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SANTA MONICA, CA, March 11, 2010 - TWC Films has announced the addition of Mel Gragido as Executive Producer, and has added six new directors to the company roster. Directors Jonas Arnby, Hans Moland, and Johan Skog were previously repped by The Joneses, where Gragido served as EP. Arni Thor Jonsson, Ken Lambert, and Terry Rietta also join the fold. The new talent joins Brian Baderman, Trevor Cornish, David Jellison, Alex Ogus, Suthon Petchsuwan and Selby on the TWC Films roster. The company is presided over by Partner/Managing Director/EP Mark Thomas, Partner/Producer Ralph Winter, Partner/Director Phil Cooke, and Executive Producer Jeff Snyder.
"2007 was one of our best years ever, and of course, the succeeding two years brought many challenges for our industry," said Thomas, who co-founded the company in 2003 with Winter and Cooke. "We'd done some great work, and we've always had a vision of the work we wanted to do, the kind of company we strive to be, and the continual push on that front, got my thinking intensified about the significance of the players - we needed to be pursuing players that were genuinely unique, regardless of genre, so we pursued a course of action that would take us there. I also knew that with what was going on industry wide, this kind of environment historically breeds opportunity, in that great directors would be looking for the right fit. It might seem like we've taken on a lot at once, and clearly that's true, but 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 Gragido, Thomas said, "Mel and I have known each other for quite a while. We'd tossed around the idea of doing something together, but this time everything made sense. TWC Films has many facets, and we're a progressive company. Yet Mel and I agree that at its core, the company is about master storytellers, and he brings with him a group of talented directors that reflect the same ideology.""Mark and his partners have built a company based on a co-mingling of creative forces," Gragido said. "They represent the full spectrum of media, from commercials to films and television. I've been looking for interesting and innovative ways to expand what we do in the ad medium, and TWC is in a unique position to pursue that." Additionally, Gragido said TWC appealed as a perfect fit for his key directors. "Looking at my guys and Mark's guys, it really felt like a strong roster; we both recognized that this is the roster of a leading production company." That vision clicked with Gragido's directors as well.
While his tenure with The Joneses was a happy one, Gragido said he felt the time was right for a change. "I wanted to take a leap forward. I met with a few companies, and in Mark I really sensed a kindred spirit about a companies focus needing to be about the work."
"I believe that this can become a breakout moment for us," Thomas agreed. Reflecting on the industry as a whole, Thomas recalled 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."
Thomas shared his perspective regarding the newly acquired talent. "It's interesting how things go," he said. "I had 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 U.S., 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."
He described Rietta as "an exceptional talent" and went on to stress the value of an agency creative background. Rietta's is strong, having worked at Fallon, GSD&M and a number of other high-profile shops. "You can clearly see how he works hard on improving the idea," said Thomas, concluding that securing Jonsson and Rietta "is right on any number of levels."
With Lambert, Thomas said, "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 agency's."
"There is always going to be visual advertising, the question is on which channel will you receive it?" Gragido added. "Another question is, 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."
About TWC Films
TWC Films was founded in 2003 by Executive Producer Mark Thomas, Feature Film Producer Ralph Winter, and Director Philip Cooke. The company began full fledged operations in January of 2004. The company produces commercials, branded content and other media for leading advertising agencies and their clients worldwide. By combining superb directorial talent with firm, broad-based expertise in production, TWC has quickly established itself among the elite in the commercial industry and earned the patronage of some of the world's most creative advertising agencies. TWC's primary resource is its talented staff of directors. They are an eclectic group of filmmakers, hailing from different parts of the globe, diversely skilled and representing a wide range of artistic sensibilities. TWC has a long term commitment to its directors. It works closely with them to advance their careers in the commercial arena while seeking opportunities for them to explore other media, including feature films and television.
