RICARDO LACOMBE – Co Founder and Managing Director

Ricardo didn’t plan to be a filmmaker, he fell into it. The first film made was a feature; such is the bold thinking of this dynamic personality. He went on to to co-write, film, direct, edit, score and market this film, with no formal training.

Completely self-taught and yet with a camcorder shot project, got instant recognition as broadcastable work. Up to this point Ricardo had been a successful session guitarist and freelance music teacher until discovering his massive talent for filmmaking. He has been a lover of film since his earliest memories of watching Jaws and Star Wars from the back of a car at a drive in movie theatre in Canada, where he spent his early years. He describes his successful foray into filmmaking as an almost religious experience where his years of film study came to fruition.

He is a daring cameraman, not afraid to go for shots that some people would fear, or that film school says are “wrong”. He is an outstanding editor, self-taught and yet light years ahead of his schooled contemporaries, much to many editors annoyance!. He is first and foremost a fantastic director, who utilises his self-developed communication skills to extract amazing performances from actors of all abilities. He truly believes a good Director is the centre of activity, not the top of the tree and thrives on developing other people’s skills.

Some may say anal, but we at Troika+Ltd say prepared, and if we are anything we are most certainly prepared thanks to Ricardo’s talents in business management. Having already managed a company with a turnover in excess of £20 million, he has put this management skill to great use in organising every aspect of film, film production and film marketing. Nothing is left to chance when Ricardo is involved as his drive, determination and severe lack of sleep mean that he can do and will do everything he promises, and then some. He is known to spend many hours, late night, studying new tools and techniques.

Ricardo believes he can do anything he chooses to do, and if you get to know him he quickly makes you realise you too can do whatever you set your mind too. That is why Troika+Ltd has so many talented individuals willing to work with us. If he tells you he can do something, it’s not a sales pitch, it’s a fact. He is a man who doesn’t deal in daydreams; he deals in fact and reality to achieve those dreams. His level of work is something that many seasoned film makers will only aspire to, his broad shoulders taking the backlash that many less ambitious have felt. He serves to show others what THEY can do if determined.

LEE CIVICO-CAMBELL – Co Founder and Director

Lee led a highly active and creative life long before he turned to acting and filmmaking. His whole life has been one show before though, being a guitarist in a rock band, stage magician, writer, poet and general entertainer of the masses.

It was in combination with his filmmaking partner Ricardo Lacombe that he realised his true calling, and turned to film production and acting as a full time profession, to great success.

He spent many years acting with local drama companies in Sheffield and then became producer, director and quickly evolved in responsibility to managing the drama groups and their productions in their entirety. Lee then appeared on a major late night poker show where he competed for £100,000 where professional players from the international poker scene labelled him as a natural, and the best player on the show. It was this TV appearance that led to Troika+Ltd’s first feature production, A Jesters Tale, a mockumentary feature film about Lee’s TV persona, The Jester. This huge undertaking was tackled with full confidence and no formal filmmaking training, shot on weekends and evenings while maintaining other commitments. The result, on a first project, made with pure heart, talent and confidence, was INSTANT broadcast interest. This fuelled Lee and Ricardo to take up filmmaking as a major interest and founded Troika+Ltd as a successful, different thinking independent filmmaking production force in the area. He achieved a goal of TV broadcast within 1 year of this first project.

Lee is a keen lover of comedy and although he can write superbly in any style, comedy remains his love, both acting and writing.

He is a hugely talented comedy character actor who dedicates and commits to hours in front the mirror talking in strange voices, and can often be seen trying out new walks and bizarre mannerisms – all in the name of acting of course!

Passionate about what he does and totally committed to his acting and filmmaking goals, his excitement is infectious. Lee has used this talent to achieve networking and contact building the likes of which money cannot buy and acts as Troika+Ltd’s front man and star. Be around him for only a short time before you feel the excitement he exudes. No one can deny that Lee’s amazing personality has served to lift his company to great heights, in minimum time. A true, unqiue and eclectic genius.

