Linzi Knight’s first cut was apparently quite deep, for the Toronto-based but nomadic director has landed a spot as a First Cut finalist.

First directing under the banner of Red Rover (known primarily as an animation shop), Knight is based out of Toronto with husband and Red Rover partner Andy Knight. Regarded in the commercial community for her design and animation skills, she made the move into live-action spot direction about two years ago, and has taken such a shine to it she is launching her own Toronto spot shop, Hero Films (see p. S1).

Knight began her career as a graphic designer in Europe. ‘I’ve sort of been all around the world with that, but ended up in London and was doing print work and working with a lot of music companies,’ says Knight. In 1993, she and Andy Knight opened an animation studio/post shop in London, the earliest incarnation of Red Rover.

Through friends at the bbc, Knight began doing motion graphics work on documentaries. This led to design work on a Special k commercial, her first brush with spot-making.

‘Before I knew it I was doing film graphics, which I really liked,’ she says. ‘I started doing very well at film graphics and one thing led to another. Soon people were suggesting that I start directing, and I figured, ‘I’m game, I’ll try that.’ ‘

Her first crack at directing came courtesy of musician Tom Waits. She directed and served as designer on the Waits video Pasties, which led to the inevitable. Knight was now a director, and she liked it.

To the surprise of some, Knight did not find the jump from graphic designer/animator to live-action director difficult at all. She credits her husband and her own knowledge of the business for helping to make the transition relatively seamless.

‘I’m exposed to filmmaking via Andy and I already know so well the process of understanding the script the agency gives you, storyboarding it, and various cutting techniques,’ she says. ‘In animation you have to plan all that stuff out before you put pencil to paper, whether it is cg or traditional animation. So I understood the whole process already and I had worked on enough documentaries with my friends at the bbc in London to know the aspects of production.’

In 1996, Red Rover and the Knights relocaterd to Toronto, and Knight eased her way into directing commercials.

Given her experience, Knight felt there was only one thing that could have hindered her in her quest to be a live-action director.

‘It was a question of seeing if I could direct talent,’ she admits. ‘That was the only thing I had to find out, and I had no problem with it. I kind of like it.’

Her ability to direct talent is obvious in four powerful Covenant House public service announcements, which she helmed in 1998. The dark and all-too-real looking psas tend to leave viewers feeling uneasy and thoughtful, arguably the way a psa should make one feel.

She has also called the shots on spots for Molson Export and irs.

Knight says she enjoys doing psas every once in a while and found the Covenant House job very rewarding.

‘I think it is very nice to put something back into the community – something you do well in business or really believe in and doing something for the community,’ she says. ‘psas need to be done, even though there is [seldom any] money in them, but that’s fine. Usually psas have some of the best scripts and ideas, and the agencies are usually really good about just letting you express yourself.’

Knight is excited about her place in the world as a commercial director. ‘I love what I do and I love having fun at what I do, and if that happens, you do good work.’ *