T Mobile
Production Company: Skunk
Director: Sergio Granados
We had to shoot two spots in two different locations in one day with Marcello Hernandez from SNL, and the client insisted one spot be shot outside a T-Mobile Store. Problem was, we were scouting houses and streets in Brooklyn, but the stores they gave us were in Yonkers and New Jersey. We convinced the agency and client that shooting the T Mobile store as a plate would solve the problem, and the rest is history.
We had great agency partners at Dentsu NY, and Sergio came up from Mexico City to direct, with Bradford Young as our DP, and Yoshi on Steadicam.
I loved working with Sergio; he has a very strong vision, and is also a truly gentle soul.
Community in Schools
Production Company: Sweet Group
Director: Dorothy Allen-Pickard
We traveled to sweltering Dallas Texas to make a film for an incredible organization that is making a big difference in addressing chronic school absenteeism.
There are 15,000,000 students chronically absent in the United States, and the agency insisted we incorporate all those names into the spot. Tough task, especially since the agency didn't have the actual names, and the list if printed would stretch over two miles long. After many iterations, we found a way to make it happen, and everyone was very happy.
Dorothy was great to work with, and kudos to Marcus our Production Designer for hanging through the 12,000 art changes on this one!
Supercuts
Production Company: Skunk
Director: Brian Lee Hughes
Tasked to shoot 6 distinct spots in 3 days including a grand finale day at a Supercuts store. The stores provided by the client were wither out of the LA zone, or buried in the middle of a working mall, and incredibly difficult to film at. I found a different store and sold it through, and as a bonus we had an entire separate building nearby that allowed us to shot the dizzying amount of still social assets we needed to capture.
Production organized 134 haircuts before we rolled one frame on day 3. Special thanks to Frenchie and Mia and Tallinn and Max. Like a machine!
Brian is a joy. Love him, and his Art Gallery !
Burger King
Production Company: Skunk
Director: Greg Brunkalla
I learned on this shoot that "Halfsies, havesies, and hevsies"
are all now copyrighted by BK. You Rule!
Greg is very easygoing, and funny...and like me, also a dog lover!
Points Bet
Production Company: Wild Gift
Director: Vincent Peone
We had 2 shoot days for 6 spots with Shaq. Tough ask, but we were able to find locations that melted into cohesive schedules for the shoot days, including a pub I found which served for TVC and enormous list of motion/ still social assets we needed to capture. I was also able to get permission to film at a live construction site across from one of our locations, which made logistics and set dressing a breeze, and helped us make our days.
24 people in video village, and the scripts changed while shooting each spot. It all worked out great in the end.
Vincent is a gem, and special thanks to Joe Gray our DGA 1st AD for keeping us all on track.
Shaq is easy going for a big fella.
Heineken
Production Company: Katorga
DP: Bella Graves
My friend Francesca Zazzera from Le Pub Italia called me with an idea for a Heineken project that was part of "The Closer" campaign.
The project included a complex film permit, very difficult locations to source, stills, motion, and activation/ experiential elements.
I was originally hired freelance as the Publicis agency EP, but after several "A List" production companies bid over $1 million for a job Heineken wanted to spend at most $250,000 on, I ended up producing the project myself through my company Katorga.
I bid the project, and was also the Line Producer. We convinced Heineken to spend $450,000 for the capture and the post, which was a good compromise considering the buildings location fees alone totaled more than $175,000. The job on a beautiful summer Sunday evening in NYC went off without a hitch.
The reward was that in its first time out of the box, Katorga won 7 Cannes Lions along with Publicis and Heineken. And we did for less than half the cost quoted by those "A List" companies.
Special thanks to Bella Graves / DP, Francesco Bittichesu / Photographer, and
Luca Boncompagni / CD from Publicis Milan.
Luca Boncompagni / CD from Publicis Milan.
And a huge thank you to Francesca and the Le Pub team for the trust✨
Woody Creek Whisky
Production Company: Film 47
Director: Douglas Avery
This one was fun I ain't gonna lie. Underfunded budget, and the task was to shoot 8 spots and a music video in 2 days. We had an amazing crew, and Bill Macy was very generous, and great to work with throughout the whole process.