SALLY ELDIN-DALZIEL – Director (Technical and Development)

Although often referred to as the quiet one of the group Sally has proven time and time again that she is no shrinking violet! She first came to the attention of Troika during the screenings for a local video competition where Troika were also showing a piece. Ricardo recalls:

“I met Sally during the launch and screenings of our videos. I remember her passion and excitement for film-making, and we instantly got talking about Alfred Hitchock who we both shared a great passion for. I was soon seeking her out for our next project. It was my GREAT pleasure to welcome Sally on board a Troika production and I couldn’t wait to see what exciting work she developed in the future. I knew that I would be seeing a lot of this awesomely enthusiastic and passionate lady in the film world so got her on board as soon as I could. It’s amazing that we get to work with each every day, because there is no one….no one, that I would trust on set and in the edit room more than Sally”.

It wasn’t long before Sally’s name was increasingly being mentioned throughout the independent film community and both James and Lee noticed that whenever they were working in an acting capacity on various film projects Sally was always there, in demand as ever! Initially working on sound recording and sound design, her obvious talents were very quickly being utilised in other areas by several directors. Her wild and daring ideas and keen eye for setting up a shot were immediately tapped into. Even working as a second unit the footage she crafted was often being chosen over the planned storyboard during the editing process. An overall knowledge and passion of the whole process you will be hard pushed to find in many film-makers. Sally has that full scope, and then some.
From the infancy of the company Troika has always prided itself with the quality of it’s editing and has been totally aware of the importance of high-quality post production work within the industry. Her input has become invaluable to Troika in this time consuming process. Ricardo has often stated to the team and outside that he can often find it challenging to progress on an edit without Sally to assist, such is her keen eye for something different.

As the workload on projects began to mount Troika started expansion plans and Sally’s name was always high on the list to be offered a co-director role within the company. She accepted immediately and took on the pressure to deliver without hesitation! This kind of passion fuels our company members and collaborators alike!

After accepting her new role Sally commented, “For a young film-school graduate like myself it’s been such an honour to work with Troika. To have been taken up from their Student Graduate Program to company director is a dream come true for me! With four of us now in the decision making process we can continue to work with the free-lance talent across the country and expand our company to constantly promote not just independent film and television production, but now music and artist representation too!”.
Although humble Sally is a uniquely talented and passionate individual who never fails to surprise, support and enchant her fellow collaborators. She is unbiased, free thinking, completely mad and with a spirit for all things creative that we feel has truly found it’s home in the Troika family.

JAMES CAROLL – Director (Talent and Development)

James is a veteran of TV and Film and started his acting career by being literally pushed into the famous Everyman Theatre in his then hometown of Liverpool. Even at this young age (in fact before if you listen to the stories his mother tells!) he was an actor at heart, always willing an very able to capture an audience. His early work in theatre in and around Liverpool as a child led to his being cast in the Channel 4 daily soap Brookside, where James had a central regular role in the ground breaking production. His work from here led him onto such productions as The Paradise Club (BBC One) and The Golden Collar (BBC Two) as well as appearances on Boon, Hollyoaks, Cutting It and A Touch Of Frost.

Great illness unfortunately left James unable to work for some time in the industry but being the character he is he did not sit on his backside for too long and started to forge his way in assisting independent filmmakers across the UK, which is where he came into contact with Troika’s own Lee Civico-Cambell as they shared the screen in “Poker Face” by Zool Films. He was instantly asked to take a role in the Troika pilot shoots for the Paramount Comedy commissioned “Extraordinary Lives” tests. He remained a Troika collaborator for months after those projects wrapped, always there to lend a hand to writing, character developments or general inspiration and above all, great laughs! James is a comedian and a fine vocal talent on stage, which he demonstrates regualarly to those fortunate enough to catch his cabaret act, “Slapdash”.

James’ years of experience in front of and behind the camera give him his exceptional and inspriational personality. His sense of humour and positive outlook on life and loves caught Troika’s attention particularly when looking for a project in which to incorporate the music of the band “Outroads”, and he was appraoch by Lee and Ricardo to be the subject of their groundbreaking “Brother” documentary (with a difference!). It was the bond forged during this production that made James a more than obvious choice to be asked to join Troika full-time, which he graciously accepted.

His incredible will power and passion for his work knows no bounds and as well as simply breath-taking acting ability he is also a keen director, knowing exactly what he needs to communicate to an actor to get the performance needed. His directing skills are currently being put to great use in upcoming Troika projects.

James is also a very loving husband and father. In fact, if you ever get the opportunity to meet his two amazing sons you will see instantly that his passion for his family has moulded two future forces in entertainment. Ladies and gentlemen….Mr James Caroll.