The woman for the extra mile
Shannon Mildon is a producer at Manifesto Films and a driving force behind the international expansion of the Zurich-Canadian film company.
New logo, new website, new address, own post-production, new people and lots of new plans: Manifesto Films has upgraded. A visible sign are more than half a dozen spots that are currently waiting for their premiere in cinemas and on television. The film production company, founded in 2001, moved into new studios in Zurich's Mühlebachstrasse at the beginning of the year. The founder and creative head of Manifesto is the award-winning director and writer Reto Salimbeni, who "directs" the strategic implementation of the numerous projects and future plans.
A producer by training, she was born in Canada and raised in New Zealand from the age of seven. There she studied Film & Communication at Auckland University. After graduation, Shannon Mildon gained her first experience in national television in New Zealand. She participated as a production assistant on various shows. "I was still very young and enjoyed MTV-style musical shows as well as television series." But soon Mildon was looking for development opportunities in the direction of feature films and got her chance as an assistant at Company Communicado. This produced "Once we're warriors," the first film from New Zealand to win a Palme d'Or at Cannes.
The international appearance also encouraged Shannon Mildon. "In New Zealand, the industry is still very small. So I wanted to come back to North America to further my education." So, with her Canadian passport and the knowledge that one of the biggest film industries awaits in Vancouver, she returned to the country of her birth at age 23. After three weeks in Canada, she applied to Reto Salimbeni's then-partner Mike Collier and his Yaletown Entertainment. Mildon became first production manager and then producer. Over the next four years, she was given responsibility for three longer-running TV series for the LIVE network. During this phase, Shannon produced 54 half-hour shows - per year. "Weird Homes," one of those series, won several awards and was broadcast worldwide.
In Vancouver, Shannon Mildon soon met Reto Salimbeni because he often shot with Yaletown. Their first joint work was a spot for Cablecom. "Isn't that an interesting coincidence?" she laughs today. Daniel Meier of Zurich-based Unikat - still a good client of Manifesto today - was the client and indirectly the "matchmaker" at the time. In the following years, Shannon produced many commercials for Salimbeni - and she reveals with a meaningful look, they still had nothing to do with each other privately, however. "Of course, I tried to flirt with the handsome guy from Switzerland. But he didn't notice," she smiles. Instead, the production company of the David Letterman show became aware of her qualities and made her an offer to produce a new show in Vancouver. Just at that time, however, Reto Salimbeni also made her an offer - privately as well as professionally - and Shannon turned Letterman down. And so finally the first flap had fallen for the further story development of the intercontinental Manifesto Films - with seats in Zurich and Vancouver. "The decision was easy for me." She was convinced that Reto is "simply a great director" with a clear vision. "In our profession, it's best to work together anyway - otherwise you see far too little of each other because they're both always on the road." Two days after Shannon's decision, she was on a plane to the Maldives for a spot for Ladival sun cream. "Reto didn't tell me where the first shoot was until after I had accepted, but it was a nice surprise," Shannon laughs. She became the producer in charge at Manifesto and often lived out of a suitcase with Salimbeni for the next few years, sometimes for months at a time. Shoots in many countries had to be organized and handled. In the meantime, the producer and the director have been working together for six years, and they have been married for five years. "It's just perfect," says Shannon Mildon.
Manifesto's core competence is large A-class spots with international quality requirements. "We want to be able to serve markets outside of Switzerland," Mildon explains. "We are one of the few companies that has an office in Europe and North America. Our Vancouver office provides direct access to one of the largest film infrastructures in the world with a fantastic pool of actors. Our own resources allow us to offer productions at very interesting conditions, which is a great advantage in today's market." Clients from Germany, Italy, Switzerland or even the USA regularly have their spots produced by Manifesto Film Vancouver.
