Established commercial directors are the subject of this regular feature. Each issue we will profile their careers, accomplishments and the ideas that propel them to new advertising heights.

For the last three-and-a-half years, Montreal spot-helmer Sylvain Archambault has been among the most active directors in Quebec. However, Archambault’s path to success, over the years, has followed what he calls a ‘weird direction.’ In fact, the industry veteran spent a decade as a commercial producer before taking up directing, almost five years ago.

Having produced spots for La Fabrique d’Images and Cinelande, Archambault joined Jet Films (as a producer) nine years ago, a year after the company was founded. Since then, Archambault has not only changed career paths, dropping producing in favor of directing, but has also become a partner with Jet, which he says is ‘the biggest commercial production house in Quebec.’

Archambault explains the motivation for his change of hats. ‘We had an agreement with Radke at the time [I was producing]. I got frustrated with the amount of creative work I was sometimes left to do – because these guys were just flying in, right? And so I was doing the casting, I was doing the editing and I was doing a lot of stuff on set. And I was paying these guys a tremendous amount of money,’ he says.

Besides this frustration, Archambault was ‘learning a lot by watching these [directors] do their work.’ Relationships he had developed in his time as a producer also provided ‘some good breaks’ and a preliminary foray into the directing game. Archambault acknowledges Cossette in particular for smoothing his career change. ‘They launched me,’ he says.

For a while, Archambault continued producing as he began his directing career. Until, ‘the industry told [him he] would have to decide. ‘You cannot do both,’ they said. And they were right.

‘The first year, my goal was to change the notion of me as a producer. And that’s exactly how long it took. After a year the perception had changed,’ he says.

With the bulk of his work local, at present, Archambault says his real attraction is as ‘a French-speaking director who can direct storytelling. A lot of storytelling with actors. And, very often I have to tell a story without people talking. So it’s just human emotions, as they play it on their face – and the situation. I don’t shoot a strawberry falling in yogurt,’ he laughs.

Although very busy, Archambault has still found time to shoot some national and international campaigns, something he plans to do more of in the future. Notably, he has directed spots for Coca-Cola, Ericsson, Volkswagen, Molson and Labatt.

As a partner at Jet, Archambault has a lot more power than other helmers in this country. In fact, the partner/helmer is in charge of the Jet roster of directors. Unlikely to eliminate himself, and happy where he is, Archambault explains other companies he has produced for want him back ‘now that [he] is a money maker. But [he] always refused.’

New markets

Appropriately, the director’s future plans are tied to those of his company. Archambault says Jet will be buying companies in both Toronto and Europe, in the new year. ‘Obviously I’m a director that will be put forward in those deals,’ he says. ‘The deal [this] year, in 2001, is for me to shoot elsewhere,’ he says.

Archambault feels he is in a better position than many Quebec directors whose attempts to break into outside markets, particularly Toronto, have failed. ‘It never happens! Jean-Marc Piche [is the only exception], because he moved there and is married to a Toronto girl.

‘I can totally direct in English and French, which is a great asset for me in Toronto. I’m now repped by Partners’ in Toronto and I’m one of the only directors from Jet that [McLean] has repped in Toronto. Don wants to break that nut,’ Archambault explains.

‘I could direct a French and English national spot. Very often [there is] an English director doing the job and then there’s the French version. And it’s never that great. But, if one director oversees the entire event, if the director injects his style both in French and English, then we have some kind of homogeneity in the communication – which is something that has never really happened in Canada. I think we are now ready for it – and I’m the guy to do it,’ he says.

Archambault also believes the Quebec spot-makers’ ability to ‘stretch the buck’ will be valuable as he expands his horizons. ‘We learn from kindergarten to really give for the money. When I reach the [Toronto] market, they’ll see how for the same money, they’ll have a lot more,’ he explains.

If there is something Archambault would like to see change in the industry, it is the attitude of many of his fellow Canadian directors. ‘You have to offer yourself to the film, you must not offer yourself the film. I tell this to all the directors I meet.

‘And also, what I totally deplore is that now, very often, we are filming a budget. We’re not budgeting a film. Which is so wrong. You know, [if we can’t afford to make it properly], create something else!’ he says.

As for long form, Archambault believes his storytelling instincts will eventually lead him into that side of the business. But he will ‘never, never leave commercials.’ Archambault says he has been involved in so many productions (as both producer and director) that he now constantly thinks in 30-second blocks. *