IN the film world, Michael Mann is well known as a producer and director, with credits that include the new action movie “The Kingdom” as well as “Ali,” “The Aviator,” “The Insider” and “The Last of the Mohicans,” the New York Times reports.

In the advertising world, Mr. Mann is a director, most recently of two Nike spots that started in August. He has also done work for Mercedes and Rolex, projects that suggest how important the small screen is becoming to filmmakers.

“As the Internet becomes the medium, normal TV programming will be streamed with commercials,” Mr. Mann said in a telephone interview. “How are you going to arrest attention?”

Hollywood directors have been doing commercial work for decades , usually to bring in extra cash, turn a project around quickly and show the range of their talent. These days, however, there are new reasons people with boldface names make ads: to keep up in a multimedia world where the ability to master various platforms is at a premium and where consumers are as likely to see their work on YouTube or TiVo as at the multiplex.

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