With less than a handful of Canadian commercial talents specializing in directing fashion and beauty spots, L.T.B. Productions is parachuting new director Anthony Corindia into the category with the hope of keeping more of the fashion pool out of the hands of u.s. directors.

With a reputation for bringing up new talent (Philip Kates, Christopher Gentile, David Hackl), ltb has been looking to replace Hackl since he migrated to Apple Box Productions in January. Corindia, not new to directing but mostly new to spot directing, has spent the last year at his own company, smallworldfilmco., doing direct-to-client commercial and promotional pieces for companies like Civello Salon Spa. He signed with ltb April 19.

ltb will be capitalizing on Corindia’s sensuous sensibilities, positioning him as a director with an eye for the beautiful, the provocative. Corindia laughs, but says the lyrical, fluid sense in his work is likely a byproduct of growing up with four women in a Sicilian family of eight kids. ‘In a family of females, I think you develop a certain touch of dealing (with) and portraying sensuality.’

Corindia started in the spot biz in the early ’80s as an editor at D’Allan Film Productions, later Revolver Films. Leaving Revolver in 1990, Corindia worked as a freelance offline editor for the likes of tvontario and the Canadian Film Centre before starting work on a couple of documentaries (including one about the Canadian Festival of Fashion) and opened smallworld in 1995. Except for a brief stint at Zoo Productions, he hasn’t been repped by a production house before.

A lack of experience dealing with the agency side isn’t cause for concern, says Corindia. ‘Between editing, making films and building advertising work directly with the clients, I have a very good understanding of almost all the aspects of putting a commercial together. I’m ready to use what I’ve learned.’

It’s the chicken-and-egg scenario that the limited fashion work that comes out of here every year means few developed-in-country talents and more work for the fly-ins, adds Sarah Ker-Hornell, executive producer at ltb. ‘So we’re growing our own.’

Partners’ loss, Food Bank’s gain

Partners’ foyer, high noon, pre-Easter weekend chocolate-hunting. Tom McLean looks confident (although he might be hedging his bets by wearing light cotton shorts and a t), while gq mode Dan Ford cavalierly sports jeans. Ross McLean has a svelte buzz cut (and fields lots of quips about literally shaving off weight). No one is wearing shoes.

It’s weigh-in day, and the scale which will determine whether the gang of five has met their much-bet-upon 100-pound weight drop, is produced. ‘We just got that back from Laird’s, don’t touch it,’ quips a serious-looking Ford.

Don McLean is first up. Much huddling, furrowing of brows and general consternation ensues. ‘I haven’t gained weight,’ he attests. ‘Tom, where’s the official scale?’

During the hunt, witnesses take the contested scale and determine it is 10 pounds off. Unfortunately, the official scale confirms the original testimony: Don has gained. ‘This scale is not good either, I’ve lost weight’

One by one they weigh in. Joe Marin certifies the results: Tom’s down 23; Ross lost 27; and Dan wins some considerable side-bet cash by dropping 33. Elvis (accused of cheating for having one paw resting on the brick wall) is two pounds lighter.

Sean Valentini, who guessed the aggregate weight loss would be 78, was closest to the 76 pound final, and for his acute eye work takes home $760 bucks. The big winner is the Food Bank, which receives all the money raised – doubled – $1,520. Despite the duplicity of scales, Don ends up lighter as his wallet is bearing the brunt of letting the team down (or up rather, nine pounds to be exact).

While not relinquishing ‘the scales were faulty’ theory, Don concludes, ‘Maybe the floor isn’t level’

What? No shower scene?

Say what you will about the big u.s. motion picture studios, but Brent Wickes, creative director at Calgary-based Parallel Advertising Group, says they’re a co-operative bunch.

Wickes and company took a jaunt to Orlando searching for sets on which to stage three spots for Blockbuster Video’s ‘We Put You In The Movies’ campaign, from which the ‘Horror’ spot drew a best commercial award at the Alberta Motion Picture Industries Association awards gala earlier this month.

The creative behind the campaign shows the futility of viewer participation, with the Blockbuster video renter yelling instructions at the characters who ignore her. ‘Horror’ opens with a young man approaching a scary old house. ‘I wouldn’t go in there if I were you!’ screeches the woman in her easy chair clutching a bowl of popcorn. Naturally, the guy goes in. The camera pans back to show he’s entered the old Bates house from Psycho.

Yes, it’s the real thing, says Wickes. The Disney people gave them some options but it was Universal Studios that turned out to be more budget-friendly, and getting access to the Psycho set was easier (and cheaper) than they thought.

The spot featuring the house was put together for ‘well under $125,000,’ even though using the Hollywood icon easily gives it a $500,000 feel, says Wickes. ‘It’s a well-kept secret, certainly a lot cheaper than building something similar, and it adds so much to the production value.’

The other two spots in the pool, which was shot by veteran cinematographer Bernie MacNeil, also feature the bounty of Universal’s back lots – a 1930s back alley and a 1950s New York brownstone. ‘It’s a fabulous place to shoot,’ enthuses Wickes. ‘I mean, it’s designed specifically for it.’

That would explain why it’s called Universal Studios, would it not?

Revolving doors

And now that there’s more room at Partners’, auspiciously talented Mitch Gabourie is exiting Revolver to join the Partners’ director fold. At Revolver, a new dop has been added to the roster, whose style is deemed modern and edgy. Fresh from clip action for Black Walk, Chris Soos makes the move to boost his spot work profile and continue his music video camerawork. He began in April and has already shot his first commercial for Revolver, a Brinks job, with a video slated for the end of the month.

Director/dop Bob Perks has joined Heathgate Films from Radke Films. Perks, who’d been with Radke for two years, is a Toronto-born talent now based in Florida and will shoot a 30 for Maple Leaf Chicken as his first project with Heathgate.

On the agency side, Leo Burnett producer Brenda Surminski is going freelance. She is expecting to produce for both the agency and production house side, but has first loyalties to work with Martin Shewchuk, who recently left the agency side to sign on as director at Radke. After 12 years at Burnett, it was time for a change, says Surminski, who will set out alone as of April 30.

Speaking of Burnett, it was the creatives at that particular agency who are responsible for the savvy Fruit of the Loom campaign winning awards hither and yon and not bbdo as reported in last issue’s Word, with apologies.

After seven years at cbc as senior casting director, Robin Cook has started her own company, RDC Casting.

Oui, the people

Just in case you haven’t had your fill of awards and such, the Television Bureau of Canada is in the midst of the 25th annual Retail Comp retail television competition.

Consumers rather than industry peers are recruited as judges, who are surveyed to find if a) they liked the spot and b) if they’re inspired to try or buy the product or service after viewing it. BBM/Comquest tabulates the responses and Sunray Media, a market research company, recruits panels in small, medium and large markets across Canada.

Entry fees run as low as $60 per commercial for groups of 10 spots or more on entries received before the May 10 early-bird entry cut-off. Absolute deadline is May 24.