Caviar Signs Directing Duo MAMA

L-R: Matt Spicer, Mark Potoka

Academy Award-winning independent film studio Caviar has signed directing duo MAMA for US commercial and music video representation. MAMA - Mark Potoka and Matt Starr Spicer - started their careers in the ad industry writing big-budget work for video games and beer before the two embarked on their directing career as MAMA. They moved on from the glamor of those other productions to self-funded spec ads shot in their apartments that eventually got them their first gigs as directors. 

It was in those early days that the MAMA we know and love today was born, shooting commercial campaigns chock-full of practical effects, unruly coffee machines spraying ungodly amounts of coffee, talking babies and dogs that are smart enough to write novels. The work lets the guys hone their voices and solidify their passion for bringing absurdist visuals to life.

Click here to view their reel.

Notes Caviar EP/managing director Michael Sagol, “We couldn’t be more excited to have MAMA join the Caviar family. Their visual sensibilities and impeccable comedic timing couldn’t be a better fit for what we adore. We can’t wait to see what opportunities come their way and how they continue to entertain us in the ad world and all other visually narrative worlds as well!”

Adds Caviar executive producer Salim El Arja, “Discovering MAMA’s work was like stumbling onto something rare and remarkable. Their instinct for rhythm and the way they draw performances from actors - whether it’s celebrities or otherwise - feels effortless. They understand storytelling on a level that’s both sharp and deeply felt. Their comedic influence runs through every frame, leaving an imprint that makes their work stand out. Watching their films is a real pleasure, a burst of energy and wit that’s hard to find.”

MAMA has created beautiful and hilarious things for brands like Dave’s Hot Chicken, MLB, Smartfood, Midea, Extra Gum, and many more, continuing to build cinematic worlds for hilarious situations and characters. MAMA’s brand of dark comedy and cinematic visuals extends into the narrative space as well. Says MAMA, “We kicked off our career with practical effects and cinematic dumb-funny comedy and never looked back. We just never really stopped writing together and the more we wrote outside of commercials the more we refined our style of dark comedy.”

The guys are busy writing a feature and in production on their short film Novus. A sci-fi dark comedy about a man who gets a secret procedure as a shortcut to a better life, only to have it backfire on him in hilariously scary ways. They also just wrapped a music video complete with two tons of potatoes and giant potato costumes - more to come soon.

MAMA adds, “We’re excited to take this next step with Caviar to not only level up our commercial work but push our narrative work to new places.”