At the start of the 21st century, a vital part of the $311bn* advertising industry – TV commercials production – is still largely managed by thinking and processes that would be recognisable to a 19th century administrator.

It can’t have escaped anyone’s attention that things are changing and fast. Change is an implicit and essential element in dynamic businesses. However, managed change or evolution, is surely preferable to change that is forced upon us after all the available options have expired.

Don’t Kill The Messenger is Mark Andrews’ polemic on the state of TV production for agencies clients and production companies. It’s an insider’s strategic view on where the business is right now and where it is headed. It’s about why keeping on top of things is going to separate the survivors from the rest.

Mark’s career via Warner Music, CDP, Propaganda Films and his own production company Tsunami have brought him to the realization that we need a new approach in TV production and we need it now.

Its purpose isn’t to be critical. It’s an attempt to open up discussion of the issues to a wider participation than has recently been the case. Currently, we don’t have any kind of non-partisan forum in which to air such concerns as these. It’s no good for any one of the three parties involved in the relationship to unilaterally decide policy and dictate it to the others. It must be three out of three if it is to have any chance of working. These issues aren’t owned by any one part of the business or its trade organisation. They are interdependent and affecting us all equally.

Download a pdf of the full document: Don’t Kill The Messenger

*Bird ‘Advertising Industry‘ p28, 21/03/03.

Jason McGlade has recently completed a 12 page shoot for Quintessentially Magazine. This is his second shoot for this quartertly magazine – the first being for Christmas gifts in last year’s winter edition.

Jason McGlade was born north of England in 1974. After school he studied documentary photography at the University of Wales under Clive Landen and Martin Parr. While studying he was awarded a Royal Photographic Society commission to cover the Bath Music Festival and then won the ‘Observer ‘Young Photographer of the Year’ award. Jason was talent-spotted and garnered a postgraduate scholarship to study in Italy at the Benetton-funded art school Fabrica under Olivero Toscani. After completing his studies there he moved to Milan and started working in Fashion and Advertising. Since then he has traveled extensively and currently lives between Berlin and London. He has recently shot stories for ETRO and Quintessentially magazine.

View more examples of Jason’s work.

John Clayton has joined the M-A-D-E line up. Click here to view a small sample of John’s work for EOS, Toyota and Nissan

Rome-based fashion show AltaRoma saw a show sponsored by New York-based cosmetics brand AVEDA featuring Ecoture by fashion designer Deborah Milner. Milner, well known for her collaboration with Philip Treacey and for her Deborah Milner label designed a stunning range of couture pieces based on ecologically renewable and recyclable fabrices. Some fabrics came from India and China alongside others found by Milner as a result of her trip into the depths of the Amazonian jungle where she collaborated with the Yawanawa tribe to develop sustainable fabrics from local sources. The show also highlighted couture based on astonishing examples of recycling such as a white ball gown made from melted plastic bags.

M-A-D-E’s Mark Andrews and Olly Ravaux designed and organized the show which took place in the 2nd century AD Tempio Di Adriana in Rome’s historic Piazza di Pietra. The staging of the couture pieces was an ‘installation’ in a dramatic ‘forest-glade’ setting, created by lighting, Brazilian music and forest sound effects.

Mark Andrews and David Hughes of David and Associates also produced a short film which formed the backdrop to the show. Based on footage shot by Deborah Milner on her journey to the heart of the Amazon, it features photography of each of the Ecoture pieces by Manuel Vason.

Nic & Sune have been chosen as one of the hottest 10 directors out of 400 worldwide. To read the feature click on this link

Click on this link to see their most recent spot for Fiat

Watson formerly divided his time between the US and the UK, but has moved back to Britain and is looking to devote more time to the British market. He began at Limelight, moving to the West Coast office of RSA before settling at Millennium Films, who still rep him in the US. He has shot award-winning spots for brands including Nike, Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta, Chevrolet and Mazda as well as a series of short films and documentaries for British television.

