Full-service media company Bandito Brothers has launched a Bandito Brotherscommercial division, with a directorial roster comprised of Mike "Mouse" McCoy (pict., r.), Scott Waugh (pict., l.), Jacob Rosenberg, and directing team Teton Gravity. Bandito Brothers embarks on the new endeavor with three recently completed projects, for Ford, Mt. Dew, and the US Navy.
Known for high-octane in-camera action, the company brings to spot work what McCoy calls an A-rating, with the 'A' standing for authenticity. "I've always felt there should be a rating system for action," he said, and indeed Bandito Brothers has the kind of action cred rarely seen in the spot biz. The company works as a team, each member wearing many hats, and operating with military-style precision from a base camp in the heart of Culver City. In fact, Bandito Brothers is among a handful of filmmaking outfits cleared by the US Special Forces to capture intense, bold material in live fire environments. The result is an authentic feel to the film in an era where effects are often excessive and unrealistic.
"We have all grown up in the film business," noted McCoy, a former stunt man and motorcycle racer who starred in the feature length film "Dust to Glory" and won the Baja 1000 and 500 multiple times. "We are athletes, artists, and technologists. We've lived the experience we're capturing on film, so we can bring the viewer that much closer to the action." McCoy often directs alongside Waugh, a second-generation stuntman and filmmaker who was president of Stunts Unlimited for three years before starting the Bandito Brothers brand. Directing team Teton Gravity is considered the top ski filmmaking collective in the industry. Rosenberg, who developed a passion for film and video as a skateboarder in the early 1990s, brings his extensive experience as a filmmaker, author, and digital media expert to commercials, music videos, and shorts.
"What I like about Bandito as a company is that we have the knowledge and capability to scale to any job in any location worldwide," commented veteran commercial producer Jeff Rohrer, who has come aboard as EP, "and with our in house Full HD post facility it opens many more doors for the longer form projects." Rohrer, a former NFL linebacker who has produced commercials all over the globe and worked with luminary directors such as Lasse Hallstrom, Doug Limon, Alfonso Cuaron, David Frankham, Neil Tardio and Darren Aronofsky, finds himself at home in the Bandito Brothers' world. "There are always multiple cameras rolling, and everybody shoots...it's the way we like to cover action, and the way exceptional talent should be covered." Rohrer rounds out an executive team that includes CEO/CD McCoy, Partner Waugh, CTO Rosenberg, President of Production & Development Lance Sloane, and COO Max Leitman.
Drawing on their experiences, the Banditos have filmed and designed thousands of action sequences for commercials and films. After years on the set, the group decided to start up their own shop. In addition to their new spot projects, Bandito Brothers will produce "I Am That Man," a scripted action film based on the US NAVY SEALS. Bandito is producing in association with Navy Special Warfare ("NSW"); McCoy and Waugh will helm the picture, which is slated for a summer '09 release.
"I Am That Man" will add to Bandito Brothers' feature film credits, which include "Step Into Liquid" and "Dust to Glory". Several other longform projects are in the works, from highly visible branded entertainment campaigns, to videogames, TV series, and more feature films, among them the realization of "Yucatan," an action-adventure project created by Steve McQueen before his death, and entrusted to Bandito by the McQueen estate.
Backed by Thomas Tull, Chairman of Legendary Pictures, Bandito Brothers truly is an independent studio. As a creator, producer, manager, and distributor of audio-visual content, the company has constructed a business model that also includes full in-house HD post, which is becoming an extremely valuable asset in the new media landscape.
"As the ad industry evolves and merges more comprehensively with entertainment, we're in a unique position to grow in all directions," McCoy concluded. "And we're always ready to roll."
Bandito Brothers is represented by Unique of Little Gypsy for special projects and on the West Coast. Kitty Monaghan and Kelly Halpine of Monaghan+Halpine rep the company in the Midwest.
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