In an effort to reemphasize his role as a director, Magic Films founder/director Derek Case has joined Generator Digital Video Production. The production side of 10-year-old Magic will cease while the post portion of the company will continue as Magic Editing.

Case says the move was a case of wanting to focus his time more on the part of the job that has always been his primary interest – directing – and less on the administrative end of running a company.

Case will retain ownership of his 4,000-square-foot Sumach Street studio, which is equipped with camera and lighting gear, and will rent out the space and equipment to other companies when it is not in use for Generator jobs.

Generator head Mike Cooper says the move fits the agendas of both parties, with Generator making a bigger push into the film side of its business.

Generator was launched last summer with backing from Avion Films and is equipped for full digital video commercial production. The shop has since moved increasingly toward film production as well as its own long-form tv content, with several projects in development.

The diversity of the company was an attraction for Case, who is working on a documentary project on the Second World War and also has experience with digital video.

Joining Case in the move is sales rep Sandra Allen, who will work alongside Generator sales rep Jeff Greybiel.

*Credo back in spot biz

Winnipeg’s Credo Entertainment has moved back into the commercial production game by taking Critical Madness Productions under its wing to create a new spot shop, Credo Productions.

The commercial production house opened its doors recently with former Critical Madness executive producers Brenda Kovitz and Jeff Peeler at the helm.

According to Peeler, the backing of the larger, well-established Credo should translate into more business and bigger clients.

The shop’s roster includes directors Guy Maddin, John Paizs, Shereen Jerrett and Jeff Erbach, and the plan is to add to the list soon.

Credo Productions shot a 60-second spot for Parks Canada which aired nationally and is currently working on a ‘special project’ with Winnipeg’s Westsun.

*Painting the town Red

Red Rover Animation hosted over 350 ad people at the Guvernment’s Sky Bar Sept. 10.

The autumn party gave the company an opportunity to welcome new arrival, producer Shenny Jaffer, to the shop.

On the commercial side of things, the Red Rover crew recently wrapped a Pinesol spot for Palmer Jarvis/ddb and an Esso job out of Goodgall-Curtis.

*A Smashing debut

Smash broke into the world of feature film graphic design with the opening title sequence for Deepa Mehta’s Earth, just in time for its Toronto International Film Festival debut.

Robert Kraus created the graphics, Barry Parrell was supervising editor and Sean Atkinson served as post-production producer.

*Mowad hits the big screen

Navigator director Mark Mowad has crashed onto the big screen with a :60 for WonderBra’s surprisingly strong pantyhose.

Originally shot as a spec to round off his reel, ‘Crash’ features a burglar jumping into a getaway car and speeding down a dark street. When he smashes into a woman crossing the street, the sheer strength of her Silky Resistance pantyhose leaves dents in the car.

In honor of the spot’s premiere Sept. 22, WonderBra will host a small cocktail party in the Famous Players private screening room in Toronto followed by a word about the creative process and the production itself from Taxi art director Benjamin Vendramin. The commercial will then role, preceded by a feature film which is being kept under wraps until the event.

The spot was shot in Toronto last fall by dop Barry Parrell. Tim Ford edited at V-Clips and Andy Sykes and John Watson looked after special effects at Toybox. Wolfgang Web and Todd Cutler handled the track at Sound Core. Humphrey Carter was executive producer and Danielle Tedesco and Heather Angus produced.

*Burning desire

Vancouver-based commercial director Tony Pantages (Playland’s award-winning ‘Hungry Boy’ spot) recently completed another cool project, although a completely un-commercial one.

Pantages shot the cultural event known as the Burning Man festival, held in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada each year. The 20 hours of no doubt incredible footage captured will be part of a Webcast on the Burning Man Website (www.burningman.com) in the next few weeks.

*Clarification

Last issue’s storyboard on a spot for Body Fantasies by director Philip Kates and dop Doug Koch mentioned an experimental camera technique. Koch was not the first to come up with this technique. A similar device called an over-under rig is available at Clairmont Camera.