Bookmark and Share The Traveling Picture Show Company Hits the Road
January 20, 2012
The Traveling Picture Show Company (TPSC), a new production studio with an award-winning pedigree has launched in Los Angeles. Formed by Producer Kevin Matusow, who will serve as CEO, Director Chris Woods, Partner Kate Bacon and Producer Carissa Buffel, the new company will pursue a multi-media model encompassing live-action commercials, long and short form documentary work, scripted and reality television programming and new media.
TPSC also plans to offer a slate of production and post-production services via a diverse roster of directors, an in-house visual effects team, music and sound design, and other talent.
Among its first hires is Marie Soto, who joins TPSC as an executive producer. Soto's background as an EP includes work with such production houses as @radical.media, Riot and Belief Design, where she's worked on projects for such clients as Pantene, Lexus, Sony, LG, Motorola and others. She'll lead TPSC's sales and marketing effort.
"Our aim is to build a full-scale facility with broad resources," says Matusow. "We can offer advertising agencies and clients worldwide a one-stop production solution, with expertise in all areas of live action commercial production and post production.
TPSC has already forged strategic alliances with the Hollywood-based Unit Zero VFX as its in-house visual effects team and The Noise Deli out of London for music and sound design.
Technical Director Attila Zalanyi and Creative Director Gavin Whelan will lead Unit Zero VFX, whose showreel includes work on David Fincher's "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo," "Green Lantern," "Sucker Punch," "2012" and "Iron Man 2," as well as commercials for clients such as Lexus, Lazy Boy, Sony PlayStation, Scion and L'Oreal, among others.
The Noise Deli brings to TPSC the musical talents of Sally Johnson and Nick Rundall. Working with such agencies as Wieden + Kennedy, Saatchi & Saatchi and many more, their work has been featured in spots for Chevrolet, Panasonic, Land Rover, LA Fitness and Johnson & Johnson.
The TPSC group (clockwise from bottom left) includes Kate Bacon, Chris Woods, Kevin Matusow, Marie Soto and Carissa Buffel.
Matusow's background spans features, TV, commercials and music videos. For the past eight years, he and producing partner Carissa Buffel have produced hundreds of commercials and music videos, along with award-winning documentaries. They most recently completed the feature film "Touchback" with Freedom Films set for an April release through Anchor Bay Entertainment.
Their work continues with the Freedom Films' action thriller "Thunder Run," a full CGI-motion capture film starring Gerard Butler, Sam Worthington and Matthew McConaughey, set to begin production early next year.
Woods is a seasoned commercial director and director of photography, with stints at Form, Atlas Pictures, Mirror Films and Momentum, the latter a company he co-founded. Best known for his work in action sports and lifestyle, his credits include commercials for Chevy, Jeep, Budweiser, Corona, Toyota, VISA, Mountain Dew, Michelob, McDonald's, Pontiac, Mattel and Hasbro. He has also served as second unit director on several feature films, including "Forrest Gump," "The Sum of All Fears," "The Core" and, most recently, Screen Gems' "Priest."
Woods said his decision to become a co-founder of TPSC was motivated by a desire to have greater control over the direction of the company and to pursue a more diverse career path. "I want to take it up a notch and take advantage of the changes that are happening in the industry," he says. "We believe we've created a model that will enable us to keep moving forward in a very competitive environment."
With commercial spots already produced for clients Scottrade and Bud-Light via St. Louis agency Cannonball, TPSC is off to a fast start. Several other projects are currently in pre-production, with Woods directing. And Unit Zero VFX will start work shortly on shots for the new Stephen Sommers' feature "Odd Thomas," based on the novel by Dean Koontz. The company has established its production facilities in a studio complex on Cahuenga Boulevard in Hollywood.