LA-based Third Street Mining Company has made a new addition to its hand-picked roster of directorial talent with the signing of Austin, TX-based comedy team Ben/Dave. The signing marks the duo’s first-ever commercial production company affiliation. Working under their own Austin-based production house independently, Ben Hurst and Dave Thomas have brought their irreverent comedic sensibility to campaigns for Vegas.com—shortlisted at Cannes—Jarritos Mexican sodas and Mrs. Fields Cookies to name a few.
Says Third Street Mining Company EP John LaChapelle, “Ben/Dave are so hilarious, I had to sign them. From the beginning of the first call we were cracking each other up—it just felt right. And they have the key factors that are going to take them far in our industry—truly creative minds, great attention to casting and a work ethic that is nothing short of amazing. They are that ‘new breed’ of young directors that can literally do everything—conceptual, execution and post. And they live in Texas, so I don’t have to see them every day!”
“We spoke with a lot of production companies, both smaller and larger,” Ben says. “3MC always rose to the top as a perfect fit. First of all, John LaChapelle’s enthusiasm and drive really impressed us. And of course Neil Tardio’s a tremendous fellow to be associated with.” “We asked everyone we know about John, and only got glowing reviews,” Dave continues. “And he’s assembled a solid, tight roster where we won’t get lost in the shuffle. Plus a tremendous team of reps who gave us plenty of one-on-one time to get to know them and how they operate.”
The two originally met in Salt Lake City, where Dave was a writer and creative director for the local office of Calgary’s Rare Method advertising and Ben had established a commercial production company, Fueld Films. The two collaborated on several projects before Dave took a job at Crispin Porter+Bogusky’s Boulder office, where he created work for Coke Zero and Microsoft and led the Domino’s account. Meanwhile, in 2008, Ben moved his family and company to Austin, drawn by the city’s creative film community and acclaimed lifestyle. After a couple years at CP+B, Dave was looking for a change. Reconnecting with Ben, the two decided to join forces in Austin as a directing team.
“My approach with agencies and clients has always been really collaborative,” Ben says. “So teaming up with Dave was just a great way for me to deepen that and generate even more good ideas for our projects.”
“We basically have a classic writer/art director dynamic,” Dave continues. “With my ad background, it feels really natural to me, and it seems to resonate with agency creatives who like the collaboration.”
The two are strong believers in performance-based comedy and are drawn to the absurd. “When everything feels very natural and relatable, but maybe one key element is wrong or ridiculous, that always seems like a great recipe,” Dave says. “But it always comes down to performance,” continues Ben, noting that some of the pair’s favorite work doesn’t necessarily “read” as very funny on the page. “In the acting you can find those subtle moments and details that you couldn’t have written, and that almost always feels like the most memorable stuff.”
“We’re always trying to figure out the right level of restraint,” says Dave. “We love to generate a ton of ideas for every shot, but then it comes down to culling through, cutting stuff out and finding the one thing that makes the piece great.”
ABOUT THIRD STREET MINING COMPANY
When not venturing around the country shooting acclaimed spots and web films for global brands like Sears, Domino’s Pizza, 7-Eleven, Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Coors Light, 3rd Street Mining Company (3MC) co-founders Neil Tardio and Executive Producer John LaChapelle can be found in remote corners of California racing vintage sports cars at breakneck speed. Or more accurately, racing soundly in the middle of the pack. However, as a production company, 3MC is a well-oiled machine at the front of the pack; they’re lean and agile, but powerful and efficient. Combining a decades-long track record of award-winning work with a handpicked list of filmmakers, 3MC is driven by the size of the creative challenge, not the size of the budget. In this regard, size does matter.
Recently, 3MC and director Neil Tardio’s work on the Domino’s “Show Us Your Pizza” campaign won a 2011 Silver Clio.