Former Large and Stark Films MD Stephen Gash has teamed up with director John Lloyd to form new production company QI Commercials in London.
Gash, who has been quiet since the closure of Large at the end of last year, first met Lloyd 15 years ago when Gash was an account man at BBH. The two will jointly own the new company, which will draw on Lloyd's broadcast and advertising experience to explore the branded content arena.
"Branded content is much vaunted and little evidenced as a sector," said Gash. "John I have the requisite experience and contacts to realise potential projects, together with a clear understanding of how brands might be seamlessly integrated with broadcast opportunities."
Lloyd's 30 years of television experience dates back to Spitting Image, and he is currently finishing the second series of the popular quiz show QI, starring Stephen Fry, Alan Davies and Arthur Smith, which he devised, wrote and is directing. In advertising, Lloyd directed the recent KitKat campaign for JWT London.
"I get a terrific amount of satisfaction from working with great creative people in advertising," said Lloyd. "And for a long time I have been an advocate of a more synergistic approach to the way brands utilise television as a medium."
While launching with just Lloyd on the roster, QI Commercials is potentially interested in signing more directors in the future, as Gash explained. "We'll see where we go," he said. "There's a couple of directors we've talked to and it's whether we have like-minded ideas as much as anything. We're focused on branded content and if we take anyone on we would want them to fit with that."
Gash and Lloyd are currently working on their first job through QI Commericals, an ad through WCRS in London. For more info on the company, contact Gash on +44 (0) 7785 527 800.
