DGA broadens its talent pool

Damast Gordon and Associates has added to its roster with four u.s. directors whose styles range from the almost tangibly high-energy to the laid-back chic.

Given the impressive talent evident on some of their reels – in combination with the skills already repped on the roster – dga should be able to supply agencies with a director for just about any genre of storyboard. As long as agency creatives find occasion to look abroad for directors, Canadian production houses see the advantage in representing from abroad (see Special Report on Commercial Production, beginning p. 17).

The new additions are out of Harmony Films in l.a. Beginning with the high-energy, break-the-clutter Charles Wittenmeier (director/dop), the look is bold, forceful and arresting. The touch is funny and assured. He’s young, but he’s got a good feel for touchstone cinematic moments and how they might be manipulated to suit.

For instance, in a spot for the Dracula video game, Wittenmeier leads into the light-speed pace and neon colors of the video game environment through the eyes of a young worker harangued by his boss for taking time out for the loo. Our protagonist fights back, from the seat of his comic book undies, by imagining a suitable fate for the boss. He envisions a Hitchcock scenario, his tyrannical boss snoring in a chair with himself brandishing a sledgehammer and the screechy strains from Psycho punctuating the track. Then it’s off to the mind-boggling edit speed of video game images.

But the piece de resistance on Wittenmeier’s reel is a spot for jbl car stereos in which a very ordinary type fellow becomes a driver’s seat karaoke virtuoso a la Mick Jagger. Such a funny spot because it takes to the nth degree that hidden desire in all of us to let loose and perform to the music. Sometimes we’re shower soloists, sometimes downstairs divas and in this case, the camera goes up close and personal with a road rocker.

This director has a belly-laugh flare for comedy, and consistently makes gutsy moves on the talent direction and pacing, all the while remembering he’s trying to sell something.

Further along the sliding scale towards family values is director Jeff France. Projects on his reel range far and wide and feature everything from parents showing their passionate potential in front of their wide-eyed kids to the unfortunate fate of a wand thief.

Hallmark spot

In ‘Passionate promises’ for Hallmark Cards, a fortyish, stylish dad comes home to find a typical scene of pre-dinner mayhem (courtesy three exuberant kids), with his softly tailored, slightly harried wife presiding. It’s Valentine’s Day but she’s clearly impressed when he presents a cardÉespecially when she reads its intimate message. Her main squeeze sweeps her into a dramatic dip, while the younguns look on, stunned. The eldest daughter presumes to ask to see the card but mom coyly tells her ‘No.’ Very, very nice.

France’s handling of talent is most competent and the light/texture composition of the scenes is tres natural. His pacing shows adequate range but spots on the reel tend to stick to mid-speed execution, neither too fast nor too slow.

Sensual Cope

Bring the content meter back a ways to the more sensual and we find the caressing camera of Gil Cope, director. You’d never imagine that a spot for Pay Less Shoes would create such a sensory ovation. The example on his reel almost makes you suspend your disbelief and really believe that wearing Pay Less’ products might suddenly make everyone that appealing.

Added to the visual stimulation provided by the fluid camera is the sense of ambiance Cope injects into several of the spots. The dancing light, backdrop and music track reminiscent of Working Girl seem tailored to a designer clothier, but surprise! it’s Sears.

There’s one dialogue-driven spot in the selection, a let-me-help-you-make-your-connection soliloquy with a natural, comfortable at&t operator front and center.

Less convincing is Cope’s NutraSweet spot which could have hit home a little harder. The idea is to show that you’re not really living in color if you’re not imbibing NutraSweet. The aspartame-deprived are pale pretenders compared with those vibrant specimens ingesting the sugar substitute. It’s just not quite funny enough. Cope excels where the visuals are king, a testimony to his background in stills photography.

Finally, Robert Lieberman. Strong with talent and at developing character personalities. One commercial for a rehabilitation program convincingly conveys a reserved, mature man’s many emotions on returning to work, evidently after an extended absence. There’s only a brief encounter between him and his supervisor as he visits the punch clock, but it says a lot about how thankful he is to be able to return to the daily grind.

Lieberman is similarly successful with a pair of boys splitting their Oreos in a Russian roulette scenario. Too little cream on your half, they threaten each other, and you’ll be stuck marrying some haggy classmate. ‘Bachelors!’ they rejoice when they get an even cream split. Then again, maybe that new girl might make them reconsiderÉ