The Team – Propeller TV and Media

OUR TEAM

Russell Underhill

Russell Underhill
Executive Producer & Co – Founder

After winning an international award for his first short film, Russell started his film career as a commercial director. He spent more than fifteen years directing commercials for leading companies around the world. As a director, his work has been awarded on several occasions in New York, London, Southeast Asia and South Africa. In 2012, Russell set up Propeller Films in South Africa and has produced more than one hundred commercials for other directors (both established, award winning directors as well as brand new talent) In 2018, Russell co-founded Propel Visions in Kenya and that company quickly began producing campaigns for blue chip clients from Africa and around the World. This was closely followed by the establishment of Propeller TV & Media in Lagos, Nigeria. Russell has produced and directed work for clients from as far afield as Denmark, the UK, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Australia and the UAE. He brings that experience to Nigeria with the establishment of Propeller TV & Media as a locally based production company in West Africa with the best available producers on the ground. Russell motto is: “Always deliver more than we promise. And have fun doing it”
Bidemi Okorodudu

Bidemi Okorodudu
Executive Producer & Co – Founder

Bidemi is a skilled media entrepreneur with years of experience working in the advertising and marketing space, having led marketing activities for international brands in Nigeria as well as a consultant through his own firm. Having coordinated marketing activities for multinationals such as Canon, Oracle and Cisco, he knows the importance of quality of service delivery. This level of client service is the same that he brings to our valued client. He prides himself in having a globally-oriented outlook, having lived and worked between Nigeria and the US, studying at the University of West Georgia where he majored in Business Administration. His love for film extends to attending the New York Film Academy where he pursued an interest in screenwriting. He is currently pursuing an MBA through Queen Mary University of London.
Melissa Thorne

Melissa Thorne
Senior Producer

Melissa is, in a word dynamic, with a vibrant, magical spirit that that touches all she works with. She has an extensive, impressive resume including work spanning over twenty-five years of producing in both commercials, feature films and reality TV. Melissa has hundreds of commercials credits as producer and line producer. These include spots for such prominent directors as Tarsem, Tony Kaye, Frederick Planchon, Luke Scott as well as a host of both leading and new South African directors. Her wide-ranging, invaluable experience makes her a real asset to any shoot. Melissa divides her time between South Africa, Ghana and Mozambique. She has become an authority on shooting in Sub-Saharan Africa, bringing knowledge and professionalism with her. Behind the scenes, Melissa is a collector of beautiful African art and fabric. This is a testament to her love of the region and the inspirational insight she has gathered there. Mel is also committed to developing the film industry in Lesotho along with her husband who is a director. With Melissa on the Propeller team you are guaranteed a professional, flawless shoot.
Catharine Cooke

Catharine Cooke
Development Creative & Director

Catharine began her career as an accomplished actress in theatre, television and film. She then went on to develop her skills as an Assistant Director for some of South Africa’s top directors. For the last twelve years Catharine has been successfully making a living from directing numerous television series and commercials for South Africa, West Africa and the UK (BBC) Catharine has had four nominations for a SAFTA award and won the best director award at the 2018 SAFTAs, for the TV series iNumberNumber and also won in 2019 for a TV show titled The River, which was also nominated for an International Emmy. She ended 2018 on a high note, having completed as lead director on the much anticipated, The Girl from St Agnes, which was released in both South Africa and UK in 2019. This show broke the viewing record on the streaming platform, Showmax. Catharine began 2020 as the Creative Director on Mnet’s new flagship show, Legacy, which has become an audience favorite. In 2021 Catharine is directing a co-production between Freemantle (UK) and Mnet (SA). REYKA, is a dark thriller set in the cane fields of Kwazulu Natal, and boasts a stellar cast including Iain Glen of GAME OF THRONES fame and Kim Engelbrecht from THE FLASH fame.
Kanmi da-Silva

Kanmi da-Silva

A Winner of the MLP Pearl award for Advertising Effectiveness, 2007, Kanmi has worked in Advertising and Marketing Communications for over 30 years in several advertising agencies. He started as an Art Director and rose to head the Creative Department in Insight Communications, before fully concentrating on nurturing a new production unit in that company. An alumnus of the Lagos Business School and New York Film Academy, ‘Kanmi in the last 25 years, has written, co-produced and co-directed some of the most notable television commercials and documentaries as well as directing photography shoots and events locally and internationally for international brands and some of Nigeria’s biggest brands. Some of these include campaigns for Nigeria Breweries Plc with Heineken beer, Gulder beer, Star beer, Legend Extra Stout and Amstel Malta. For Pepsico Nigeria, Pepsi Cola, Mirinda and Seven-Up. Others include, GSK’s Ribena, Lucozade Boost Energy Drink, Macleans toothpaste, Andrews Liver Salt and Horlicks Powdered Milk. Cadbury’s Bournvita, WAMCO’s Peak Milk, Visafone, Sterling Bank, FCMB, Econet Wireless, Indomie Noodles, Samsung, AXA Mansard, Golden Penny, MTN, AXA Mansard, Bank PHB, Soulmate Industries Ltd., Vitafoam, Inlaks, 9Mobile and many others. Some of the television commercial works include Gulder’s ‘Rich Label’, Lucozade Boost ‘Cheetah’, Ribena ‘Bikers 5’, Milo’s ‘Actigen E’, Sterling Bank’s ‘1 Customer Bank’ series, Visafone ‘Visa’ launch, MTN ‘PULSE’, GSK ‘Macleans is Back’ series, The Abiola Ajimobi re-election campaign series, Legend Stout ‘Express it Now’ series, Amstel Malta ‘Be The Best You Can Be’, Peak ‘456’, Star Lager Beer re-launch and virtually all award winning TV Commercials that came out of Insight Communications between 2002 and 2016. Beyond being a key force behind many successful brand and political campaigns on the Nigerian Advertising landscape, Kanmi remains an inspiration to many upcoming ad men and women.

Russell Underhill

Bidemi Okorodudu

Melissa Thorne

Catharine Cooke

Kanmi da-Silva