Rob Kaplan started out as a BBC researcher, swiftly moving into producing then shooting factual and entertainment programmes including Top Gear, Modern Times and Cutting Edge. He moved into commercials with a Wrangler test in 2002 that was runner-up in the test category ot the cfp-e Young Director Award and shortlisted for the Saatchi & Saatchi Young Directors Showcase of the same year. Most recently signed to Outlaw, he has shot for Coca-Cola, Rover, Nytol, The Samaritans and Hyundai and was runner-up in the inaugural 2004 Viral Awards for a Mates Condoms film.

His latest music video for Dannii Minogue is currently airing.

M-A-D-E SIGNS TOP FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER JIM LEE

Jim Lee began his career shooting for the best fashion magazines such as Harper’s Bazaar, Elle and Vogue, developing a particularly close working relationship with Vogue chief Anna Wintour. He shot seminal editorial and ad campaigns for Yves St. Laurent, Versace, Guinness, Valentino, Saks 5th Avenue, BMW and American Express amongst many others.

Jim set up his own production company in the1980s directing hundreds of spots starting with blockbusters for British Airways. The culmination of this period was directing his first feature film entitled ‘Losing Track’ which starred Alan Bates.

Jim’s London retrospective ‘Eye For Images’ took place at close of 2005. The show was his re-entry to the European fashion world. It was widely reviewed in the press and on television, featuring a BBC1 TV interview and an 8-page feature in The Sunday Times Magazine. The show moves on to Paris in the spring of 2006, Milan and then to New York in the autumn. The prestigious Hamiltons Gallery in London represents Jim for picture sales and he has just been selected, along with Nick Knight, David Bailey & Rankin for the fashion section of the permanent collection at the V&A.;

Jim now shoots projects for selected clients and intends to specialize in shooting advertising photography and film imagery for clients in the areas of fashion, beauty and cosmetics.

Mark Andrews

After four years working for the BBC and ITV as a graphic designer, Mark joined the advertising industry in 1978 as a television producer. FM&M; had no television department. Mark rapidly established one. As well as commercials, he produced many music-promos for the agency client, WEA Records for acts such as C’Est Chic, Sister Sledge and Rod Stewart. This was then a nascent business, allowing much scope for creative experimentation, resulting in his winning an industry ‘Gold Disc’ for million-album seller Rose Royce in 1979.

In 1980 Mark joined CDP – then the UK’s leading creative advertising agency – as a television producer. Over the next ten years, he worked on some of the most famous and award-winning television commercials ever made, including Hamlet Cigars, Hovis and Cinzano, collecting many Cannes and BTA Gold and Silver ‘Lions’ in the process as well as numerous other accolades.

In 1986, he was promoted to Head of Television, the youngest in London. He joined the agency board in 1986 and the group board in 1987. Whilst continuing to direct the activities of the television department, Mark launched international production services company Production Network a decade ahead of its time.

He was invited to join the board of production company Playback (Talkback Productions & CDP) and then co-founded Independent Image, which became one of the industry’s leading television programme suppliers, specializing in drama, news, current affairs and tele-drama.

In 1991, Mark was appointed managing director of Propaganda Films’ European operation. Los Angeles-based Propaganda, a PolyGram company, was the largest, most influential commercials and music-video production company in the world at that time. It represented over 40 directors, including many famous names such as David Lynch, David Fincher and Michael Bay.

Propaganda produced hundreds of commercials for leading brands such as Nike, Adidas, General Motors and Stella Artois and music-videos featuring superstars such as Madonna and Michael Jackson. Propaganda won the Palme D’Or at Cannes for four years in the 1990’s.

In 1994, Mark Andrews was asked to chair the Pliatsky Committee. This was the joint industry initiative of the IPA, ISBA and the AFVPA, which established current working practices for the UK commercials industry.

