Working with Anonymous Content, BMW is underwriting The Hire, a series of online short films directed by top film directors John Frankenheimer, Guy Ritchie, Ang Lee, Kar-wai Wong , Guy Ritchie, Alejandro González Iñárritu and Ben Younger.

David Fincher was creative director and executive producer for the series of Internet-based films hosted at bmwfilm.com, with Frankenheimer's Ambush launching the series on April 26. British actor Clive Owen stars in each of the digital shorts, which are slated to be posted on the site in two-week intervals.

"Fallon [BMW's agency of record] approached Fincher to work on an action-oriented film for the Web for BMW about a year ago. He starting working with Fallon and came to the conclusion that short films would be better suited to the Web," says Steve Golin, CEO of Anonymous.

Fincher was initially slated to direct a short, but because of delays on his upcoming feature The Panic Room, he wound up overseeing the project, and advising on scripts, editorial, casting and directors. As for the media outlet for the films, Golin says the Web is just one aspect of the overall plan.

"We are going to utilize this in other places, not just online. In Europe they might show the films before features and we have an ambitious promo campaign to give these away on DVDs to consumers and opinion makers," says Golin, also mentioning a plan to bundle DVDs with a major consumer magazine.

"I am not interested in the Web or TV or movies. We are interested in creating quality content, both entertainment and brand integrated."

Webfiles>

BMW Films> www.bmwfilm.com

Fallon> www.fallon.com