McNally keeping busy at Players

On the West Coast, director/dop Roger Vernon of Cactus Productions spent two days in-studio shooting two 30-second spots for BC Hothouse through Lanyon Phillips Brink. The spots, featuring those pesky vegetable and fruit labels which refuse to come off or end up between your teeth, combined live action and animation executed by Rainmaker Imaging. Jane Morris-Berry was the editor.

Also in Vancouver, The Ace Film Company’s Allen Jones did double-duty as director/dop on a pool of four spots for the Vancouver Canucks. The assignment, out of Glennie Stamnes Advertising, will complement the ‘Missed Opportunities’ print campaign.

Cactus Productions shot two 30-second worldwide spots for Irwin Toys. The spots, which combine live-action and animation from the Alliance Communications/BLT Productions computer-animated tv series ReBoot, feature action figures based on the show. Instead of working with an agency, Cactus worked directly with ReBoot producer Christopher Brough of blt. The spots were directed by James Head, with Peter Woeste behind the camera. Post was handled at ReBoot.

Meanwhile in Toronto, George Morita at Avion directed and lensed a day for Lubriderm through Backer Spielvogel Bates, a day for Chrysler through bbdo, and a day for Sun-ups through Harrod and Mirlin.

Avion sister company Hoodoo Films is shooting three music videos; Prairie Oyster’s will be directed by Tim Hamilton, Charlie Sexton’s will be directed by Morgan Lawley and Derek Horn will direct for Taste of Joy.

At Radke Films, director Robert Black and dop James Gardner shot two days for Breton through dmb&b. Jon Hopp of Third Floor Editing was the editor. J. Wesley Jones directed and lensed three days out of Harrod and Mirlin for Nabob. The post was handled by Alex Eaton at Third Floor. Through Cossette, Brian Hickling and Jim Garbut codirected three days for Nike. Simon Mestel was the dop and Chris Brook of Partners’ Post was the editor.

The Players Film Company’s David McNally, acting as director and dop, shot two days for General Mills through McCann-Erickson Puerto Rico. McNally directed and Rene Ohashi handled camera on a two-day shoot for Labatt through Bozell Palmer Bonner, and Curtis Clark lensed a three-day job, directed by McNally, which saw them shooting hair for Grey Canada and Procter and Gamble. Barry McMann of Third Floor handled post for both shoots.

With Joe Pender on camera, McNally shot two days for Vidal Sassoon out of Tatham Euro rscg. Mark Hajek of Daily Post took care of the post. McNally picked up two more days from Jordan, McGrath, Case and Taylor and Calibre Digital Design. David Franco was on camera and Calibre will animate and post the spot.

Through J. Walter Thompson, Tom Ryan directed and lensed two days for Nabisco Premium Crackers. Third Floor will handle post.

Spin Productions has finished a 30-second spot for Ault Dairies’ Lactancia Ice Cream. Lowe sms is the agency. John Speakman directed, Rob Jones was animation director and the computer animation was performed by John Coldrick. RF Flyfilms rendered the traditional animation and Steven Lewis handled the final digital polish. Live action was produced at Magic Productions under the direction of Derek Case.

Dan Izzard at Damast Gordon and Associates directed and lensed two days for Kellogg’s through Leo Burnett and one day for Dairy Queen through bbdo. Post was handled by Denis Takacs at Smash for the Kellogg’s spots and by Joel Zigler at Shortcut for the Dairy Queen spot.

At Dalton/Kessler Productions, Ron Campbell directed and Sean Valentini shot two days through Padulo for Lotto 649. Wendy Linton at Chameleon was the editor. Bernard Leroux directed and lensed a two-day shoot for Macy’s, also through Padulo.

After being back at Derek Van Lint and Associates for only two weeks, Stephen Thursby landed a two-day project for Wal-Mart and SMW Advertising. Ryan McMaster will be the dop.

Also at dvla, director David Storey, working with dop Nick Allen-Wolfe, has completed a two-day shoot for McDonald’s out of Cossette. Chris Sanderson has wrapped a two-spot campaign for Samsung camcorders through Saatchi, with John Stanier out of l.a. behind the camera. The spots were shot in Orlando and posted in Frankfurt.

Stephen Yeates was director/ dop on a one-day shoot for Dove Soap through Ogilvy and Mather. And Derek Vanlint will direct and shoot a two-day project for Idaho Potatoes through the Evans Group out of Salt Lake City.

Paul Jay of High Road Productions Inc. directed a 30-second spot for The Keg through Campbell and Partners Communications. Joan Hutton was the dop and post was handled at Eyes Post Group. The spot will air on tsn this summer.

At Zoo T.V. Commercials, director Peter Lynch has just completed a pool of 30-second spots for Molson’s Carling Beer. The agency was FCB Canada. Tony Wannamaker was behind the camera and Leo Zaharatos at Chameleon handled the post. Allan Mestel directed two spots to raise awareness for St. John’s Ambulance. His brother, Simon Mestel, was the dop and the spots were edited by Chris Van Dyke at Daily Post.

In Montreal, Cinelande producer Andre Viau and the director/dop tandem of Bill Scarlet and Ohashi wrapped a big six-day on-location/ in-studio pool for Canada Post and agency bcp. Creative credits go to Sam Gold and Michele Leduc. The shoot produced three English/ French 30s.