In Production: Luc Frappier & Richard Cureton

Luc Frappier and Richard Cureton are producer partners at Toronto-based company Revolver Films. With a busy year in 2014 completing various client projects as well as expanding the company’s offering to post and features, they still find time to hit the squash court to release the pressure.

Below, the pair talks to shots about their experience in advertising production, future aspirations for Revolver and dreams beyond their professional careers.

Tell us about an ad campaign you’ve seen recently that stands out for its production quality and standard.

LF: The Jonnnie Walker Keep your flame Alive by director Habi for Leo Burnett Beirut was one of the most captivating ad films I’ve seen all year; stunning cinematography and a brilliantly narrated storyline. Simple yet epic!

RC: It’s got to be the G-Shock Five Minutes interactive piece that UNIT9 produced. I am not a video game guy but I have to say it was a brilliantly executed story with a nice dose of gaming that kept me engaged – who doesn’t like helping to rid the world of a few zombies? Great brand + cool idea = memorable ad.

How do you feel the role of the producer has changed through the years?

LF: I actually don’t think the role of the producer has really changed but rather adapted to the changing landscape. At its core it’s still about managing projects, expectations, people, budgets and getting shit done.

RC: I think you need to be more hands on. Timelines, budgets and high levels of expectation mean that it’s all hands on deck.

What’s your most valued production tool (tech or otherwise) and why?

LF: My Blackberry Z10! I can work from anywhere in the world and still be connected to my home base.

RC: I am old school and I like talking to people, be it in person or on the phone. Email is a necessary evil as far as I am concerned. There is nothing like a bunch of people in the same room figuring it out.

Tell us about a recent risk/investment you’ve made in your career or for your business?

LF: We are heading into year two of a major company expansion into feature films – a risk that was nicely rewarded with an award for Best First Feature for Bang Bang Baby at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) this past fall.

 RC: A year after our re-launch, we felt good enough about how things were progressing to take over the second floor of our building and put a post company and some extra production space in. The ability to see certain projects through completion will help us service our clients more efficiently.

How has the industry changed since you started working in it?

LF: I would have to say technology has been the game changer. The digital transformation in the universe of art, fashion, film, advertising, music and music videos has touched us all in some way. As technology evolves so does the way in which we can communicate and how we engage others. Storytelling will always be at the heart of it but how it is produced, distributed and consumed is the new variable.

RC: I think the obvious answer is technology, not to sound like a dinosaur but I remember hand writing budgets, couriering three-quarter inch demo reels and all of that madness. It’s not nearly as expensive as it once was when we were shooting film and working in million dollar post suites etc., I think the democratisation of making films for advertising or otherwise has helped and hurt the business in equal measure.

What’s your favourite thing to do away from work?

LF: A hard-fought game of squash with my buddy and Revolver EP Richard Cureton with the frosty pint(s) that usually follows.

RC: I have recently rediscovered my love of making art, specifically collage-based paintings. The work is primitive but I find it very relaxing and hope to do more of it. I also like a game of squash and watching Glasgow Rangers (although it has been painful of late).

What would you like to see change in the world of production?

LF: Profits! I’ve accepted the new reality of shrinking budgets, unrealistic timelines, near impossible creative expectations, treatments over weekends or holidays, but what I would like to see changed most is pitching on actual client approved scripts... and make ‘reco’ mean something again!

RC: I’d like to see further blurring of the lines between what the traditional roles of clients, agencies and production houses have been. I think increasingly production houses are as well equipped as agencies at creative development and bringing creative to market.

Tell us one way your skills at work transfer to your everyday life.

LF: I think having patience is a great asset that helps when navigating in the real world. 

RC: Everything in life is a negotiation on some level, this is a team sport and as a leader you need to keep your team and clients moving in the same direction.

If you weren’t a producer what would you be doing instead?

LF: A tennis pro at Club Med or ski bum out in the Kootenays.

RC: I would have loved to have been a footballer, ha ha ha. One thing got in the way, a total lack of ability. I started out as a photographer and sometimes wonder how that might have worked out had I kept at it.