Douglas is a beautiful soul who left us too soon. He is missed.
Special thanks to my friend Vic Palumbo for all the laughs we shared on this one!
Children's Tylenol
Production Company: Wolfgang
Director: Ron Hamad
Special thanks to Palma Pictures in Portugal and Julio Desir from Doner; we prepped remotely, and the communication was seamless.
It's always a pleasure to collaborate with Ron Hamad, and this was especially fun since it took us to beautiful Lisbon.
...and special thanks to my friend Bryan Sweeney for bringing this one to us!
Marcum
Production Company: Native Content
Director: Abe Zerov
Chicago is a great place for film. Director Abe Zverov, and his creative partner DP Karl Blomberg are both gems of humanity. Abe was also Director of Video at "The Onion," so we had a lot of laughs.
Big up to Katorga's secret VFX guru (who is Abe's friend), and who did an incredible job on the post, and elevated the content while working with a mission impossible budget.
Cincinatti Insurance
Production Company: Native Content
Director: Vanessa Black
We were tasked with creating a mixed - media story a la the NY TIMES about a Kentucky town devastated by a massive tornado; One that hit across 4 states in the middle of the night right before Christmas. There was so much devastation; the downtown looked like someplace in eastern Ukraine. The only thing left standing was a Rite Aid and a Pizza Hut, which were both built to withstand a Cat 5 hurricane.
The folks from Peel & Holland were great in helping us piece together what happened that fateful night, and the town folks were all very kind to share their stories.
Systane
Production Company: HARBOR
Director: Ron Hamad
Thank you to my friend Grace, a UCLA Bruin and a former champion in gymnastics, who helped the young girl gain confidence on the balance beam. Robin Webster's cinematography and Warren Purfoy's lighting also shine.
Subaru
Production Company: Film 47
DIrector: Douglas Avery
Douglas and I had to travel out to the Mojave a few times to prep this crash test spot. We often joked about the sign when you pass the boundary to the city.
It was 108 in the shade on our shoot day. @Vic Palumbo remember when that dust storm / dirt devil tore through the set and destroyed the pop-up tents right before lunch? Fun times.
Ford Labor Day
Production Company: Bullitt
Director: Matt Ogens
I produced this Labor Day Ford spot that was conceived, awarded, and shot over five days in LA. Matt and I worked round the clock, and after wrap we jumped on a red eye and went to edit with Einar at Union Editorial in NYC. The spot was on the air inside a week from concept to airdate. I also got to direct Bryan Cranston in the VO booth while Matt was away shooting Kid Yamamoto.
Wright Bacon
Production Company : Bullitt
Director: Matt Ogens
We shot in Vernon Texas near the largest pork processing facility (The "Plant") east of the Mississippi. I went down early to cast locals who worked at the plant, and Dane and the folks I met were incredibly generous to us, and great partners. Special thanks to DP Eric Treml for sharing his amazing talents!
HBO doc-series about Autism
Production Company: Katorga
EP: Matt Ogens
Marcello Directed by Steve Oritt
This was to be 4 docs about autism for an HBO special hosted by John Stewart. I did 2 months of casting on my own, and we were deep in production when Covid hit and HBO cancelled the whole thing. This rough cut survived, and I think it is a beautiful, yet very sad story. Marcelo is actually thriving in his new environment, which is amazing ❤️
Med Star Health
Production Company: Wolfgang
Director: Yarra Sumeruk
Special thanks to Ethan Palmer / DP and the Washington / Baltimore crew that made this one happen!
Ninja Thirsty
Production Company: Wolfgang
Director: Matt Genesis
Let's all agree to call a MO CO the overtime machine.
The Athlete
Production Company: Native Content
Director: Patrik Giardino
Jeff Cronenweth was our DP, and we shot on an LED Volume Stage. Sir Roger Deakins thinks in 10 years all high volume productions will shoot on an LED soundstage. Integrating the virtual art department with practical set dressing was lots of fun.
