Executive producers Ned Brown and Melissa White, formerly of The Directors Bureau, are back in the playground with the launch of a new production company, Rock Fight. Casting stones in the yard are directors Pep Bosch, Craig Champion, James & Alex and Blue Source.

"We're interested in pursuing all kinds of creative work besides just music videos and commercials," says Brown. "The guys we're working with are involved in documentaries, short films, photography and graphic design."

"We're building a multifaceted company incorporating everything that ever made us curious that we have the gumption to pursue," agrees White. These creative pursuits are reflected in the directorial roster.

Barcelona native Pep Bosch (see Boards, January 2001) exemplifies the company's mission statement. A former toy inventor and graphic designer, Bosch studied scriptwriting and has shot several short films and documentaries, including The Preying Mantis in 1999. Commercial credits include spots for Visa, Audi, VW, Fiat and BMW. Prior to joining Rock Fight, Bosch was repped out of Palomar in the US.

Still photographer, graphic designer, snowboarder and documentary filmmaker Craig Champion (see Boards, April 2001) joins the roster from bicoastal Headquarters where he shot "Ironworkers" for the Jimmy Fund, Sylvania's "Lighting Brilliance" and a spot for Burton called "Originate." Champion documented Morocco's music festival last June with directing partner Chris Joannou and is currently tracking the lives of three New York drag queens in a documentary titled Bardot.

At press time, three-man directing team Blue Source is on location in Los Angeles shooting a music video for Dirty Vegas. Originally founded as a graphics company, Blue Source collaborated on the design for Levi's "Twisted" in the UK and has directed videos for Fatboy Slim, The Avalanches and Babybird.

James Frost and Alex Smith, a.k.a. James & Alex, are also veterans of the indie music scene, having directed short films and videos for Buffalo Tom, the Mekons, Royal Trux, and iDLEWiLD. Recent projects include Coldplay's "Yellow" and Jungle Brothers' "Get Down."

"We want to have a company where we don't have to sell out to make money," maintains Brown. "We want to do stuff that we're really excited about and a lot of times that's really low-budget videos or a great documentary or a no-budget short film. Often times money follows in those situations but ultimately it's not our driving force."

White and Brown both departed The Directors Bureau last year in search of opportunities to develop and promote new talent. The duo remain friendly with the Bureau's Mike Mills and Roman Coppola, citing their business model as not only successful but one they hope to recreate with respect to its familial atmosphere.

"It's a family affair," comments Brown on the building of a company. "All the directors like and are inspired by each other's work. Being a small company it does get like family. I'm sure we'll end up hanging out with everybody socially, outside of work. It's got to be people you like and want to hang out with."

After departing The Bureau, Brown was expected to executive produce at a new division of parent company iNTELEFILM. However, the closing of The End resulted in a change of plans.

Rock Fight is financed in part by London's Rose Hackney Barber whose sister company is Brave Films. Headquartered in downtown Los Angeles or as Brown calls it "The 2-1-3," the company's locale is a deliberate attempt to set it apart from both old school Hollywood production houses and the lush playpens with fully stocked bars on the west side.

"We want to do something really different; lean and mean, and exciting," comments Brown. "It seems like there's a lot of stuff coming out of small new agencies and we want to be on the same level as those people - young and hungry."

Derived from an off-the-cuff remark, as in "I'd rather be in a rock fight than face something unpleasant," Rock Fight is harvesting young talent in an effort to produce a few gems.

"It seems like this whole industry is changing...into what I'm not sure," reflects Brown. "I think with the types of directors we have thus far and the small size of the company, we're flexible enough to adapt to anything."

Raquel Munoz-Flores will represent Rock Fight on the West Coast. Additional representation is to be determined.