What's Shakin' in Production and Agency News

Kommitted Films Names Marc Siegel Ex. Producer - Nathan McGuinness, the Academy Award-nominated CEO/Creative Director of Asylum Visual Effects, has officially launched Kommitted Films. Since informally establishing the company late last year as a means of pursuing a natural evolution into directing, McGuinness has completed some twenty spots, including recent projects for Nintendo (via Leo Burnett/Chicago) and Tylenol (via Deutsch/NY). He now has named Marc Siegel the company's Executive Producer, and the endeavor, which McGuinness describes as "a very small big thing," is poised to expand its directorial roster and is fielding feature projects in addition to spot work. "Once I decided to direct, the Kommitted vision popped up," recalled McGuinness. "I wanted a comfortable personal working environment that carries the production value over from the projects I've worked on as a supervisor. I've spent so much time out shooting visual effects and I've grown very comfortable behind the camera," McGuiness said. "That drove home the desire to expand into directing." Working alongside the most celebrated names in filmmaking, McGuinness knew that Kommitted had to enter the marketplace at the highest possible level. That led to the appointment of industry veteran Siegel. After fifteen years traveling the world producing Levi's, American Express, and countless other campaigns for the legendary Leslie Dektor, Siegel spent the past three years exec producing for directors such as Jim Manera, Tenney Fairchild, Leonardo Ricagni, Buddy Cone, Gary Johns, and James Wahlberg. "With Kommitted, I was determined to be in a league of extraordinary gentlemen and Marc more than fit that bill," McGuiness explained. "This is not your traditional build," Siegel said of McGuinness the director. "Nathan is a person whose talent is well-established, and directing spots – and films – is an extension of that experience." McGuinness maintains a flexible vision for Kommitted in terms of its growth potential. "I would love to cultivate and support the best young directorial talent out there and company size is not a real factor." Actively involved in commercials via Kommitted and Asylum, McGuinness is ready for a feature, but is holding out for the right one. "What drives me is beautiful storytelling that draws on the visual element to serve the narrative," he said. "I want to be a storyteller for the rest of my life and it's that inspiration and passion that propels me."

Anonymous Content signs Rob Cohen - Anonymous Content recently added the talent of Rob Cohen, director of mega-hits like Fast and the Furious and XXX, to its directorial roster. Cohen is best known for his nearly three decades of versatile feature filmmaking, but also brings a powerful commercial background to Anonymous Content. In addition to several high-profile films currently in development, Cohen’s recent commercial credits include work for Saab, Coors Light, and Mercedes. "I really enjoy working across all platforms. Whether it's a film or a commercial, storytelling is the key and each outlet gives me the opportunity to push visual limits, yet with entirely different parameters," noted Cohen. Cohen cultivated his passion for filmmaking while attending Harvard University, quickly rising through the entertainment industry across both film and TV and developing a reputation for his talents for bringing a story to life through visual effects. His recent commercial work includes Saab "Born from Jets" through Lowe, NY, Coors Light "Crop Circles" for FCB Chicago, and Mercedes "Cruisin'" for Merkeley, NY.

Hadrian’s Wall to take Zig name - Toronto ad agency Zig, a MDC Partners agency, is joining the U.S. ad marketplace with Chicago as its first U.S. location. The agency recognized for its creative excellence and award winning work will partner with Chicago’s savvy ad boutique Hadrian’s Wall. Zig and Hadrian’s Wall, whose principal management has worked together in the past, share the same media neutral philosophies and strong brand building ideas to meet their broad base of clients needs. Hadrian’s Wall will be re-branded as Zig. Toronto-based Zig was formed in 1999 as a partnership between advertising veteran Andy Macaulay and creative team Elspeth Lynn and Lorraine Tao – one of Canada’s most decorated creative teams. The company was founded upon the philosophy "Ideas in their most powerful form." Today the agency has grown to house over 60+ staffers and boasts such clients as IKEA Canada, Molson, Unilever, Best Buy, Virgin Mobile and Greenpeace. The shop has been recognized with many creative accolades including a 2003 Gold Lion for Unilever product, Vim cleanser. Hadrian’s Wall was founded in Chicago in 2001 by Kevin Lynch and Steve Carli. Both Carli and Lynch have a steeped 20 year history in the business of building brands, in the U.S. and Canada. Current clients include Harvard Business School Publishing, MagneCote, Hewitt, Illinois Department of Public Health and Chicago Reader among others. Carli and Lynch will remain principals and have an ownership stake in the newly named Zig; although terms of the deal are undisclosed. "Zig was recently described as a 'small agency working for big brands,'" said Zig President and Partner, Andy Macaulay. "We love that description because it really underlines our expertise and sophistication, but at the same time says to clients that we're small enough so their business really matters to us. I think that makes all the difference. Clients won't get lost with us as they might in a big agency environment." "We're also thrilled to be bringing the Zig brand to the U.S. – to Chicago, and partnering with our friends Steve and Kevin and the rest of the team at Hadrian's Wall. Both agencies have an amazing staff and should be recognized at this time as well. I'm confident that it will be a seamless transition to the U.S.," Macaulay added. Zig is known to use a project-management driven structure in lieu of a traditional account group. Each client is assigned an 'Idea Team,' composed of a strategic planner, a writer and art director, and a team leader/project manager. A similar management style is used in Chicago. This approach, added with Zig's forward thinking design and interactive capabilities allows the agency to deliver the most innovative client solutions. "This way of thinking eliminates the duplication inherent in the layers of a typical account group, and ensures that everybody is very clear about what their focus is," says Steve Carli, Managing Director of the Chicago office. "The result is better work and the most significant results for our clients."