Toronto’s Industry Films has signed the roster from L.A.’s Rock Fight to an exclusive Canadian representation agreement, taking on spot directors Pep Bosch and Craig Champion and music video directing teams James and Alex and Blue Source (Rob Leggatt and Leigh Marling).

Rock Fight is run by Melissa White (former executive producer at @Radical Media) and Ned Brown (former executive producer at The Directors Bureau).

Bosch has applied his dialogue, visual and humor stylings on spots for Volkswagen and Orbit Gum. Champion, also known for his humor and visual work, has Burton Snowboards and some MTV work on his reel.

Industry has also signed L.A.-based, Toronto-bred director Aubrey Singer and will be selling him as a Canadian-based director. Singer, a former agency man, was the director behind the extremely funny ‘Exacting Standards’ spot for Jane’s Foods through Industry, which placed sixth in On The Spot’s 2001 Top Spots competition.

Australia’s Paul Middleditch has also signed on with Industry. The comedy/dialogue director has shot ads for Bud Light, Guinness and Blue Light, to name a few, and is represented out of Industry affiliate Public Works.

In other Industry news, former head of sales Eva Preger, who has been at the company since its launch in 1997, has been promoted to executive producer.

-www.industryfilms.com

Sparks alight with four with new directors

Andy Crosbie, executive producer and president of Toronto commercial house Sparks Productions, has signed four new directors for exclusive Canadian representation.

The first is Scotland-born, New York-based director Ewan Telford, who made a name for himself through heavily art-directed and effects-laden spots for The Discovery Channel, Red Bull and Shiseido.

Next up is New York-based director Liz Hinlein, who is well versed in the fashion category. Hinlein has shot ads for Mac, Revlon and Almay. The Fox Television special Britney Comes Home, featuring ex-Mouseketeer Britney Spears.

Telford and Hinlein are both represented in the U.S. by Tag Pictures.

Mike Stephenson also joins Sparks. A former agency art director, Stephenson has become a renaissance man, able to adapt to visual, humor, storytelling and real people spots as demonstrated on ads for Audi, Timebank, First Direct and many others. He is also a principal in the London-based production company Moon.

Dave Shelton, a director on Moon’s roster, will also be repped in Canada by Sparks. London-based Shelton’s work encompasses slick visuals on work for Lineone, dry humor on a Metz campaign, and silly humor on a spot for BB Soda.

-www.sparksproductions.com

D Squared up with Winig

Dan Kaminsky, a partner/executive producer in Toronto’s D Squared Picture Co., says the upstart spot shop has signed New York-based director Scott Winig.

The lion’s share of Winig’s work is in the music video field, on contract to shoot clips for New York’s Tommy Boy Records. Kaminsky and D Squared partner David Taylor hope to cross the director over into steady commercial work.

Winig’s commercial style is expected to be much like his videos; very bright, edgy and visual, retaining the hip-hop video feel for which he is known. His first commercial with D Squared is a spot for Tommy Boy artists De La Soul’s newest offering.

D Squared’s roster includes Toronto’s Terence Babb and New York’s Mike Malloy. The company will represent Winig for commercials and music videos exclusively in Canada.

Navigator signs Buckley

Navigator Films has signed director/cinematographer Michael Buckley to an exclusive Canadian representation agreement for commercials. Buckley, based in Capetown, South Africa, uses a heavily art-directed, visual and dramatic style and has shot commercials for American Express, Mazda, Nissan, De Beers, Miller, Molson, Budweiser, Air Canada and others.

Buckley’s first spot with Navigator is a McCain Food job through BWS Advertising. It will air early in 2002.

-www.navigatorfilms.com

Big signs three from Pandemonium

Toronto’s Big Film Company has signed Canadian representation agreements with three California-based directors from San Francisco commercial house Pandemonium.

The first to speak of is Richard Kizu-Blair, whose car reel is quite stunning, combining slick visuals and humor. He has shot spots for Nissan, Honda and Lexus, as well as Miranda and Budweiser.

Next up is commercial/feature director Mark Dippe, who is perhaps best known for directing the comic-book feature Spawn. Having cut his teeth at George Lucus’ effects shop Industrial Light + Magic, Dippe’s work is very effects and composite heavy, as showcased on work for Honda, Blockbuster and USPS.

The final new addition is Lionel Coleman, a director/cameraman. His highly visual brand of spot direction has been used in ads for Buick, Gatorade, Nike and HBO.

Lang Circles Canada

Circle Productions has signed L.A.-based director/cameraman Peter Lang for exclusive representation in Canada. He will receive his boards from both of Circle’s offices in Vancouver and Toronto.

Lang, a principal in L.A.’s Pictures in a Row, has not been represented in Canada until now. He is largely known for his high-end car spots, blending big production value with humor and action. He has shot commercials for Lexus, Mercedes, Honda, Nissan, Ford and others.

Filmblanc recruits from home and Chile

Toronto’s Filmblanc has signed a number of new directors from Toronto and Chile for representation in the Canadian commercial market.

According to Filmblanc president Noemi Weis, the company will now manage the commercial interests of Saskatchewan-born Lee Chambers, who is now based in the U.K. Despite his roots, Chambers has never directed in Canada before and Weis is confident that he will bring his European experience and meld it with what he knows about his native market to produce some very interesting work.

Weis has also recruited Toronto’s Brent Wickes, a former creative director at Calgary’s Creative Storm. Wickes will work out of Filmblanc as a director and as a sales rep. He has shot a number of spots for Rogers Media, as well as Shaw Digital Cable and the Diabetes Research Foundation.

Filmblanc has also signed on Carlos Garriga and Cucho Olivares, both based in Chile. Weis says they are similar in that they are both South American, very versatile and encompass a number of styles in their work. Garriga has shot work for Sony and Chile Tourism. Olivares works largely in the beauty and fashion category, having shot for Colgate and others.

-www.filmblanc.com

Correction

Circle Productions continues to represent Jeff Fleisig in the western Canadian market contrary to what was reported in the Nov. 26 issue of On The Spot. Imported Artists represents Fleisig for work in Toronto. *