Sparks Productions in Toronto has added Laura St. Amour to its team as artist representative, a new position the prodco created using the management design of a record company as a reference point. Sparks seeks to distinguish its directors in a saturated marketplace by focusing on developing directors’ reels. Amour will guide the directing roster as well as advise agency producers of how best to approach Sparks’ lineup. One of her aims at the company will be to help directors build and design effective reels.

Amour’s career in broadcast production began at Toronto agency Doner Schur Peppler, where she worked her way up to junior producer. Before taking on the new challenge of artist rep at Sparks, she spent four years as a freelance producer, working with a variety of agencies including BBDO Toronto and TBWA/Chiat Day.

Beyond Amour, there are some fresh faces on Sparks’ directing roster as well, including U.K.-based Michael Geoghegan and Hady and L.A.-based Kevin Bourland.

Geoghegan made his mark as a director right out of the gate with his award-winning video for Enya’s Orinoco Flow and has since become recognized as one of the U.K.’s top music video directors, working with artists including Simply Red and Robert Palmer.

His commercial career took off with award-winning station IDs for the BBC. He has directed spots for clients including Lycos, Nintendo, Honda and The Chicago Tribune, and recently completed a Johnnie Walker campaign for BBH, shot in Argentina.

Hady was born in Nigeria, educated in Cairo and attended both the London School of Economics and London International Film School. An emerging director, Hady has already been recognized in Campaign Screen and Creation Magazine.

Bourland brings his experience as an actor to directing. Fortunate to learn from commercial directors including Joe Pytka and Mark Story, his work is characterized by comedic storytelling and actor performance skills.

U.S. representation for Knight and three new Heroes

Hero Films has signed a deal with California-based V12, adding U.K. director Daryl Goodrich and L.A.-based David Hwang to the Toronto prodco’s roster as well as securing U.S. representation for director and Hero founder Linzi Knight. Juan Delcan, repped in the U.S. by Spontaneous Combustion out of New York, also joins Hero for Canadian representation.

Canadian-born director Delcan grew up in Spain and began his career directing for European TV networks. He has worked with advertisers including Coca-Cola and Total Oil. After moving the U.S. 1994, Delcan started working for the now-defunct broadcast branding company Pittard Sullivan in L.A. Two years later he moved to Lee Hunt Associates in New York and worked on an NBC campaign. Looking to venture into commercial work, Delcan joined V12 in 1999, a year after the company opened its doors. He moved to Spontaneous earlier this month.

Goodrich became a well-known comedy/dialogue director on the London scene for his wok on sports programs including Formula One, the NBA and U.S. football. He has been recognized in the commercial world for his national campaigns for Budweiser, Nokia and Panasonic.

Hwang formed V12 in 1998 and serves as its executive creative director. His first media gig was with ABC’s on-air promotions department where he designed promos for shows like Dinosaurs and David Lynch’s Twin Peaks. In 1993, he launched Two Headed Monster, a design/production/post boutique, where he worked on projects ranging from Team Suzuki spots to the opening of TV sitcom Friends.

Navigating The Joneses

Navigator Films has signed four directors as part of its new association with New York-based production company The Joneses. Adam Jones, Glenn Ashley, Doug Harper and Gary Weis are now repped in Canada by the Toronto prodco.

Weis gained notoriety in the industry as a writer for Saturday Night Live, while Ashley, a former Temerlin McCain creative, thrives on work geared toward a female audience.

Harper used to be an agency producer at Young & Rubicam in Chicago and draws on his keen sense of emerging trends to develop his comedic approach to acting.

Finally, New York’s Jones draws on his experience as a production designer to drive his talents for visuals as well as humor and dialogue.