Full Steam Ahead

Toronto commercial production company Steam Films is definitely building up steam these days with an impressive list of directors recently signed to its roster.

Sammy Ray Welch is a Toronto director who has worked with clients such as Burger King, Rogers, Molson, Panasonic and Labatt.

Steam has also signed the spot directing team of Carter/Blitz (Mac Carter and Jeff Blitz) and feature directors Bryan Singer, J.B. Rogers and Robert Luketic of Anonymous in Los Angeles for Canadian representation. In addition, the shop now represents video and commercial director Evan Bernard of Production League of America.

Carter/Blitz had an impressive reel of specs when they signed with Anonymous in January. Since being represented by Steam in Canada, they have done two Bell Canada spots.

Singer, best known for directing movies such as The Usual Suspects and X-Men, is currently filming a sequel to X-Men and working on a television relaunch of Battlestar Gallactica with Studios USA.

Rogers made his directorial debut with Say It Isn’t So. Before that, he had worked as assistant director to the Farrelly Brothers on Dumb and Dumber, Kingpin, There’s Something About Mary and Me, Myself and Irene.

A prolific filmmaker since the age of 15, Luketic made his feature film directorial debut with Legally Blonde, which grossed more than $100 million. He currently has a three-picture deal with Miramax.

Bernard has directed spots for Sony PlayStation2, McDonald’s, WBNA, Virgin Radio and Miller Icehouse Beer. Probably best known for his video work, Bernard has worked with Beastie Boys and Money Mark.

-www.steamfilms.ca

New director causing sparks

Sparks Productions, Toronto, has just signed on Los Angeles-based director David Emery for exclusive representation in Canada. Only in his second year of directing, Emery has already put together an impressive debut reel, noted for its humor and gentle storytelling.

Emery gained valuable experience working as line producer for award-winning director James Gartner for nine years. Through his work with Gartner, Emery has been involved in spots for Pepsi, Visa, HBO, AT&T, Fedex, IBM and Apple.

Early in his career, while living in California, Emery produced two successful plays in Hollywood, Death of a Ladies Man and Loud Fast Rules. He has also directed several music videos.

-www.sparksproductions.com

New director in D picture

L.A.-based commercial director Rob Thomas has signed an exclusive Canadian representation deal with The D Squared Picture Co. of Toronto.

With over 200 shooting days accrued during the last eight years, Thomas’ reel includes spots for Anheuser-Busch, GTE, Post Cereal, The Boston Globe, Labatt, Ames, CBS, Hershey’s and Horizon Airlines.

A graduate of the radio-television-film program at the University of Texas, Thomas is also an independent filmmaker. His short film Gerrard has screened at various film festivals and was showcased by Slamdance at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival. It won best comedy at eveo.com and was nominated for a Pixie Award.

-www.d2pic.com

I Spy a new head of sales

Former assistant executive producer at Toronto’s Spy Films, Joni Dick, has just been named head of sales at the company.

Dick has been involved in the spot production industry in Canada for a number of years. Before joining Spy, she worked at TOYBOX, as a motion control producer. She began her relationship with Spy as a consultant before signing on full-time in February 2001.

-www.spyfilms.com