for filmmakers, writers and artists who work across a variety of media, including TV commercials and digital content. Led by Owner Blair Stribley, its roster of talent includes directors Phil Brown, Jesper Ericstam, Hugo Menduiña, Kim Nguyen, Alexander Paul, and Executive Producers Kris Mathur, Eric Bonniot and Head of Production Cori Cooperider. The sales team consists of The Family: Chris Zander, Diane Patrone, and Anna Rotholz (East Coast), Them Reps: Jimmy Waldron and Wendy Morrow (Midwest), and Brad Grubaugh and Mark Andrews (West Coast).
