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

The Partners’ Film Company in Toronto has signed a representation deal with New York-based director/cameraman Bobby Sheehan. The deal is for exclusive representation right across Canada, with the exception of b.c., where he is spoken for by Sezwho.

Sheehan, who at one time looked to pursue a law degree, began his career as a stills photographer while attending nyu. He later moved into directing spots and quickly amassed an impressive reel. His clients have included Reebok, Motorola, Miller, Telus, Bell Canada and The Partnership for a Drug Free America.

To better demonstrate their new director’s versatility, Partners’ has created two reels for him: one for comedy and another for people and dialogue spots.

Sheehan has also directed a number of longer-format projects as well. He directed the feature film Seed, the Viacom tv series Johnny Time and the short film Customs of the Country, which he also executive produced. The short, based on a short story by Madison Smartt Bell, picked up golds at the Charleston and Houston International Film Festivals.

– www.partnersfilm.com

Circle Signs Loubek

Vancouver’s Circle Productions has signed New York-based director/ cameraman Christian Loubek for representation in Canada. Circle owner/executive producer Chris Bowell says Circle’s relationship with Loubek goes back about four years to when the director was working strictly as a dop based in Seattle. The production house brought Loubek in to shoot a pool of spots for the Vancouver International Film Festival.

‘They were done literally for nothing and they won best of show at the Lotus Awards,’ recalls Bowles. ‘He did a great job with very little to work with. [The creatives] offered him the directing role of the Vancouver International Film Festival commercials this last year and they won a merit at this year’s Lotus Awards for best television campaign.’

Bowell says from the very first viff shoot, he knew Loubek was someone to keep an eye on and is pleased to have him wrapped up in a repping deal.

‘He impressed me with his combination of strong visuals and kind of a unique and natural style, natural in the sense that his talent reads natural,’ says Bowles. ‘He is one of the few junior directors I’ve worked with that is strong both with the talent and the casting with a strong visual style. Often directors either have one or the other, particularly with the director/cameraman combination, but his visuals are very lush.’

Some of the spots on Loubek’s reel include work for Eddie Bauer, Mountain Zone.com and Alberta Tourism. Some recent work not yet on the reel or [at press time] on air are campaigns for BC Gas and a new campaign for Alberta Tourism. Both jobs are through agency Bryant Fulton & Shee, which was no coincidence. According to Bowell, the agency has become quite fond of the director/dop, dating back to their collaborations on the viff spots.

‘I think he is a real talent to watch,’ says Bowell, ‘particularly because of how this one agency reacted to him. I find these days agencies are tending to go with different players for practically each project. For an agency of note to give a fairly junior director three campaigns in a row is pretty much a sign that they enjoy working with him.’

Blink Pictures SCREAMs! with fresh talent

Toronto’s Blink Pictures has signed a deal with four-year-old, Hollywood-based commercial production house, SCREAM! Blink will represent SCREAM! talent exclusively in Canada.

With the new deal Blink now has access to Italian director Dario Piana, who has received nine Cannes Lions and was voted Italy’s director of the year thrice. Also available to Blink are l.a.-based director/dop Paul Holahan and Stefan Wurnitzer, a director/dop born in Austria, now sharing his time between New York and l.a.

-www.blinkpictures.com

Bogue Steals up

Sarah Bogue has been named producer at Toronto post-production house Stealing Time. Bogue has been active in the commercial production and film industry for eight years, having spent time at shops like Radke Films and Sesler & Company. She joined Stealing Time as an executive assistant and office manager 10 months ago and Stealing Time president/editor Alex Eaton felt confident enough in Bogue’s skills to offer her the producer position.

‘It has only been a little while, but she is doing swimmingly,’ says Eaton.

-www.stealingtime.com

New hires for Calibre’s matte department

Calibre Digital in Toronto has expanded its new matte department with two new artists and one jumper from its 3D animation department. Mark Fordham, the matte department’s head, has wrangled Allan Walker and Matt Schofield into the Calibre matte fold. He also enlisted the talents of Andrew Nguyen, a Calibre veteran, from the 3D side. •

-www.calibredigital.com

RR/HF adds two

Toronto commercial production concern Red Rover/Hero Films has promoted Randi Yaffa to executive producer.

Shop owner Andy Knight brought Yaffa aboard as a line producer three years ago, having worked with her on the sequel to Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.

‘I had worked at several live-action companies before I worked at Disney,’ says Yaffa. ‘Linzi [Knight, head of Hero] was getting into live action and Andy and I had worked together for two years on Beauty, it just seemed to fit.’

The Knights have also hired Chelsea Lee as a producer. Lee comes to rr/hf after six years with Young & Rubicam, starting out as a receptionist and leaving as a producer.

She says her transition from agency life to the production side has been surprisingly smooth, thanks in part to her new coworkers.

‘I worked with [Red Rover] a couple of times at y&r. They did really good work and they are a really great bunch of people,’ she says. ‘I decided it was a good place to move to that was going to give me a challenge.’ •