Patrick is a wonderful director, and always a joy to work with.
United States Golf Association - US Women's Open
Production Company : Film 47
Director: Douglas Avery
This spot was fun not only because we got to shoot with Kathryn Newton, who happens to be a scratch golfer, but I also got to partner with Zambezi agency producer Faye Armstrong, who happens to be the wife of one of my best friends. Good times had all around, despite the 100 degree temps, and constantly blowing Santa Ana winds while shooting out in the Mojave desert. With a huge process trailer, several vans and motor homes, and even an 18 wheeler drive by, this outside-the-zone spot was a teamsters dream job!
Big G/ Pokemon
Production Company: Native Content
Director: Shaun Collings
General Mills Cereal; doesn't get much more wholesome than that.
Shaun the director is an FX guy, and takes the time to do his own animatic before every spot. It really helps keep things aligned when prepping a job, and it's a great tool for timing.
I had a blast working with Shaun; and sadly, like me, he's also a Dallas Cowboy fan 🤣
Husky
Production Company: All Roads
Director: Embry Rucker
The location for this one was spectacular: We had to snowmobile the entire crew up to 9700 feet above Telluride, and also bring a doggie (who rode in the snow cat).
Embry loves life, and drove his Subaru to Colorado. We had a lot of fun on this one.
NAPA
Production Company: Native Content
Director: Paul Trillo
It was the middle of covid, and yet so much fun to shoot NAPA down in Atlanta with Jim Leonard and Shaun Campbell of VMLY & R. They were both so organized and on top of things, and have such a great relationship with their NAPA clients, that it made my job easy. Plus, they are really nice people, which believe it or not makes a huge difference on a job.
We were in full-on Covid mode; shot a whole version with masks on!
Guitar Center
Production Company: Native Content
Director: Christian Lamb
So much fun hanging with these artists; We shot Finneas in Jimi Hendrix old Topanga Canyon place, and HER in DP Graig Frasier's house in Venice Beach.
Big G/ PS5
Production Company: Native Content
Director; Shaun Collings
Big G spots are big fun. The grips built this rig to get the shot on the couch, since inside didn't have the depth we needed.
Lenovo Cybersecurity Docu-Series
Production Company: Bullitt
Director: Matt Ogens
This made the One Show Short list. If you learned what I learned while casting the experts, you'd never trust anything on-line.
The drought. (Short Film)
Production Company: Pentimento/ Katorga
Written and Directed by Regina Corrado
We covered all 9 pages in one sweet 8 hour day, with a delicious one hour lunch break. I was the DP as well as producer. Great crew, great cast ...a real love fest!
Palace/ London
Production Company: MPC London
Frenchie and I produced this little film in LA on a shoestring for our friends Richard Skinner and Johnny Blick of MPC London.
Chick-Fil-A
Production Company: Bullitt
Director: Matt Ogens
I cast Ronald our main character when I visited the Braille Institute, and we owe tremendous gratitude to him, and Anita Wright the Managing Director for letting us gaze into their world.
Special thanks to Eric Treml our DP for being amazing.
Matt Ogens is a true collaborator, and together we have done some special films.
Special Olympics
Production Company: Bullitt
Director: Anderson Wright
PSA's can be rewarding, but asking crew to all work for pennies on the dollar is challenging, not to mention convincing locations to cut their fees. The one was "special;" since the subject is close to my heart, and I was able to work with Anderson who is a wonderful partner.
It also tested the limits of flexibility since we were scheduled to film on a Monday and during the afternoon of the tech scout on the Friday before we lost 3 of our locations due to the LA Fire Department not approving our film permit (some strange bureaucratic reason which we could not overturn in time).
So, I juggled the schedule and we shot two of those scenes in an office building that was being renovated by AGBO for offices and a restaurant, which is not what we planned. The construction wasn't complete, so over the weekend we pivoted and dressed the new sets and created a seamless adjustment, including swapping an interior for an exterior shot nearby.
Alls well that ends well. Thanks to our entire crew for rolling with it all.
Pringles
Production Company: Skunk
Director: Rhys Thomas
