Backyard plants Seed for future growth

Seed, a new L.A.-based commercial company, is the joint venture of Backyard partners Roy Skillicorn and Blair Stribley and Science+ Fiction founders Steve Mendelson and Kevin Townsend. Their focus is developing young directorial talent for commercials and programming content. Backyard COO Dan Bryant is Seed’s executive producer.

Seed starts sprouting with recent Pasadena Art Center grad Michael Chaves, who has directed McDonald’s and Char Broil spots, and Jim Byrkit, now helming a McDonald’s spot via Mad Films, which reps him in Canada.

TV producer Mendelson and Townsend, former ILM Commercials VP/GM, started Science+ Fiction two years ago to develop branded programming and interactive TV.