Like a salamander grabbed by the tail, when the commercial production industry loses a player a new one usually springs up in its place.

In the case of comm.bat films, the dissolution of the company has spawned two new entities, Mad Films, with ex comm.bat exec producer Mark Bisson at the helm of the Spy-owned shop, and now Navigator, the undertaking of veteran executive producer Humphrey Carter. Carter is in the process of assembling the new production company, which he will likely run solo. Roster decisions are yet to be announced.

comm.bat was formed a year and a half ago from Damast Gordon & Associates and Derek Van Lint & Associates, where Carter was gm. Director/dop Derek Vanlint plans to return to feature film work.

Carter says there are already three directors interested in being represented by his new company. From now until the middle of June, Carter will wind down comm.bat, dealing with bills and wrapping up things in general.

-More comm.bat moves

Former comm.bat films director Steve Gordon has found himself a new home at Radke Films.

Working on tabletop special effects, still life and lighting, Radke executive producer Scott Mackenzie says there are few in Canada who do what Gordon d’es as well as he d’es it.

At Radke, Gordon will be doing the same kinds of work he was doing at comm.bat as the company feels it is important to have local directors who can wear different hats.

Gordon’s recent work includes spots for Polaroid and TD Bank, and he hopes to do more experimental work in the future.

-Hold it

Look for movement in the area of withholding income from u.s.-based commercial personnel as the industry is in discussions with government bodies on the issue. u.s. staff typically have about 15% of their take withheld in lieu of tax when working Canadian jobs.

-New Molson man

New Players Film Company directorial talent David Cowdery was recently awarded a new Molson Export spot, beating out the likes of Jolly Roger director Curtis Wehrfritz and Partners’ Bronwen Hughes in the process. It’s a big win for the young director, who has a background in music videos and who recently received Molson New Canadian Talent Showcase honors at the Marketing Awards.

The directors were approached to pitch a Molson concept with a time-travel angle. Cowdery wrote the winning idea, which involves photography, fashion and post effects.

Shooting will take place the week of June 9, with Sean Valentini on camera.

-Cuppa spills over

Cuppa Coffee Animation has announced the expansion of its creative arsenal as well as its facility with the planned addition of a third animation shooting studio.

With the shop’s volume of commercial and broadcast design work increasing, especially from south of the border, Cuppa is adding the studio as well as a new edit suite to accommodate the heavier workload and bring the shop closer to complete in-house production capability.

New on the Cuppa roster are director Chris Mullington, dop/director Chris Romeike, animator Marek Colek and director/editor Justin Stephenson, who has handled Molson Dry dinosaur spots and recently directed Cuppa’s live-action shoot for Turner Broadcasting.

The shop is currently handling redesigns for two specialties ­ u.s. and Canadian ­ a pair of u.s. animated spots, and a live-action music video.

News is also expected from Cuppa arm Sargent York on a trio of u.s. development deals currently in the works. York and Nickelodeon are nominated for a Banff Rockie Award for the Short Films by Short People segment, The Adventures of Sam Digital in the 21st Century.

-New home for Videogenics

Busy Partners’ Film Company took a break from record spot-production volume for a little real estate action and recently purchased a building on Richmond Street in downtown Toronto which will house Videogenics. Partners’ also recently purchased a 7K Zenon, the lighting preference of many a dop and director and one of only a few in the country.

-Is that a Taz in your pants or are you just happy to see me?

the briefs that bounced their way to Bessies glory two years running will bounce southward in six new spots for client Fruit of the Loom which will air in the u.s. The Leo Burnett campaign is a rare and wonderful example of Canadian creative sought by a u.s. client.

The six spots are for kids’ underwear and feature character tie-ins with youth-targeted blockbuster movies. The clothesline concept is reprised, with characters from Batman, The Lost World, Disney’s Hercules and the ever-lovin’ Tazmanian Devil appearing in various forms in the ads.

In the case of the Taz spot, Looney Tunes animators created a fully animated spot where the blustering beast enters in characteristic whirlwind fashion, sucking up the clothesline and making the trademark Taz noise.

The pool was created at Leo Burnett by writer Lorraine Tao and art director Elspeth Lynn with creative director Jeff Finkler. The live-action component was shot over the past several weeks, with Kessler Irish’s Ron Baxter Smith once again directing. Music is by Rosnick MacKinnon.

Leo Burnett has been creating ads for the u.s. market for over a year, starting with the men’s briefs spots. The original women’s underwear campaign was such a hit the u.s. client picked it up to air in the States and all creative has since been created in Canada for the u.s. market. Leo Burnett has done about 46 spots to date for Fruit of the Loom.

-New DDB creatives

DDB Canada has added a new creative team in the forms of copywriter Patti Maxim, formerly of Chiat/Day, and art director John McDougall, most recently at MacLaren McCann. The pair will work on Heinz and Panasonic as well as other business as assigned.

-Burnett YTV’s new choice

In the wake of its split with agency Taxi, ytv has announced an agreement to work with Leo Burnett on a project basis. The creative team of Frank Lepre and Patrick Doyle will work with the broadcaster over the next several months to develop projects in conjunction with a new season schedule. Media services will also be rendered as ytv ponders its long-term agency requirements.

-Correction

In last issue’s scorecard for the 1997 Bessie winners, under the category of Music/Sound, the tally for Ted Rosnick of Rosnick MacKinnon was shy one merit credit, or 2 points, giving him a final total of 37 points.