brussels Jun 2009

Considered Belgium's leading photographers' agency, Claudia Trucco represents a selection of professional photographers specialised in fashion and advertising.

Established 11 years ago, the agency has gained a significant position in the international market, focusing on fields such as fashion, beauty, landscape, car and food photography.

The agency provides full service production for its photographers and clients.

C'est Chic is a Brussels-based photography, styling and make-up agency. Created seven years ago, the company is directed by Belinda Cordier who has over 20 years experience as a fashion stylist.

The agency represents artists both in Brussels and Paris. Literally and figuratively a 'House of Chic', C'est Chic is filled with numerous professional talents. Enjoying the confidence of long-term clients, the agency manages its artists and their productions with an unrivaled passion, and prides itself in combining commercial work in advertising and catalogues with a flexible creative approach.

Featured in this Showcase is a selection of recent work from the agency's photographers.

Gaetan Caputo was born in Belgium to a family with Belgian and Italian origins. His art contains an emotional state that conveys his personal perceptions, and photography has become his way of observing the world and the people in it.

Gaetan's work is maturing at an impressive rate and his artistic signature continues to grow the more he defines his own unique style. Over the past two years he has seen some 20 covers and 30 editorial pieces published, and he consistently produces several editorial series per month in Europe and Asia.

Today he is fully recognised within the Belgian market and is set to conquer other markets with the greatest humility.

Operation Panda consists of a professional team of passionate photography experts. Working out of a fully equipped studio in Brussels, the company offers all the services required to realise any type of photography project, and has worked consistently with leading brands and advertising agencies. Services include:

• Photographer and assistants.
• A skilled team of retouchers.
• A full production team (producer, make-up artist, stylist, food stylist, special effects, location finder, etc.)
• A team of 3D designers.
• A web-design team (partner company).

With worldwide location facilities, Operation Panda can answer all manner of request and provide a truly personalised service.

Frank Uyttenhove has enjoyed a long, award-filled career as a photographer.

The main current in his varied work is the continuous presence of subtle emotion, which relegates to the background his clear mastery of technique.

Thanks to his ability for directing people and his attention to detail, Frank can tell an entire story in just one picture.

His most recent work was a worldwide brand campaign for the Intel Corporation, shot in Los Angeles for Venables, Bell & Partners.

Beside his work as a photographer, Frank has directed more than 40 TV commercials.

From the age of 16, Alexandre Van Battel has been assisting fashion and architectural photographers. In 2000, he threw himself into advertising photography and continues to develop a range of personal projects.

His uncluttered style and cinematographic approach presents unpredictable and highly original characters throughout his work.

Alexandre has shot for a diverse range of advertising clients, from dairy producers to car manufacturers, and continues to collaborate with his architect friends on a variety of personal projects.

Frederic Vanwalleghem is an international freelance photographer based in Belgium. His focus is on documentary, portraiture, corporate photography, fashion and events. Next to his commercial work for various clients he specialises in human interest photojournalism. Aesthetic perfection, his love for people and the ability to capture emotional intensity typifies his work. The essay ‘Portraits in your room - Retratos en tu cuarto’ was selected for the prestigious Sony World Photography Awards 2009 by renowned photographers Mary Ellen Mark and Sarah Moon.

"Photography is a very personal interpretation and description of the world. The need to photograph enables me to dive into intriguing aspects of life. I like to be in new situations where I can define some sort of absolute feeling."

Frederic Vanwalleghem is currently working on a new story about Roma communities in Kosovo and harsh living conditions on the verge of Europe.

"AMNIOS" is the latest stage of Eric Ceccarini's progression, from cover-girls and classic nudes to incredible "soul portraits". He no longer simply presents the naked form, instead he offers his model's souls full of hidden secrets.

In some of Eric's images, a line or a shadow hints at beauty. In others it is their complex multiple facets, rather than their simplicity, that he explores.

The monumental scale of the images, 150 cm x 250 cm, adds to their sense of restrained power.

Famous is the largest independent agency in Belgium. Originally named LG&F Group - a communications group with four agencies: LG&F (advertising), I Do (1-to-1), Snow (online), and Pride (PR) - and founded in 1997 by Luc Libens, Christophe Ghewy and Marc Fauconnier, the company consolidated in 2008 as Famous: one fully integrated agency with a vision and organisation centered around brands and clients.

