SourceEcreative

TWC Films: Wide Awake, With a Little Help from Starbucks

The L.A.-based production company has added depth to both its directorial roster and its producing ranks. For company principal Mark Thomas, it’s what you have to do these days to stay fresh.

By Anthony Vagnoni

TWC’s Mark Thomas is encouraged about his roster of new directorial talents.

The dog days of summer are upon us—as record heat on the East Coast attests—but out in L.A., things are perking at TWC Films. The shop, reports Executive Producer and Partner Mark Thomas, is on a roll, thanks to new talent, a steady stream of work and a nice shot of Starbucks (not to mention a helping of Burger King, washed down with some Newcastle Brown Ale.)

New to TWC Films, director Terry Rietta is getting attention for his multi-spot campaign for the new Starbucks Via instant coffee product, created by BBDO New York. The spots use a series of novelty coffee mugs emblazoned with clever yet telling nicknames to show how the product makes its way from one coffee-lover to another. Check out “BFF,” “Dalmatians,” “Accountants” and “Mom.”)

Thomas describes Rietta as an exceptionally insightful talent and stresses the value of an agency creative background. Rietta worked at Fallon, GSD&M and a number of other high-profile shops prior to launching his directing career. "You can clearly see how he works hard on improving the idea," says Thomas.

Thomas has equally kind words regarding his other newly acquired talents, which include directors Jonas Arnby, Hans Moland and Johan Skog (the latter came over from The Joneses, along with Executive Producer Mel Gragido), and with Arni Thor Jonsson and Ken Lambert.

"It's interesting how things go," Thomas observes. “I’d reached out to Arni about four years ago, having been a fan of his work. He had been focusing on work in other parts of the world, but last fall he felt the desire to start working in the US, so while it was a long time coming, it was worth the wait. Arni's recent work is some of his best, and that's an exciting thing to see."

With Lambert, Thomas says, "TWC Films has the opportunity to take an unbelievably interesting established international talent and really introduce him in the US. There are very few reels that are like Ken's; his vision is that unique, and his work is already generating interest from agencies."

The new talent joins directors Trevor Cornish, David Jellison, Alex Ogus, Suthon Petchsuwan and Selby on the TWC Films roster.

Director Terry Rietta shows how Via catches on in this spot for BBDO.

"2007 was one of our best years ever, and of course, the succeeding two years brought many challenges for our industry," says Thomas, who co-founded the company in 2003 with Ralph Winter and Phil Cooke. "We'd done some great work, and we've always had a vision of the kind of company we strive to be; the continual push on that front got me thinking more intensely about the significance of the players—we needed to be pursuing directors that were genuinely unique, regardless of genre, so we pursued a course of action that would take us there. I strongly believe in the directors that are here. This roster is as significant as we've ever had, and we're poised to make great strides."

Of the evolving platforms for advertising, Gragido says, "There’s always going to be visual advertising—the question is, on which channel will you receive it? Further, how do we bridge the gap between mainstream advertising and more unique entertainment content that's branded or seeking monetization? The difference between now and maybe a year ago is that production companies, agencies, and brands are all engaged in this conversation together. The field is open to ideas."

Among the projects embracing some new ideas is a site created for Newcastle Brown Ale (www.newcastlebrownale.com) via The Vitro Agency, with live action produced by TWC Films. Director Alex Ogus worked closely with the agency to craft that experience, via a series of vignettes such as “Record Store,” “Coaster” and “Couple.” The web video spots were edited in-house at TWC Films by Terry Huynh. Launched in March, the destination has already won Site of the Day (SOTD) honors on the Favourite Website Awards.

“How do we bridge the gap between mainstream advertising and more unique entertainment content? Production companies, agencies and brands are all engaged in this conversation together. The field is open to ideas.”

Director David Jellison has been busy as well, Thomas reports. In one of six new Papa Murphy's spots created via Periscope in Minneapolis, a delivery guy does the "Air Math," trying to figure out the bill. "Shooting six spots in three days, we dodged an El Nino-style rain fest and walked away with a smart, funny campaign that delivers the Papa Murphy message with subtle humor and sharp performances," says the director. “The always innovative and Minnesota-pleasant ad gang at Periscope is focused on making the best spots possible. Add to that mix a client who’s determined to raise the comedy bar, and you are indeed a lucky bastard—or bastardette, for the ladies."

"I believe that this can become a breakout moment for us," Thomas says of the new work and new talent at the company. Reflecting on the industry as a whole, he recalls a recent conversation with an agency ECD. "He said, ‘It would be great if we could combine the immediacy of online advertising with the necessity of TV advertising.’ I think that's the right idea. Add an extraordinary level of artistry and execution to that equation, and you really have something of value."

Published July 7, 2010