Who’s gone where? From where? And when? As the Revolving Doors spin, we put the spotlight on spot-makers on-the-move.

The Directors Film Company in Toronto has signed a deal with Academy Commercials in London, Eng. to represent nine Academy directors in Canada. Academy is headed by executive producers Nick Morris and Lizie Gower.

New to Directors’ roster are Matthijs Van Heijninjen, Peter Cattaneo, Walter Stern, Chris Dada, Stephen Mead, Martha Fiennes, Nick Gordon, James Griffiths and Jonathan Glazer. The latter was in Hogtown last month for a screening of his first feature film, Sexy Beast, at the Toronto International Film Festival. According to Morris, the director found the experience ‘a bit daunting.’

‘He’s not used to being in the spotlight quite that much,’ says Morris. ‘He’s very relieved because [the screening] seems to have gone over extremely well. To get through your first feature is quite an achievement. For so many [commercial] directors – very good directors, too – who go on to make many great movies, their first feature film is quite often a disastrous experience. It’s just so different to making commercials and it’s a big shock.’

Glazer joins many of his Academy colleagues in the feature film club, including Cattaneo, director of The Full Monty.

The deal marks Academy’s first foray into the Canadian market.

‘[Directors executive producer] Susi Patterson made an approach to me and it was an extremely good approach,’ says Morris. ‘She sold us on the idea of looking to Canada for work. She was very straightforward and articulate, and she sold me on the whole idea. We’re delighted.’

Patterson is equally delighted. ‘They have such a stellar roster; they’re like rock stars,’ she says of her new u.k. partner. ‘I think our market is sophisticated enough that they are looking for great talent. They like to see what’s the best in the world, and the industry is so global nowadays they can have it.’

Adds Morris: ‘The globalization of the market has taken place at a frightening speed over the last few years. London has changed a lot in the last three or four years and at long last we are coming out of our shells and embracing the opportunity to work with all the other markets. We really didn’t a few years ago. I personally find it very enriching with the different cultures. It’s early days but we seem to have gotten off to a good start. I’m looking forward to discovering the [Canadian] market.’

The first Academy gig through Directors goes to Dada, who is hopping the pond this month to shoot the job in Toronto. Details are being held close to the chest.

*Making the cut at Blue Highway

Blue Highway assistant editors Joanne Shaw and Aileen McBride are now wearing the mantle of full-fledged editors. Executive producer Joanna Vanlint says the two have really started to make names for themselves since following the Blue Highway crew from their former digs at Chameleon in May ’99.

‘They’ve been with Blue Highway since the beginning,’ says Vanlint. ‘Aileen was assistant to Leo Zaharatos and Joanne was assistant to Andy Attalai. They’ve been editing in their own right for a while and they are starting to get really busy now.

‘It’s been a gradual process,’ Vanlint adds. ‘They are still assisting when they are not busy, but when they have a job in, it’s their job.’

Shaw has been hard at work cutting the new campaign for Toronto radio station chum-fm, directed by Radke Films’ Martin Shewchuk. According to Vanlint, Shaw has a great sense for cutting comedic ads and soon will be working with Shewchuk on a new Trident spot. She has also edited spots for Kellogg’s, Florida Panthers and Arby’s.

McBride is in the midst of cutting a feature film. The bilingual McBride has cut spots in French for McCain and The Bay, and in English for Tim Hortons and Triscuit, along with a number of public service announcements.

‘Aileen is a completely different style from Joanne,’ says Vanlint. ‘She is more of a flowing, stylized type. She does less of the comedy work. She has more insight into longer format and that kind of thing, but she is very much interested in continuing commercials. I think she’s a well-rounded editor; they both are.’

*Trailer hitches Yuki, Suchman

Toronto’s Trailer Park Films has added a pair of young u.s. directors – Steve Suchman and Yuki – to its roster for exclusive representation in Canada.

Based out of Los Angeles, Suchman, who recently signed on with Cylo in the u.s., has a background in production design, contributing to set designs and storyboards for such feature films as The Lawnmower Man, Bob Roberts and Sliver. He was also production designer on the imax films T-Rex: Journey To Its Lost World and Siegfried & Roy: The Magic Box. Suchman’s first commercial, a spec spot for at&t, landed him a finalist spot at the 1999 AICP Awards.

Tracy Ternan, Trailer Park directors rep, says Suchman’s previous vocation as a production designer shines through in his spot work and his reel is destined to impress.

‘His background in production design gives his spots a really amazing sort of well-thought-out and detailed look,’ she says. ‘There is a spot on his reel for Motorola that is just unbelievable. It’s what hooked us on the reel.

‘His overall reel was very good-looking; he’s got some beautiful stuff on there. And as a person he is very interesting and totally go-get-’em – very enthusiastic and very creative.’

The second addition to Trailer Park, Japan-born, Hollywood-based Yuki, is repped in the u.s. by dna.

Still considered an up-and-comer, the young director has the look and reel of an established pro, says Ternan. Not to mention the accolades: Yuki won a silver Clio for her direction of Kirin Beer’s ‘Pig’ spot and made the 1999 Clio shortlist with a spot for Fila.

‘She has this great kind of Japanese-American combination influence,’ says Ternan of her new client. ‘She has a really great eye. Her sense of look and her sense of timing are really nice. Her reel is quite interesting. She is new on the scene and she is quite cool.’

*Avion grabs Giraldi

Avion Films executive producer Michael Schwartz reports the signing of director Bob Giraldi. The New York-based helmer joins Avion from Industry Films.

Giraldi has just wrapped his first job with Avion – a seven-day shoot for an undisclosed u.s. client. Other spots on the director’s reel include Budweiser, Hallmark, Volvo, US West, Alltel and Molson.

*Lowe moves up at Y&R

Doug Lowe has been appointed senior vp, chief of staff at Young & Rubicam. Lowe, previously director of broadcast, will remain active in the production department while overseeing the human resources and creative departments along with Shared Technology Services, y&r’s internal it/computer network.

Lowe is replaced as director of broadcast by Diane Kirk. Kirk, who joined the agency in 1993, will oversee the broadcast production department. *