In 1996, Mark left to establish his own production company, Tsunami Films. Tsunami quickly won a reputation for discovering and developing new directing talent from very diverse backgrounds. It also made an immediate impact in the worlds of commercials, fashion and music by winning the Brit Award for best music video of 1998 for the All Saints launch hit ‘Never Ever’. Tsunami produced commercials for clients as diverse as Airbus, Fox TV, Sony Playstation and BT as well as
music-videos for Blur, Moloko, Garbage and many others.

Mark is currently involved in developing a number of new projects to service the film, television, advertising and music industries. Mark’s current initiative is M-A-D-E (Mark Andrews Digital Emporium), a creative image producer and talent agency. M-A-D-E has developed a new and unique ‘open-architecture’ business model based on its ability to act as an agent, production company, executive producer or consultant as required. Its focus is the provision and management of creative talent and the development, production and delivery of creative solutions for clients in all media: cinema, television, computer-screen, mobile phone and print. Recent clients include
19Management, Universal Records, Mercedes USA, The Really Useful Picture Company and advertising agencies worldwide.

See also: Debrett’s ‘People of Today’.

Website: www.m-a-d-e.net
E-mail: info@m-a-d-e.net
Tel.: +44 20-7462 7875
Cell: +44 7785-791429

M-A-D-E Ltd., 67-69 Whitfield Street, London W1T 4HF.

M-A-D-E directors Suk & Koch have garnered two Golds at the BDA Promax Awards. Suk & Koch won for their short films Simulacra and Kinetoscope in the Music Video/Short Subject category.

London-based production company M-A-D-E has signed a representation and management deal with Oslo’s Motion Blur for certain directors. The move sees Motion Blur directing team Nic & Sune join the rosters of M-A-D-E and its partner company Dog Productions in Paris.

Dog Productions has also signed Thai director Wisit Sasanatieng for commercial representation. Sasanatieng began his career in the industry as an advertising agency art director before joining Bangkok production company Film Factory in 1997. His 2000 feature Tears of the Black Tiger was the first Thai feature invited into competition at Cannes, winning the Un Certain regard section. he will be repped in the UK by M-A-D-E.

Following hard on the heels of M-A-D-E’s signing of directors Roenberg last week, London-based production company M-A-D-E and Oslo’s Motion Blur have concluded a representation and management deal for certain directors. The pact will see both companies work in close co-operation both creatively and finacially. The immediate fruit of this integrated approach will see star Motion Blur directing team Nic & Sune follow Roenberg onto the rosters of M-A-D-E in London via Luc Besson’s DOG Productions in Paris. Nic & Sune, an English/Norwegian duo are enjoying a highly successful run in Scandinavia. They are currently posting Nokia for Finland and preparing to shoot Volkswagen in Oslo. M-A-D-E’s Mark Andrews said “this isn’t the usual director swap or representation arrangement. It’s recognizing a shared set of values and a statement of intent. Every director knows that in order to develop his or her career they must work away from home. We take the same view with our entire companies. Talent now needs to be managed right across international, national and personal boundaries. Instead of having to sign individual deals all over the place, we think they ought to be able to rely on producers who know them and who can help manage their careers on a worldwide basis. A bit like not having to leave home really! The benefits to the directors will be very real. By establishing partnerships such as this – and the M-A-D-E/DOG deal is a perfect example – you are able to present their work simultaneously in all major markets but speak with one voice. Directors can then make the most informed and sensible choice for themselves rather than have to consider conflict of interest between different companies or internal politics. They can just focus on the work. This strategy will benefit us all out of all proportion to our collective size in the industry”. Motion Blur’s executive producer Espen Horn said “I think this is a great opportunity for Nic & Sune to expand their reel by following Motion Blur’s strategy of doing work for the whole European market. We are absolutely thrilled on behalf of the Roenbergs and Nic & Sune with Motion Blur’s relationship with M-A-D-E – it’s a win win situation for us all.

Roenberg, the Norwegian-based directing duo, has signed to Mark Andrew’s production company M-A-D-E. The signing comes as a result of the partnership deal between M-A-D-E and Paris-based Dog Productions, and sees Roenberg reunited with Andrews, who formerly repped them through Tsunami. Roenberg are in post-production on their first feature film, Bandidas. Produced by Luc Besson through Europacorp and starring Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayek, it is planned for release shortly.