Shannon Mildon loves producing commercials. "Commercials are extremely to the point, the storyline has to be right, visual direction is very important, you gain experience with the newest post-production techniques and you have to constantly keep up with future trends." Since the beginning of the year, Manifesto has also had an in-house post-production department that covers all needs up to 3D animation. In recent months, spots for ViznerBorel, Unikat, RufLanz, Ogilvy, Büro Reinhold, among others, have been post-produced in-house. "Having our own technology gives Reto as a director the opportunity to tweak the films until he is happy, without us having to watch the clock to stay within a budgeted effort. Reto cares a lot about post-production, so we set him up with this toy," Mildon explains.
Manifesto has set itself the goal of making a feature film at least every two or three years. After Salimbeni's comedy "Was ist bloss mit meinen Männern los?" for ProSieben, Shannon Mildon took on the role of executive producer for the first time two years ago on Salimbeni's $12 million film "One Way" with Til Schweiger. Universal International Pictures as well as Til Schweiger were her partners. Shannon Mildon was responsible for cas-ting and all shooting in Toronto, Vancouver and New York. Mildon: "I learned a lot from producer Til Schweiger, he lives film 24/7 and his trust in me was a great compliment."
Reto Salimbeni is currently writing a new comedy with Til Schweiger on behalf of Bernd Eichinger's Constantin Films. Another major project in English is in development with Universal International Pictures in Los Angeles. Being able to work with "really good people" has always been Shannon Mildon's goal. She also wants to bring out the best in herself and knows that in film, you often have to be hard on yourself. "There's no such thing as a regular workday," she explains, "I'm constantly thinking about how to make something even better." If you're willing to go "that extra mile," it will show on screen later. "You get rewarded if you never give up and look at a fortieth location after the 39th."
In order to cope with the large amount of work and to be able to serve the advertising agencies even better, Shannon had been looking for another producer in Switzerland for a long time. At the beginning of the year, she pulled off the coup of recruiting a renowned team for Manifesto: producers Daniela Berther and Barbara Waldvogel for production and administration. "We have produced eleven commercials together in the meantime and it is an excellent collaboration. Daniela and Barbara think internationally and know the national scene inside out. With their rich agency experience, they know spot production from both sides and are the perfect complement for our teams."
Shannon Mildon loves communicating on set. She can be just as attentive to the lighting guy as she is to the financier. And even though she's worked with Oscar winners and other stars, the producer still isn't above keeping the whole crew in good spirits by personally serving coffee during a commercial. "I earned my film degree back in New Zealand as a waitress on the side, and I'm not afraid to lend a hand wherever it's needed."
Andreas Panzeri
A producer by training, she was born in Canada and raised in New Zealand from the age of seven. There she studied Film & Communication at Auckland University. After graduation, Shannon Mildon gained her first experience in national television in New Zealand. She participated as a production assistant on various shows. "I was still very young and enjoyed MTV-style musical shows as well as television series." But soon Mildon was looking for development opportunities in the direction of feature films and got her chance as an assistant at Company Communicado. This produced "Once we're warriors," the first film from New Zealand to win a Palme d'Or at Cannes.
The international appearance also encouraged Shannon Mildon. "In New Zealand, the industry is still very small. So I wanted to come back to North America to further my education." So, with her Canadian passport and the knowledge that one of the biggest film industries awaits in Vancouver, she returned to the country of her birth at age 23. After three weeks in Canada, she applied to Reto Salimbeni's then-partner Mike Collier and his Yaletown Entertainment. Mildon became first production manager and then producer. Over the next four years, she was given responsibility for three longer-running TV series for the LIVE network. During this phase, Shannon produced 54 half-hour shows - per year. "Weird Homes," one of those series, won several awards and was broadcast worldwide.
