Director navigates way to Canadian representation

Toronto-based Navigator Films has signed Canadian director Mitch Gabourie for commercial representation in Canada’s English-language markets.

Since his commercial debut in the mid-1990s, Gabourie has been a Bessie finalist for his White Ribbon PSA. He has also done work for Time Warner, Kodak, Sony PlayStation and Pontiac. His ability to combine quirky humor and striking visuals has earned him a strong reputation in both Canada and the U.S.

Cinelande in Montreal has also picked up Gabourie, marking his first representation in the Quebec market. Gabourie says the reel he brings to Cinelande is all-new. ‘Ultimately it comes down to storytelling,’ says Gabourie. ‘This has been another good year and there have been a lot of reel-makers.’

Gabourie also works in long form. He recently finished work on several episodes of Bravo!’s Arts and Minds, as well as a two-hour doc special about the mob in Canada for History Television.

-www.navigatorfilms.com

D’Amours turns to Voodoo

Frederik D’Amours has just signed on as a director with Voodoo Arts in Montreal. Prior to joining the team at Voodoo, D’Amours was on the roster of Montreal-based Cinelande.

He has almost 10 years experience directing commercials for a number of Montreal-based agencies. He has done spots out of Cossette, Groupaction/JWT, Diesel, Palm, SJVY&R, Martin, Marketel and PNMD.

His work has been recognized for excellence numerous times by the Publicite Club de Montreal.

D’Amours has also directed several short films and television specials.

-www.voodooarts.com

Animation director becomes a Guru

Bryan Huo has just joined the team at Toronto’s Guru Animation Studio. Huo is recognized in the industry for his technical achievements. He is probably best known for his work as animation director on six Pillsbury Doughboy spots for D’Arcy, NY and Leo Burnett, Toronto, through Topix.

Using Softimage/XSI’s Global Illumination, Huo was instrumental in achieving the high-quality rendering on the Pillsbury spots.

Huo traveled an unlikely road to end up an animation director. He completed a degree in chemistry before choosing to study computer animation at the International Academy of Design.

-www.gurustudio.com

Stealing Time tags Thomson

Dave Thomson joins Stealing Time Editing as the company’s fifth senior editor, after working at Third Floor Editing for six years, two as an assistant and four as editor. While at Third Floor, Thompson worked on spots for Royal Bank, Bell Canada, Cadbury and Gatorade. Stealing Time senior editors Alex Eaton and Greg Edgar both worked with Thomson at Third Floor before joining Stealing Time.

Executive producer Sarah Bogue says Thomson’s softer tones and visual storytelling insight complement Stealing Time’s editing style, which often takes a comedic approach.

-www.stealingtime.com

Relish hot for Ross Birchall

Ross Birchall has been promoted to full editor at Toronto’s relish. Birchall began working in the video assist department of Toronto’s The Partners’ Film Company. Since then he has studied filmmaking at NYU, shot and edited his own films, and in 1998 joined Partners’ Post as assistant editor to Steve Manz. He followed Manz from Partners’ to School Editing and finally to relish, where crazy hours have now paid off.

‘He was assisting by day and cutting by night,’ says Kate Bate, executive producer at relish. She explains that Birchall’s promotion to full editor was a natural progression because of the skill and dedication he demonstrated as an assistant editor.

One of Birchall’s spots has already been selected for the July 2001 Shots reel, and since joining relish one month ago, he has worked on spots for Rogers out of MacLaren McCann and Procrit with Anderson DDB and has completed two music videos for The Players Film Company and for Hoodoo Films.

Downing on his way up at Radke

Radke Films has signed director Michael Downing for worldwide representation. To get his feet wet in advertising, Downing directed three spec spots for Rogers Cable out of MacLaren McCann, all of which were subsequently sold and aired. His talent for dialogue-driven storytelling allows him to work in both commercials and long form. He is represented by U.S.-based Benderspink Management for feature work.

Downing studied directing at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles. After graduating, Downing wrote and directed Clean-Rite Cowboy, which was nominated for best live-action short drama at the 2000 Genie Awards.

-www.radkefilms.com

Generator introduces young gun

Generator Films has nabbed a fresh face from long form, adding Benjamin Weinstein to its Canadian director roster, marking his first representation in the commercial world. Weinstein, who recently returned to Toronto from L.A., was born in Winnipeg and graduated from McGill University in Montreal before moving to California, where he was the manager of creative affairs in the feature film division of Alliance Atlantis L.A.

Generator is excited by the prospect of new talent. ‘We have been building our roster and continue to do so,’ says Sarah Ker-Hornell, executive producer at Generator. ‘We are committed to homegrown talent and won’t let the market change that.’

-www.generatorfilms.com