Raleigh, North Carolina—Aug 1, 2005—Red Truck Films, one of the Southeast’s top commercial production companies, continues to expand its roster and offer the region top-quality, nationally-recognized talent. The company has signed directors Tracy Helms and Michael Ivey to exclusive representation in the Southeast. The duo joins Red Truck’s strong core group of directors, recently enhanced by Robert Latorre and Gustavo Fiorenza (Gaz), to create a formidable roster servicing local agencies and others interested in shooting in the area.

Based in Raleigh, North Carolina, Red Truck Films is a TV commercial production company representing directors from around the country to advertising agencies in the Southeast region and reaching into the Northeast and Midwest. Its diverse roster of directors displays expertise in storytelling, comedy, food/tabletop, slice-of-life, image and documentary-style spots.

“Red Truck Films strives to be the premier production company in the Southeast,” says Executive Producer, Garye Costner. “Representing talent like Tracy and Michael helps us to reach beyond our own boundaries, expand into larger markets and attract more work to our region.”

Tracy Helms
From richly-choreographed storytelling to cleverly-composed comedy, Tracy Helms is known for work that puts emotion into full motion. His ability to accurately grasp an agency’s vision and expand upon it with strong visual styles, key nuances and powerful deliveries can be traced to his background as a journalist and agency creative. A former sportswriter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and reporter for TIME and the Associated Press, Helms excels at pulling out the best performances from professional talent and real people.

Helms has worked with production companies Cucoloris (Venice Beach), Sparks (Toronto) and Scream (Hollywood) and held positions at Temerlin McClain, Irving, TX; The Buntin Group, Nashville; Young & Rubicam/Sive, Cincinnati; Lawler Ballad, Cincinnati and Norfolk; and Cargil & Associates/Cole Henderson Drake, Atlanta. He has directed spots for AT&T, PowerTel, Georgia Power, Sorrento and Dollar Tree.

Helms has won nearly every level of award in the industry, including Cannes and NY Festivals honors, Clios, Addys, Andy, Tellys and more than 15 national and regional news Emmys.

Michael Ivey
A director with a diverse skill set, Michael Ivey has been a filmmaker, photojournalist, Hollywood production designer, poet, NPR “All Things Considered” commentator, copywriter, whitewater river runner and expert campfire jumper. Ivey’s directing specialties include lifestyle, dialogue, real people, kids and light humor. His natural ability to bring real people to honest and touching performances is only overshadowed by his fresh ideas and graceful storytelling.

Ivey worked his way up the production art-department ladder in LA. He has also shot stills on numerous projects, and his still photography has been widely published and exhibited. His experience covers the complete range of film work from documentaries and features to hundreds of national and international commercial spots. Ivey spent more than three years as a key on the creative team of two-time DGA Best Commercial Director award winner Robert Lieberman, working on everything from Hallmark to Toyota spots.

Ivey has worked on spots for clients including Ohio State University, The Frazier Arms Museum, Lightyear Home, Ohio Health, Bluegrass Cellular and Integris Health Systems.

Red Truck Films is a division of Trailblazer Studios. For more information about these and other Red Truck Films directors, please visit the website at www.RedTruckFilms.com