More info on M-A-D-E is at http://www.m-a-d-e.net

M-A-D-E London has signed directing duo Suk & Koch for exclusive representation in the UK, Europe and Japan and in the French market through Dog Productions.

London Production company M-A-D-E has announced an affiliation with Zurich and Vancoucer-based manifesto Films. The deal will gain Manifesto helmer Reto Salimbeni representation in the UK market by M-A-D-E. In return, M-A-D-E ’s directors will be represented by Manifesto in Switzerland and Canada.

M-A-D-E’s Mark Andrews announces tie-up with Zurich and Vancouver based Manifesto Films. London’s M-A-D-E has sealed a representation deal with Zurich and Vancouver-based Manifesto Films. This arrangement will see Manifesto helmer Reto Salimbeni represented in the UK market by M-A-D-E.

In a reciprocal arrangement, Manifesto will platform M-A-D-E’s directors in Switzerland and Canada.

Comedy specialist Salimbeni, well known in Europe having started the highly successful Glass Films – winner of numerous awards at European and New York festivals – is preparing to shoot his third feature ‘Blaze’ in Toronto in October with an all-star cast.

This year so far he has shot campaigns for Kraft and Swiss Tourism to add to the previous year’s tally of Pepsi, Nike, MTV, Panasonic and IKEA amongst many others.

Founding Manifesto three years ago with the specific intention of developing his international career, he opened the Vancouver office last year to manage the demands of the increasingly important Canadian market.

Said Andrews “I think the Swiss market produces some important work, particularly out of Zurich which has become a pretty cool creative destination itself. That’s proven by the quality of agencies that have opened there recently. I want my team on the ground there; particularly New York based Suk & Koch.

And I think the Canadian market is now very important since it has become a centre for a significant part of Hollywood production.

This is a perfect fit with my strategy of searching out a network of like-minded people and partnering with them. I’ve developed a concept in that I call the ‘open-architecture’ operation. That means it is designed to adapt to the new ways of working that are going to be required of us if we intend to grow internationally.

What directors want and need is consistent career management. M-A-D-E intends to provide that. Our tie-up with Manifesto is a significant step, following as it does hot on the tail of the deal with DOG in Paris”.

London production company M-A-D-E has announced a tie-up
with Zurich and Vancouver-based Manifesto Films.

The move follows announcements last month of a mutual
representation deal between M-A-D-E and Luc Besson’s company Dog
Productions, and will see Manifesto helmer Reto Salimbeni repped in
the UK market by M-A-D-E. In return, M-A-D-E’s directors will be
represented by Manifesto in Switzerland and Canada.

Salimbeni has recently shot ads for Kraft and Swiss Tourism, and is
currently preparing to shoot his third feature, Blaze, in Toronto. The
tie-up with M-A-D-E sees the director reacquainted with MD Mark
Andrews, who formerly repped him at Tsunami.

“This is a perfect fit with my stategy of searching out a network of
like-minded people and partnering with them,” said Andrews. “I think
the Swiss market produces some important work, particularly out of
Zurich, which has become a pretty cool creative destination itself. I
want my team on the ground there, particularly New York-based Suk
& Koch. And I think the Canadian market is now very important since
it has become a centre for a significant part of Hollywood production.”

More info on M-A-D-E is at . http://www.m-a-d-e.net

Directing duo Suk & Koch have signed to Mark Andrews’s
production company M-A-D-E.

Based in New York, Violet Suk & Martin Koch founded their company
Suk & Koch Media Inc seven years ago to work on everything from
commercials and music videos to broadcast and motion design, art
installations and short films.

“They have developed a style all their own and have built an
outstanding and very powerful body of work,” said Andrews. “They are
one of the most original teams I have come across in my whole
career. Above all, with them, it’s about good taste.”

