Hot on the heels of news that Canadian commercial director Phil Kates is moving from LTB Productions to Radke Films as of March 1 comes news that he’ll continue his music video work through a video clip subsidiary to be set up by Radke Films. Nameless at press time, the music vid subsid will see executive producer/rep Deb Kiss putting projects together for Kates and any other Radke directors who land video clip jobs.

The 180-second commercial

Also off the beaten commercial path, Stripes has been busy putting together a three-minute promotional video for Entertainment Television Canada to use as part of its specialty tv application. Dozens of applicants have been regaling the crtc with their best specialty channel intentions for the past two weeks and will continue to do so on into March. And the Street hears many have incorporated videos in their pitches.

Memories of…

A new, all-digital, audio post house has arrived in Toronto. Producer’s Choice is located in the Command Post building and features three principals: veteran recording engineer Steve Hurej (you say it ‘hooray’), producer Mark Siversky and studio manager Barb Wenham.

Producer’s Choice hopes to offer a choice of two studios by May, if things go as planned, but for now it has a single digital suite up and running, one which has already been favored with its first editing job. The shop’s repertoire will include audio post assignments for spots and industrials, radio voice-overs and mixing voice into other elements, and audio for voice-only tv spots. They’re open for business to ‘anyone who needs a studio.’

Proctor gets that warm & fuzzy feeling

Directors’ reels get updated all the time, not only to reflect the director’s latest work, but just as often to show that the director is up with the latest trends.

One of the striking things about a quick tour through some of the important work of director Gillean Proctor is the timelessness of it. You could pick out spots at random from over the past 10 years – selecting from a variety of Chrysler, or Buick or bmw, add some Black and Decker, an Oreo spot that won a prize at Cannes some seven years ago – and create a Proctor reel that would stand up as well today as when it was first shot.

The director, who’s known for his clean and strong visuals, was in town recently directing his first commercial with Karen Silver and the Artists Company Canada.

Proctor says he’s looking forward to getting more work out of Canada now that he has been reunited with Silver in this new relationship. Silver has worked as Proctor’s line producer on many projects in the past. This is her first executive producer role with him.

While his distinctive look has only improved over the years, Proctor says he’s eager to take a slightly new direction.

‘I’m trying to move a bit away from that, to develop a more warm and natural look.’

Still, whatever small detour he might take, there’s little doubt that Proctor will retain his fundamental strength.

‘I always take away as much as I leave in. What’s important is to make the image work, rather than sticking in things that are irrelevant. And I also plan things very carefully. A lot of the work is done before I get to the set.’

Buenos dias Bill

Derek Van Lint and Associates hopes to boost its sales in South America and among Hispanic clients in the u.s. with the signing of South American director William Teale for worldwide representation. dvla was looking to break into the Spanish-speaking markets, particularly when it opened DVLA South Beach, in Miami, last fall.

South Beach pres Lorna Lambert says Teale, a native of Venezuela, has already logged more than 1,000 commercials, for such clients as Procter and Gamble, gm, Sony, Kodak, Coca-Cola and Visa International.

Lambert says Teale has a ‘bold, energetic look,’ and has shot for ‘every major advertising agency based in Venezuela, including Leo Burnett, J. Walter Thompson, McCann, Saatchi and Young and Rubicam.’ Lambert adds that Teale’s no slouch in the language fluency department, and can speak Spanish, English, French and Italian.

Oh, and Street hears that Lambert and Teale aren’t the only dvla personnel basking in warmer climes. Apparently dvla’s northern colleagues (i.e. those normally at home in Toronto) are looking at some serious mercury on a beer shoot in New Zealand.

Kicking it off with a cuppa

Revisions Partners’ has a new director. He’s Doug Bradshaw, of Doug Bradshaw Photography. Yep, a stills photog moving into the commercial jungle. ReVisions’ president Josef Ruff says the shop has done a half dozen or more full commercial productions over the past year and plans to do more, in addition to its ongoing revisions work… and Bradshaw will kick off his stay with ReVisions on a spot for Tim Horton.

The magnificent seven

Seven Canadian advertising types are forming a Canadian creative screening panel for the 34th International Broadcasting Awards, run by the Hollywood Radio and Television Society. The judges are: judging chair Wendy Miles, senior v-p at the TV Bureau; Bob Clemson, director of marketing and sales at Magnetic Enterprises; Nancy Fenwick, account supervisor, bsb; Romy Hewitt, president, Romy H SuperVisons; Sue Paterson, communications director, Kodak Canada; Patrick Spence-Thomas, president, Spence-Thomas Productions; and Chris Stone, president, Chris Stone Audio Productions.

Winner’s Circle

more on awards. Circle Productions snagged four at the New York Festivals, including two bronzes for Robert Turner: one in the professional services category for Wesbuild on a spot called ‘Westwood Plateau’ for Palmer Jarvis Vancouver and another for his Vancouver Film Festival trailer in the cinema commercial category. Eugene Beck struck bronze for a Kal Kan cat food spot for BSB Canada in the pet products/animal care category. And Wade Ferley picked up a finalist certificate for his BC Tel spot, ‘Premiere Envelope’ out of McKim Baker Lovick/BBDO Vancouver.