Tim&Joeri - Belgium's most renowned creatives who previously worked at LG&F - rejoined the company in the spring of 2009. Together with Christophe Ghewy, they form the creative direction behind Famous.

Clients include: Electrabel, National Lottery, Proximus, Jupiler, Stella Artois, Bacardi, William Lawson's, Eristoff, Chaudfontaine and Klara.

DVIBE is the new web communications division of Dominique Models. DVIBE conceives, develops and produces web and video content that showcases the unquestionable talent of its models across the internet.

In January of this year, the company launched dominiquemodels.tv, the agency's own web TV channel. Models share their tips and tricks about beauty and style, but also reveal some of the real aspects of their lives away from the cameras.

DVIBE develops addictive web content and reinforces it through effective social networking. Contact Ariane van der Veen to explore new ways of communicating brand identity, web and POP video concepts, and internet video channel options. 

International Model Management (IMM) was created in September 2001. Working with more than 500 Belgian and international models, IMM searches for charismatic talents who "shoot stars in the eyes of the people who cross them."

Supported by Carinne Caillieret who runs the women's department, Yves Cattelain for men, and Karine Geeraerts for classics, the agency's young people have made heads spin and set catwalks alight over many seasons in Paris, London, New York and Milan.

IMM shapes Brussels with its trendy and dynamic images, making it the new place for fashion.

Matthias Lebeer holds an MA in Film Direction from the RITS School of Cinematic Arts, Brussels. 'Brod Ludaka', his latest film, was shortlisted for the Academy Awards, 2008, for 'Best Short'.

Last September, Matthias graduated from a film production class at the IAD, The Institut des Arts de Diffusion, with a thesis on the distribution of film.

He has also studied abroad at FAMU, the Prague film school, where he was inspired to make 'Brod Ludaka' which was shot on-location in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Since 2008, he has been active as a new talent in the publicity world for production houses Made in Brussels and In Case of Fire.

SOLSTICE-producers are experts in international production and represent highly talented directors such as Les Sharpe, Jean Bocheux, Matthaüs Bussmann, Eric Amblard, Karina Taira, Ben Hartenstein, Mikko Lehtinen, and many others.

With SOLSTICE-producers, clients tap into a flexible organisation of professional partners between Brussels, China, Bangkok and India. They breathe life into ideas and execute strategies with fresh flair.

SOLSTICE-producers work on various scales, from cutting-edge viral campaigns to celebrity shoots and sharp-witted brand projects. SOLSTICE-producers also connect businesses to creative advertising makers who trigger the new and the next.

"Imagery with a heart-beat is what we're after."

Key Line Film is a production company active in major areas such as commercials, animation, virals and corporate film, forming a cross-section of activities adapted to the market.

Although Key Line Film has been around for many years, it has always striven to maintain the company's youthful image, to constantly search for new talent and give motivated directors the chance to grow.

Key Line Film has produced hundreds of films for national television as well as for foreign markets. The company has had the opportunity to work for a broad range of international agencies such as Duval Guillaume, LDV-Bates, J.W. Thompson, Grey, Publicis, Euro RSCG, TBWA, Germaine, Saatchi & Saatchi, DDB and McCann Erickson.

The company distinguishes between the different needs and characteristics of each production. For every individual project, it will do the necessary research to find the right director for a client.

Check the website for more information or contact the company direct.

XDC has installed more than 500 digital screens in 10 European countries and is the leading service company dedicated to building a pan-European digital cinema network. XDC provides end-to-end digital cinema solutions including equipment supply, financing (VPF, leasing, etc.), training, installation and maintenance, as well as content processing and delivery.

The company is the first entity to have VPF digital cinema deployment agreements with the six major US studios (Warner, Fox, Universal, Paramount, Sony and Disney) for a total of 8,000 digital screens in 22 European countries. XDC has also achieved global financing of €100 million with Fortis Bank to allow the VPF roll-out of 2,000 digital screens in the first phase of its European deployment programme.

XDC Digital Content Lab has been processing more than 500 different titles, and offers full services including mastering, duplication, key management, 24/7 helpdesk, extranet tracking, physical and virtual delivery. XDC is also very active in alternative content by offering full service from booking and promotion to delivery, reporting and box office collection. XDC is backed by EVS Broadcast Equipment (Nyse Euronext EVS.BR) and several leading financial investors.