M-A-D-E will rep Suk & Koch exclusively in the UK, Europe and Japan,
and in the French market through Dog Productions. More info on the
team is at . http://www.m-a-d-e.net

Mark Andrews, executive producer of M-A-D-E is delighted to announce the signing of New York-based directing team Suk & Koch for exclusive representation in the UK, European and Japanese markets and in the French market through DOG Productions.

Violet Suk and Martin Koch founded their company Suk & Koch Media Inc. seven years ago to cover fields as diverse as commercials, music-videos, broadcast and motion-design, art installations and short films.

The pair met at Vienna’s University of Applied Arts in 1992, moving to New York in 1998. Their talents complement each other perfectly; producing work collaboratively that is stronger than either could produce alone. They are a team, but their work has a singular clear vision.

Said Violet and Martin “we’re extremely excited to join M-A-D-E. Mark has a deep understanding of our creative vision and great experience and insight for expanding into new markets in this fast changing commercial landscape”.

Having run their own business as well as achieving the acclaim of many of their contemporaries has enabled Violet and Martin to truly understand the complexities of delivering effective results in a challenging marketplace.

Mark Andrews said “Suk & Koch have developed a style all their own and have built an outstanding and very powerful body of work. They are one of the most original teams I have come across in my whole career. I am very excited and flattered to be given the chance to represent a duo of such exceptional quality.

Above all, with them, it’s about good taste”.

London-based production company M-A-D-E has announced an
exclusive mutual representation deal with French company Dog
Productions.

Dog, founded by Luc Besson in 2001, is a subsidary of EuropaCorp, Europe’s
first fully-integrated movie studio, and reps directors for both features and
commercials work.

M-A-D-E and Dog have joined forces to develop business together in
London, Paris and also worldwide. The two companies are keen to promote
a different way of thinking about the industry.

“Creative business is not a precise art and demands some new thinking,”
explained M-A-D-E’s executive producer Mark Andrews. “For instance, we
aren’t convinced that the rather limited term ‘production company’ is going
to be an accurate description for us, given the way the business is going.
We now need to act as production company, executive producer, agent or
all three as circumstances demand of us.”

“And the techniques required of us to manage and develop creative artists
are evolving fast,” he continued. “We need to be ready to take advantage of
all sorts of opportunities as they arise and to be able to offer clients what
they really need in today’s more open media environment.”

M-A-D-E currently reps directors Slipmode, Suk&Koch; and Bruno Rolland,
but will be announcing more signings in the forthcoming weeks. Dog’s full
roster can be viewed online at . http://www.dogproductions.fr

Mark Andrews’ London-based M-A-D-E is delighted to announce an exclusive mutual representation deal with French company Dog Productions.

Founded by Luc Besson in 2001, Dog is a subsidiary of EuropaCorp, Europe’s first fully-integrated movie studio. Dog’s development manager and producer Alexandra Roussel has built an impressive inventory of world-class directing talent in Paris.

M-A-D-E, the agency representing international creative talent across digital and celluloid platforms which launched last year, will be announcing signings to its roster from New York, Oslo, Zurich and Paris in due course.

The two companies declare their mutual intention to develop business together in London, Paris, and Worldwide.

M-A-D-E and Dog share the view that a different way of doing things is now needed. “Creative business is not a precise art and demands some new thinking,” says Mark Andrews

“For instance, we aren’t convinced that the rather limited term ‘production company’ is going to be an accurate description for us, given the way the business is going.
We now need to act as production company, executive producer, agent or all three as circumstances demand of us.

“And the techniques required of us to manage and develop creative artists are evolving fast. Even the ways in which that talent is being defined are changing.

“They can be directors, image-makers, motion-communication artists – all three at once. We need to be ready to take advantage of all sorts of opportunities as they arise and to be able to offer clients what they really need in today’s more open media environment”.

