Production affiliations: UK-Therapy Films/Internationally-Anonymous Content
Years directing: 8
Shoot days 2001: 65
Geography: UK, based in London
Favorite Spot: Kiss FM thru AMV.BBDO "I needed to film a heart pumping so I persuaded a surgeon to bypass all the bureaucracy, went into an operation and got a chest opened up and filmed the heart pumping with the 35mm camera about six inches away. It was very strange seeing them cut through the sternum."
Biggest influence: Hitchcock. "I'm obsessed by Rear Window and Vertigo. He was commercial but subversive and subterranean. He made 53 movies in all and understood film more than anyone."

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Malcolm Venville is staring at a wall in his room at the Chateau Marmont on Sunset Boulevard in LA. A perfect locale, where discretion is guaranteed, to rewrite his feature film script.

As the hearing kid of deaf parents, Venville is uniquely qualified to pen the tale of four guys who travel to Tangiers to lose their virginity, which is set to be delivered in sign language.

Creative work has been a constant companion throughout Venville's career; the ex-photographer turned director still clicks the lens when creative fits the bill.

2001 saw Venville create some memorable campaigns including "Jogging" and "Fishing" for Land Rover Discovery through Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R, London. Yet Venville's thoughts are tightly wound around the film project at hand.

"I'm just trying to get the film off the ground and attempting to get it into production by the end of the year," explains Venville, who's producer on the project just happens to be Anonymous Content founder and CEO Steve Golin, respected for both his commercial and feature credits.

"Steve's the man," says Venville. "He's full of integrity, made great movies and produces great commercials. Anonymous is all about continually expanding creatively and is careful to be modern, so I'm attached to some really cool people."

Recent work in the UK includes a Nurse recruitment spot through D'Arcy, London, while some Miller work through Y&R, Chicago and MasterCard through McCann New York have spiced it up stateside.

"The Miller spot revolves around the premise of Americans working more hours than anyone else in the civilized world," explains Venville. "It's all about quirky observations and funny moments."

2002 promises to be a challenging year, with Venville leaning toward more comedy-soaked boards. "My whole attitude is tuned to gunning for comedy scripts."