Former FUEL executive producer Matthew Marquis has launched prodco Milk Bar and partnered with Venice-based graphic design boutique Brand New School in an effort to spearhead a revolution in visual storytelling.

As exec producer of the newly formed production house, Marquis will oversee live action with a directorial roster that includes Seth Epstein, Jarl Olsen, Laura Shapiro and newcomer Brunby Boylston.

Jonathan Notaro's Brand New School will retain its name along with principals Casey Steele and Dennis Go. BNS and Milk Bar will share a space in Santa Monica.

"It's not a company, it's a movement," comments Notaro, who first collaborated with Marquis while working as a graphic designer under the FUEL moniker.

Since Razorfish acquired FUEL's motion graphics department and its sister commercial production company, Tonga, in July of 1999, there has been a mass exodus of FUEL employees including founder Seth Epstein, directors Neil Tardio Jr. and John Lindauer, the principals of Brand New School and most recently, Marquis. Many who left Razorfish/FUEL attribute their leaving to a clash of corporate cultures.

Razorfish exec producer Janet Arlotta disagrees with the "corporate culture" argument. "The live-action portion of FUEL isn't really in keeping with the direction in which Razorfish is headed," comments Arlotta, who was named FUEL's general manager and exec producer at press time.

Razorfish maintains ownership of the FUEL brand and plans to expand its commercial and film roster with respect to motion graphics design while phasing out the live-action portion of its business. In February Razorfish laid off 400 employees and posted a fourth-quarter pro forma loss of $19.8 million.

"[I]n many cases we let experience overwhelm talent," states Notaro of his experience at FUEL. "There was always this overriding thought that very little chance was taken when picking designers," he continues, noting that the most established artist was generally awarded the project.

Marquis and Notaro say young talent will drive their creative partnership. "We're trying to grow people into those positions and do it our own way," comments Notaro. "Both [BNS and Milk Bar] are completely risk and talent driven. We have nothing to lose and it's a huge answer to the question: is it right or is it wrong? It just is. It evokes emotion and that's what it does."

Intent on generating rather than responding to market demand, Marquis says he will take a similar approach with respect to live action building new directors. "The business has always been art and commerce and with increased competition in media, be it post, live action or design, the art has to be paramount to what you're doing. That's really what we're revolving around as a philosophy."

Both Notaro and Maquis acknowledge their approach to cross-media collaboration was born out of the spirit behind the FUEL/Razorfish acquisition. "I think part of the alliance is both of us believe in the power of having all media integrated and having people like Jonathan who can articulate in all mediums," says Marquis. "That was something that was working really well at FUEL." "Things were intensive on all fronts," he continues, referencing the past year at the design shop. "We were utilizing the whole company and delivering the process to the agency. But what was so great about it was how all the people related internally and how all the mediums related internally."

"Another thing that's going to foster contemporary work is if you get designers and directors together," agrees Notaro. "Really they do the same thing. They try to communicate an idea. It's as simple as that. You're going to see the influence of live action on the design and vice-versa. We used to do that all the time."

BNS opened shop in September 2000, and since has completed graphic design projects for MTV's Fashionably Loud, Lexus, Burger King, Citibank, Ernst & Young, DIRECTV and the Sundance Channel.

"Look at the work," says Notaro on the company's output, "it all really pushes it. There are no clichés. There are no gimmicks or gadgets. It's all new ideas that take new visual form."

Milk Bar and Brand New School are repped by Chris Zander on the East Coast, Mark Andrews on the West Coast and Liz Lane in the Midwest.

Webfiles>

Razorfish> www.razorfish.com

Brand New School> www.brandnewschool.com