Ex-Partners rev up Avion

Sounds as if the new ex-Partners’ will name their production house Avion Films, location tba at press time. Exec producer Paola Lazzeri says she and one of Avion’s three founders, Michael Schwartz, will rep two former Partners’ directors, Shin Sugino and Dan Hackett, along with a bevy of directors Lazzeri has been repping for some time, including Barry Dukoff.

Bessies buzz

ever wonder what makes the Bessies so popular? Along with the prestige, the international reel, the glory and the Long Bar, it must be that nostalgic, drive-in feeling. You know, the one you get when the lights dim, the spots start running and you and your girlfriend forget you’re at a sophisticated, full-dress (midday) awards show and start the make-out mambo, right there at your expensive table. Much to the horror of innocent by-sitters at the next table, which just happened to be the press table.

Elsewhere at the Bessies

kudos to Vickers and Benson producer Bev Cornish for thanking director/dop Michael Buckley for his contribution to the success of v&b’s smoking strategy campaign. Cornish took the mic to accept the Gold Bessie statue for ‘Dreams,’ one of three spots in the anti-smoking pool. The campaign also won Campaign Third.

But when the agency alumni went to the podium to pick up that prize, there was much back-patting of all agency staffers concerned – which is fair enough – but not a word for the production house. Auto focus camera technology must be progressing more rapidly than we knew. Thank-yous to production houses were in woefully short supply this year, and sometimes even the credit lists accompanying winning ads failed to mention a director or a production house.

A profound loss

the production community lost a talented, charismatic presence with the accidental death of Richard Radke earlier this month. While the shock and sorrow expressed by all and sundry have been most profound, key personnel at Radke Films’ Toronto office say the company will continue doing business, with the support of The Partners’ Film Company’s Don McLean. Radke had, as one producer put it, ‘a smile that could light up a room.’ (See also p. 1)