In Vancouver, Shannon Mildon soon met Reto Salimbeni because he often shot with Yaletown. Their first joint work was a spot for Cablecom. "Isn't that an interesting coincidence?" she laughs today. Daniel Meier of Zurich-based Unikat - still a good client of Manifesto today - was the client and indirectly the "matchmaker" at the time. In the following years, Shannon produced many commercials for Salimbeni - and she reveals with a meaningful look, they still had nothing to do with each other privately, however. "Of course, I tried to flirt with the handsome guy from Switzerland. But he didn't notice," she smiles. Instead, the production company of the David Letterman show became aware of her qualities and made her an offer to produce a new show in Vancouver. Just at that time, however, Reto Salimbeni also made her an offer - privately as well as professionally - and Shannon turned Letterman down. And so finally the first flap had fallen for the further story development of the intercontinental Manifesto Films - with seats in Zurich and Vancouver. "The decision was easy for me." She was convinced that Reto is "simply a great director" with a clear vision. "In our profession, it's best to work together anyway - otherwise you see far too little of each other because they're both always on the road." Two days after Shannon's decision, she was on a plane to the Maldives for a spot for Ladival sun cream. "Reto didn't tell me where the first shoot was until after I had accepted, but it was a nice surprise," Shannon laughs. She became the producer in charge at Manifesto and often lived out of a suitcase with Salimbeni for the next few years, sometimes for months at a time. Shoots in many countries had to be organized and handled. In the meantime, the producer and the director have been working together for six years, and they have been married for five years. "It's just perfect," says Shannon Mildon.
Manifesto's core competence is large A-class spots with international quality requirements. "We want to be able to serve markets outside of Switzerland," Mildon explains. "We are one of the few companies that has an office in Europe and North America. Our Vancouver office provides direct access to one of the largest film infrastructures in the world with a fantastic pool of actors. Our own resources allow us to offer productions at very interesting conditions, which is a great advantage in today's market." Clients from Germany, Italy, Switzerland or even the USA regularly have their spots produced by Manifesto Film Vancouver.
Shannon Mildon loves producing commercials. "Commercials are extremely to the point, the storyline has to be right, visual direction is very important, you gain experience with the newest post-production techniques and you have to constantly keep up with future trends." Since the beginning of the year, Manifesto has also had an in-house post-production department that covers all needs up to 3D animation. In recent months, spots for ViznerBorel, Unikat, RufLanz, Ogilvy, Büro Reinhold, among others, have been post-produced in-house. "Having our own technology gives Reto as a director the opportunity to tweak the films until he is happy, without us having to watch the clock to stay within a budgeted effort. Reto cares a lot about post-production, so we set him up with this toy," Mildon explains.
Manifesto has set itself the goal of making a feature film at least every two or three years. After Salimbeni's comedy "Was ist bloss mit meinen Männern los?" for ProSieben, Shannon Mildon took on the role of executive producer for the first time two years ago on Salimbeni's $12 million film "One Way" with Til Schweiger. Universal International Pictures as well as Til Schweiger were her partners. Shannon Mildon was responsible for cas-ting and all shooting in Toronto, Vancouver and New York. Mildon: "I learned a lot from producer Til Schweiger, he lives film 24/7 and his trust in me was a great compliment."
Reto Salimbeni is currently writing a new comedy with Til Schweiger on behalf of Bernd Eichinger's Constantin Films. Another major project in English is in development with Universal International Pictures in Los Angeles. Being able to work with "really good people" has always been Shannon Mildon's goal. She also wants to bring out the best in herself and knows that in film, you often have to be hard on yourself. "There's no such thing as a regular workday," she explains, "I'm constantly thinking about how to make something even better." If you're willing to go "that extra mile," it will show on screen later. "You get rewarded if you never give up and look at a fortieth location after the 39th."
In order to cope with the large amount of work and to be able to serve the advertising agencies even better, Shannon had been looking for another producer in Switzerland for a long time. At the beginning of the year, she pulled off the coup of recruiting a renowned team for Manifesto: producers Daniela Berther and Barbara Waldvogel for production and administration. "We have produced eleven commercials together in the meantime and it is an excellent collaboration. Daniela and Barbara think internationally and know the national scene inside out. With their rich agency experience, they know spot production from both sides and are the perfect complement for our teams."
Shannon Mildon loves communicating on set. She can be just as attentive to the lighting guy as she is to the financier. And even though she's worked with Oscar winners and other stars, the producer still isn't above keeping the whole crew in good spirits by personally serving coffee during a commercial. "I earned my film degree back in New Zealand as a waitress on the side, and I'm not afraid to lend a hand wherever it's needed."
Andreas Panzeri