Mark Andrews, former managing director of Tsunami and Manifesto, launched London-based prodco M-A-D-E (Mark Andrews Digital Emporium), to offer representation to directors, photographers and multimedia designers. Initial signings include motion-graphics design collective Slipmode, photographers Jack English, Terry McGough, Eugene Adebari and Jason McGlade and commercials director Bruno Rolland.

HOTLINE Mark Andrews, the founder of TSUNAMI Films and the former Managing Director of Propaganda Europe, is setting up a new company, Mark Andrews Digital Emporium, to represent film-makers and fashion photographers. His initial signings include the commercials director Bruno Rolland, whose credits include Polaroid and The Army……

All Saints – Never Ever

The first music video at TSUNAMI by fashion photographer Sean Ellis. It won the Brit Award for best video in 1998 – not bad for a first-timer. The band became massive following the success of ‘Never Ever’ and the video had a lot to do with it. The styling and look is all Sean’s – his signature work for fashion magazines such as Arena Hommes Plus and VOGUE is outstanding – and he got it onto 35mm film with the help of Oscar-winning director of photography, Freddie Francis and a top live special effects team.

Blur – Music is my RADAR
The first music video by Don Cameron at TSUNAMI. Perfect recreation of the sixties TV studio vibe. Great choreography by Blanca Li and of course, then there’s the track. Setting things in the studio ‘interview pit’ makes the vibe. Just cool. Label: FOOD at EMI.

Moloko – Indigo
A fabulous video for Moloko by Don Cameron at TSUNAMI. Again, Don produces a highly atmospheric and stylish piece melding abstract imagery with traditional interiors – the haunt of an obsessive. Roisin looks wonderful. Label, ECHO Records.

Power privatisation – Star Trek
More work from CDP for Thatcher-boom privatisation, this time for National Power & Powergen. This again is top-drawer creative from that great agency. Apart from just gaining the audience’s attention it seeks to entertain – always the first principle of CDP’s work. With a cast like this though, how could it fail. Captain Kirk and the Star Trek team do sterling work trying to ‘get the power’, while Simon Cadell, the Campaign’s presenter steals the scene.

Sci-Fi Channel interstices
TSUNAMI’s Central St. Martin’s graduate Don Cameron directed a set of 10″ programme interstices (seen here as one sequence) for Sci-Fi Channel. Using fashion, interior design and ultra-modern architectural settings, Don evoked a strange urban vibe heightened by abstract mood music from Matthew Herbert. Much of the film’s visual appeal comes from Don’s wide ranging influences such as Finnish print dresses by Marrimeko and modern/classic European school furniture designers. All this, together with Don’s signature graphic style allied to top quality imagery shot on 35mm film, has produced a unique, stunningly stylised and sophisticated hyper-atmosphere.

Uth
A stunning first outing at TSUNAMI for Central St. Martin’s graduate Don Cameron. Conceived as part of a catwalk fashion show for the launch of UTH fashion brand in London Fashion Week and shot on 35mm film, this is high-style gloss with a darker edge. Featuring stunning interior styling, bondage and sexual jealousy, the film conveys the decadence of the Brit fashion and art scene in 2001. Don’s totally original use of graphic elements underpinned by wonderful atmospheric music from Matthew Herbert make this a truly original and directional piece.

Water privatisation – Handel
Collett Dickenson & Pearce at its best – classic British advertising humour for Water Privatisation from the height of the Thatcher boom featuring Handel’s Water Music.

Red Snapper
Multi award winning music video for WARP Records. The director Richard Anthony produced a stunning result on a very low budget for this ground-breaking record label. It was our first award at TSUNAMI Films.

Cinzano – Tiger’s head
This is CDP again in fine form with the last in the series of Cinzano spots featuring Leonard Rossiter and Joan Collins. Written and directed by Terry Lovelock – famous for “reaches the parts other beers cannot reach” for Heineken – it won Gold at Cannes, London and New York festivals. These were truly special films with Leonard and Joan, both consumate professionals, doing the action right first take in virtually every scene. Pure performance in the best sense. Humour is the hardest thing to pull off. We were home by cocktail time. Pretty rare today.