Kuntz and Maguire are repped throughout Canada by Radke Films, and are in Toronto shooting 11 spots for Ikea Germany. "The Ikea spots are almost print ads that come to life in an absurd visual sense," explains Kuntz as he cracks open a Guinness. All the spots are five seconds in length, with a remaining spot that runs 25 seconds. "The idea of the campaign is 'Swedish solutions' -- Ikea products somehow solving a problem. Crazy images, like a short guy dancing with a tall girl with the aid of a chair." DP James Hawkinson (of Aphex Twin's "Window Licker" fame) is capturing the imagery.

The duo hail from Massachusetts. Kuntz wrestled with civil engineering at MIT before discovering he'd "much rather create than dangle off a crane," while Maguire graced the lecture halls of Harvard, studying the philosophy of movement. "It was all these thinkers that had anything to say about movement, from Einstein to Nietszche. But it was abstract; one day, there would be a lecture from Steven Hawkins, and then [comedian Leo] Gallagher would step in the next day smashing melons."

Their partnership commenced in Somalia, where both worked as Peace Corps volunteers, organizing raves for both the citizens of Somalia and their fellow Peace Corps compatriots. After completing their tours, Kuntz and Maguire joined forces again to form the Two years later, the two decided to retire their Moog keyboards and join the creative world of advertising. They joined Propaganda in the fall of 1999.

A surreal grip on reality, in addition to a wicked sense of humor, best describes the partners' style. They revel in conveying the absurdity of humanity. The two first earned their director's chairs at MTV while writing six spots for the 1998 MTV Video Awards, working with Ben Stiller and Madonna to plug the show. Timing helped seal their fate: "Because of scheduling conflicts, the original director couldn't be in New York for the shoot," explains Maguire. "We actually wrote the whole campaign anyway, so we knew what was going on and were confident we could pull it off."

The duo's Python-esque humor has continued to grace a series of spots. Witness Bud Light's "Vikings," done through Palmer Jarvis DDB, Toronto, where a family re-union is torn apart by a team of Vikings, saving the protagonist's weekend with the boys; Dougnnet.com's "Dinner" and "Movie," out of Leo Burnett, Toronto, where a man-in-green personifying money is pissed at the pure boredom of events beyond the actual high of spending cash, wisecracking his way through dinner and a movie; or Eggo "Family Breakfast," done through Publicis & Hal Riney, San Francisco, where a man pep-talks his stuffed toys while serving them Eggo's for breakfast.

With spots so performance driven, what's the key? "We've had a lucky combination of good acting, good casting and good situations that have been organic to funny conversations," says Maguire. Kuntz flows with his train of thought: "I don't believe you can really get anybody to do anything. You have to put them in an environment and let them be themselves."

The twosome also jive with contemporary criticism, studying the humor and absurdity of present-day life. As sushi is served and frothy Guinness caressed, a rough cut of a film rolls on the TV, illustrating the directors' contemplative nature. It's an abstract Japanese comedy -- in heavy sardonic homage to US sitcoms. Amid hip hop, streetwise music, a Tokyo family communicates through the use of intense ebonics and rap lingo. A heavy laugh track accompanies the piece.

"There's a huge trend in Tokyo where kids will overly fake [a] tan and darken their skin," explains Maguire. He is referring to a Tokyo subculture: "People are paying $500 to get dreads in their hair. This film shows the absurdity of it all." Kuntz and Maguire brainstormed the risqué script in one morning, but had little luck at first when pitching the piece. "We sent out the scripts, and all the casting agencies wouldn't do it," explain Maguire. "We ended up sending out a disclaimer stating that it wasn't meant to be taken with any meanness. On the contrary, it was meant to highlight the absurdity of language and trends."

>WEB.FILES

Propaganda Films> www.propagandafilms.com

Radke Films> www.radkefilms.com