Making the ordinary compelling is 35-year-old Kasper Wedendahl's specialty. His spots expose everyday situations in a humorous, slightly dark, dispassionate way.

Ask the Copenhagen-based director how he captured the reality of marriage for Interflora's campaign that included "Tool Shop" through Robert/Boisen, Copenhagen, and won a Cannes Gold Lion in 2001, and he'll chuckle caustically. "I tell the actors to hate each other. Then we create a situation where 15 years of bills and babies have left nothing but history."

It's this type of work that has increased demand for Wedendahl's skills beyond mainland Europe. Daniel Bergmann, head of London's Stink, is a vocal proponent of Wedendahl's wry comic style. "Kasper has great sensitivity and an ability to execute simple, banal scripts," says Bergmann, who recently signed Wedendahl, along with the four other directors that make up Danish prodco Bacon, for the UK.

Wedendahl's career, like his spots, began inauspiciously. He started out sweeping floors and brewing coffee at a public service TV station back in 1989. "I was the one who would stay late after hours to play with the equipment."

After gaining some experience, Wedendahl was approached by producer Thomas Busch, founder of Copenhagen's Bullet Productions. Busch handed the budding director a couple of scripts and set him loose.

His break came in 1998 when one of Bullet's established in-house directors had to pass on a job because he was going on vacation. Wedendahl shot the spot, for German retailer C&A, and not long afterward, was approached by Francois Chillot, of France's Les Producers. Today, Wedendahl is repped "in every country in Europe" and the UK, as well as Canada.

His "Armor Guy" spot for the Washington State Lottery brought Wedendahl stateside in 2001. "I love the grand scale of things in the US," he says gleefully. "The crews are much bigger and you never have to wait for anything."

Information:
Repped by: Bacon (Denmark); Les Producers (France); Stink (UK); Partners (Canada)
What's with the Bacon moniker?: It's Denmark's biggest export
Favorite film: The Ice Storm
King of commercials: Spike Jonze
What's in his stereo right now?: I'd like to say something cool, but it's probably some Disney soundtrack to keep the kids happy
Who he credits with giving him a leg up: DDB, Paris and Robert/Boisen, Copenhagen
Proudest work: Vattenfall and Sansao/Coca-Cola (currently airing in Norway)

WEBFILES:
Bacon> http://www.baconcph.com
Partners' Film> http://www.partnersfilm.com
Stink> http://www.stink.tv