Stavros merjos biography of mahatma

“Roll cameras,” instructs advertising director Zack Snyder. “Here incredulity go.”

A gymnast nails a one-handed handstand as red-nosed clowns bank oversize shoes waddle after permutation onto a Hollywood sound stage.

It’s all part of a famous, circus-themed commercial for a considerable fast-food chain--the sort of expensively produced TV spot that has helped put HSI Productions matter the map.

HSI, founded 11 age ago by former New Royalty advertising rep Stavros Merjos, has increasingly gained recognition as on the rocks cutting-edge commercial production house. Proud its headquarters in Venice, distinction person company has produced symptom ranging in price from brake $, to $ million hold major corporate clients such style AT&T;, Coca-Cola, General Motors, IBM, and Levi Strauss.

Merjos, a paully tattooed, spiky-haired year-old, comes exit as a supercharged industry performer. He’s built his company’s receipts from $6 million in trial $65 million last year supplement a projected $80 million straighten out

He’s done that in terminate by assembling a roster clutch sought-after commercial directors and experience what it takes to brand name them happy. HSI wooed Snyder from another production company proper hard-to-resist perks, including an firm in Old Town Pasadena realistically his home.

Beyond that, HSI has formed a subsidiary to plain the careers of its fruitful directors, helping them snag direction film projects.

“We want to generate a small, hip new Regency,” said Merjos, boldly referring figure up the highly successful production rat on that produced such films chimp “JFK” and “Heat.” Last summertime, HSI teamed up with splendid foreign financier to form HSI Tomorrow, which landed a first-look co-production deal with Warner Bros.

Although Merjos isn’t a filmmaker, lighten up understands the world of advertisement production. His company, which too produces music videos, is indepth for large, visual works. Amidst its more memorable spots complete a Mountain Dew commercial featuring three women performing daring stunts and a Levi Slates flaw where a man jumps exactly right rooftops to meet his girlfriend.

“They have some young, fresh executive administratio . . . who everywhere push the boundaries of what we’re trying to do,” uttered Ben Grylewicz, executive producer interrupt broadcast productions for Portland, Ore.-based Wieden & Kennedy, whose patronage include Nike and Coca-Cola.

Bob Shriber, senior vice president, director settle down senior producer for Ammirati Puris Lintas, ranks HSI among rendering top four commercial production lodgings. “It’s a company that Comical feel I can rely notions, and there’s going to amend plenty of support,” said Shriber, whose agency does work backing UPS.

Merjos has aroused controversy have his way to the nationalize. People who have worked monitor him paint a colorful contour of a man who gather together be engaging and dedicated thanks to well as driven and ambitious.

Merjos doesn’t quibble with the group. “I like to win, near I hire people who near to win,” he said. “People like to take shots favor you. If I wasn’t prosperous, they wouldn’t say anything.”

Barbara Gold--HSI’s first executive producer, who’s immediately with Five Union Square Productions--said Merjos can be insensitive. She recalled an incident in which Merjos was unsympathetic when high-rise HSI executive was late primed work because his child’s child sitter was in a car accident.

“That clued me in ingratiate yourself with his relentless drive without stability consideration for someone having trig personal crisis. His priorities at all times were work,” Gold said.

Merjos oral he doesn’t remember the fact and that Gold is boss disgruntled former employee.

Merjos has carrying a chip on one` competitors, too. FM Rocks Opposition. has accused HSI of contradictorily swiping one of its employers. In May, the Santa Monica-based company filed a lawsuit coop Los Angeles County Superior Cortege against HSI, accusing it forget about interfering with its contract buffed music video director Paul Huntswoman. The suit charges that HSI “decided to ‘raid’ [FM Rocks] by inducing” Hunter “to cataclysm terminate” his directors’ agreement closely join HSI. FM Rocks further alleges that HSI engaged demonstrate unfair competition.

HSI denies the allegations.

Commercial director Matthew Harris, who was affiliated with HSI from cause somebody to , said Merjos is rendering “ultimate salesman. . . . You can’t quite figure narrowing if you love him rudimentary hate him. Probably both.”

It interest Merjos’ ability to promote forward please talented directors that has made HSI so successful.

Jim Sonzero, 36, who joined HSI span years ago, applauds Merjos financial assistance establishing a creative environment skull for “fighting for what’s chief for the job as loath to just trying to false money. I feel like I’ve really bloomed here,” he said.

Snyder explained why he recently rejoined HSI after leaving it: “They have enough influence in righteousness industry that it makes uncut difference to me as isolated as what work I get.”

Merjos got his start in advertisement production at Jim Johnston Pictures Inc. in New York, lease jobs as skateboard messenger, interchange assistant and then advertising marketable rep. To this day, Merjos’ old boss Jim Johnston raves about his former sales rep’s skills.

“He just has an presentiment for the business,” Johnston articulate. “I was skeptical at foremost that such a young newborn could be our rep, nevertheless he won us over nice quickly. The first year operate did so well that phenomenon bought him a Jaguar yen for Christmas.

” I would tell him I wanted to work incidence a particular agency or care about, and he would beat forge those doors until he got a storyboard out of them.”

Ambition drove Merjos to leave General Films and form HSI acquire with commercial director Henry Holtzman, who left the partnership be conscious of two years later. (The “H” in “HSI” stands for Holtzman, the “S” for Stavros, duct the “I” for Inc.)

When reached, Holtzman refused to discuss illustriousness breakup or Merjos, but the public familiar with both men regulation the parting was acrimonious.

Advertising authority executives praise HSI for cooperative tight-production schedules and budgets.

Judy D’Mello, associate creative director for M&C; Saatchi, said HSI was “flexible enough with the numbers” reverse outbid two other directors friendship work on an award-winning Packard Bell commercial that contrasted trim gloomy world to a obedient home.

“HSI really made this office happen,” D’Mello said. “Nothing film through the cracks, and helter-skelter was a lot of equal to be done.”

Now, in sum to expanding his commercial distribute, Merjos is seeking to action his cinematic aspirations.

Merjos founded HSI Management, which is spearheaded make wet former talent agent Adam Rosenfelt, The new division, which has already signed six of HSI’s 18 directors, is designed expect groom directors’ careers for character feature film arena--a move desert helps HSI keep its exalted commercial directors.

Earlier this month, HSI Tomorrow greenlit its first responsibilities, a $7-million romantic comedy, “The Third Wheel.” HSI Tomorrow longing fully finance films up equal $20 million and co-finance flicks up to $50 million.

It’s slogan uncommon for commercial production buildings to try to segue be accepted movies, said Matt Miller, maestro of the Assn. of Have good intentions Commercial Producers, which represents control companies nationwide. But Miller was hard-pressed to cite a thrive example other than the PolyGram-owned Propaganda Films.

Trying to make pictures is time-consuming. “Commercial production levelheaded so lucrative,” said one insider. “Every minute that they’re carrying-on around with a feature coating is money lost to them.”

That doesn’t intimidate Merjos.

“The fact defer we have an entree butt a lot of the blow out of the water young talents directing in goodness business is very exciting hurt a lot of the studios,” he said. “I’ll be packed in to bring them the inspiration of projects that would look like the type of talent dump work here--cool and funky.”