Directors Ben Orisich, Brendan Williams, Tim Gibbs and EJ Foerster Join Production Company
(Los Angeles, California--June 24, 2008) Original Film, the commercial/entertainment production company led by Executive Producers Bruce Mellon, Jeff Devlin and Joe Piccirllo, has signed four diverse directing talents -- noted Australian shooters Brendan Williams and Tim Gibbs; EJ Foerster, known for his ad and feature film second unit work; and up-and-comer Ben Orisich.
They join a talent roster that includes filmmakers Simon West, Jim Manera Dick Buckley, Anibal Suarez, Dennis Dugan (
Happy Gilmore,
I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry and the summer hit
You Don’t Mess with the Zohan), and Hugh Hudson, (
Chariots of Fire, winner of Academy Award for Best Picture)
“We feel great about the new Original Film roster,“ explained Mellon. “Over the last six months we have been able to put together a fabulous pool of directors, each bringing their own unique style to the company. “
According to Piccirillo, ”Our goal is to build a tight group of directors that can separate from the pack in this ever more challenging marketplace. We want to be a versatile creative resource for agencies and have the time to be able to focus on each director and support their careers.”
Along with their talents, Gibbs and Williams' Australian production home – 8 Commercials, Sydney (
http://www.8com.com.au) gives Original a production partner in the Australian and Pacific Rim markets.
Ben Orisich:
Perhaps best known for his 2007 IZOD campaign, which included the spot 'In The Snow,' one of two spots in the campaign that aired during the 2007 Super Bowl, Ben excels at blending visual effects and graphic design into his work. The success of his work for IZOD, as well as his moving PSA for the Save Ellis Island Trust, earned him inclusion in Shoot Magazine’s 5th Annual New Directors Showcase.
“After 2007, when I had two spots in the Super Bowl and was part of the New Directors Showcase, I felt it was time for a production company to represent me rather than my visual effects company, Home NYC,” said Orisich. “Original was exactly the type of company I wanted to work with. I connected personally with Joe, Jeff and Bruce, and I’m excited to be a part of where they’re looking to take the company.”
Tim Gibbs
Based in Australia, Gibbs is perhaps best known for his international fashion, beauty and lifestyle work, but Gibbs notes that his first love is for simply making beautiful images regardless of the advertising genre. That notion is supported by the recent publication of a book of his photography called Caught Between Shadows & Light and an exhibition of his photos at The Blender Gallery in Paddington, Australia. Some of the standout spots on his reel include spots for Head and Shoulders, Pantene Vaseline and Herbal Essence.
“Shooting beauty/fashion requires incredible patience as well as a particular eye,” said Gibbs. “I also have a film background that gives me a passion for narrative. That combination of skills will hopefully resonate with U.S. agencies looking to create work that stands out.”
Brendan Williams
Also based in Australia, Williams grew up in a film industry family and began his directing career at the age of 12, when he made his own Mad Max sequel using his friends, mother’s car, mini-bikes and ride-on mowers. Since then, he has built a well-earned reputation as a leading director of car spots, balancing technical virtuosity and a natural talent for storytelling.
His reel includes spots for BMW, Mitsubishi, Suncorp, Nivea and a dazzling spot for Ebay depicting people riding down an Olympic luge track in shopping cart.
EJ Foerster
One of the most in demand second unit directors for feature films, Foerster’s vast filmography includes second unit work on Martin Scorcese’s visually stunning epic Kundun and James Cameron’s hit True Lies. In addition his skills are on display in such recent hits as
Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Eragon (directed by Original’s Stefen Fangmeier) and
Charlotte’s Web, as well as the soon-to-be-released X-Files sequel
I Want To Believe and the Ben Stiller directed comedy
Tropic Thunder.
His commercial work includes numerous projects for Target and a new campaign for Gatorade via agency Element 79, Chicago, featuring athletes Peyton Manning and Derek Jeter.
About Original Film:
Founded in 1992 by Bruce Mellon and Neal Moritz, Original Film has built a well-earned reputation for creating some of the most memorable advertising in the last two decades. The company, who’s directing talent features Hugh Hudson, Dennis Dugan, Jim Manera, Simon West, Stefen Fangmeier, Dick Buckley, and Anibal Suarez, is led by Executive Producers/Partners Mellon, Jeff Devlin and Joe Piccirillo. The company is represented by Tim Harwood in the Midwest. For more information go to
http://www.originalfilm.com
Web Resources:
Click below to visit the Original Film website:
http://www.originalfilm.com/
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