Toronto’s Avion Films recently signed a deal with The Institute, which adds Avion director Tim Hamilton to the L.A. prodco’s roster for U.S. representation. The deal makes Hamilton one of two directors represented by the six-month-old company. The reciprocal deal also gives The Institute’s Michael Bay, director of U.S. blockbuster Pearl Harbor, Canadian representation at Avion.

‘It seems like a really good fit, and obviously being at Michael Bay’s company is prestigious to say the least,’ says Hamilton, who has been at Avion since the company launched in 1994.

In addition to directing spots, Hamilton also directs and writes for long form. He cowrote and directed the short film Truth in Advertising, which screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2001, which led to Hamilton directing the first six episodes of Steve Martin’s sketch comedy series Downer Channel out of L.A.-based International Creative Management.

Hamilton says the new relationship with The Institute will draw on his conceptual as well as directing talents as the prodco ‘is interested in people who have the ability to move between the mediums, between long form and short form, and sees the two converging.’

Despite growing opportunities south of the border, Hamilton remains firmly rooted in Canada. ‘Because the majority of work I want to do is Canadian anyhow, I haven’t been in a rush to get out and really break into the American market,’ he says. ‘I think it will happen at its own speed and this seems like a good place to do it.’

Avion has also signed Italian director Ago Panini for exclusive Canadian representation. Born in Turin, Italy, Panini, now 35, started his first production company Outtatime, which focused on music videos, when he was 24. He started directing commercials in 1997 with FilmMasterMilan and worked on spots for clients including Fiat, Toyota and Ford. In 1999, he started working in Germany for GapFilms Munch, further developing his automobile-oriented reel. In 2000, Panini started working in the U.S. with L.A.-based Tate and Partners, and recently signed an exclusive contract with Chelsea Pictures for U.S. representation.

Radke signs Anicic

Sean Anicic has joined Radke Films following a one-year tenure at Pure Film. The move appears to be paying immediate dividends as the 27-year-old helmer who, after only a few weeks in his new digs, has completed a spot for Budweiser titled ‘Taxi’ through Downtown Partners.

‘He has a fresh and unique approach to tackling creative, as well as budgets,’ says Amy Renaud, Radke’s head of sales, adding that tight budgets are providing opportunities for young helmers such as Anicic. ‘Having him on the roster now is great because there really seems to be that need for up and comers,’ she says. ‘It’s allowing people to see what the new guys are actually capable of.’

While at Pure, Anicic shot spots for brands including Nestle and the Woodbine Entertainment Group.

Red Rover calls Skyler over

Toronto’s Red Rover Studios has signed Portland, Oregon’s Skyler Animation for Canadian representation. Skyler is known for stop-motion animation and its work on productions such as MAD TV, MTV’s Celebrity Deathmatch and commercials for brands including Planters Peanuts and Round Up weed killer.

Red Rover’s Dave Clarke says there has been a lot of demand for stop-motion work in commercials.

‘We are thinking of going more into music videos for animation, and that would bring in more stop motion as well,’ he says.

Hyslop joins Spank Films

Spank Films welcomes directors James Hyslop and Sammy Ray Welch as the newest members of irs team.

Hyslop, a former naval officer who went on to run his own ad agency before turning to directing, was previously at LTB Productions. He has worked on over 200 commercials for brands including Wal-Mart, Honda and Nabisco. He also directed documentaries, one of which allowed him to tour with Black Sabbath.

Welch also started out in advertising and documentaries, and has won marketing awards for brands such as Peoples Jewelers and Timex. Prior to joining Spank, he was directing at Steam Films. His strengths lie in his eye for casting and shooting quirky comedy spots, says Spank’s Laira Thomas.

Thomas says both men are ‘traditional storytellers who have the ability to find a beginning, middle and an end and make it a story in 30 seconds.’

Five new at newnew

Newnew Films recently signed Thom Higgins, Brent Thomas and Mark Reber of Greendot Pictures for Canadian representation. Newnew has also signed on the directing team of Quinn & Cashman, a duo who met through mime school in London.

Hutchins joins D Squared

Andrea Hutchins is the new executive producer at D Squared Picture Company. Previously, Hutchins worked with Apple Box Productions as executive sales rep. Her first task on board will be promoting the current D Squared directors and searching for new talent to round out the prodco’s roster. Hutchins will also be assisting exec producer David Taylor on job quotes.

Mann says Ello Luv

Toronto production company Ello Luv has signed award-winning director and writer Farhad Mann. Mann has been directing for almost 20 years, with his commercials winning many international awards. Some work Farhad has directed include spots for Pepsi, Budweiser, McDonald’s and Toyota.

Most recently, he directed six AIDS PSAs for Burrell Communications in Chicago.

Budnick says how do you do to Hoodoo

Viktor Budnick has joined Hoodoo Films as tabletop director/cameraman. Budnick started out as a stills photographer for food, and merged into moving pictures in 1994. Budnick was in Canada two years ago with The Partners’ Film Company. Most recently, he worked for the James Gang in Dallas, TX.

Patriquin gets Mad

Jordan Patriquin is Mad Films’ newest director. Patriquin started out as a PA in the Toronto commercial production industry after getting his degree at Brock University in 1995. From there he moved on to become an assistant director, when he wrote, produced and directed spots for surfline.com and Visa.

Most recently, he completed a PSA for anti-drug.com in the U.S. and also won the 2002 Aurora Gold Award for his work on a ‘drive safe’ PSA for Canada’s telecommunications industry.