For her first turn as a solo director—the already widely acclaimed Lady Bird (A24)—Greta Gerwig benefited from having had an extensive, thorough “pre-pro,” one which spanned many years as a writer, producer and actress as well as an experience co-directing ( Nights and Weekends with filmmaker Joe Swanberg). Based on her body of work in varied capacities, Gerwig noted that upon embarking on Lady Bird, she already had “a really good sense of how you take a film from words on a page to this moment... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK -- Though not unprecedented—with Wieden+Kennedy turning the trick many moons ago—it’s rare for SHOOT to select the same shop as Agency of the Year twice in a row. But we felt compelled to do so in light of the body of work again turned out by McCann New York. And reinforcing our choice was the dramatically different nature of that work from one year to the next as embodied in two signature pieces. McCann NY was Agency of the Year in 2016 in part for Lockheed Martin’s “Field Trip To Mars,” which... Read More, Comment

2017 has been a trying year. Political divisiveness on the rise, civility seemingly in decline. Sexual harassment coming to the fore in entertainment, media and the body politic. Those narrow of mind and short on tolerance emboldened to spew forth hate speech and scapegoating, coming to a tragic escalation one weekend in Charlottesville. Yet out of the negativity, brands are among those finding their voice and pushing back, espousing positive values and addressing issues—as reflected in SHOOT’s... Read More, Comment

With Father Time about to move from 2017 to 2018, it’s time for reflection on varied fronts, including assessing what work was among the year’s most worthwhile creatively. Determining any year’s “best” is a highly subjective, problematic proposition so SHOOT staffers looked to at least narrow the field by first culling through two bodies of work, our weekly Top Spots as well as our “The Best Work You May Never See” gallery entries in 2017. We then added to the mix select pieces of work that... Read More, Comment

See and hear the best music and sound fare that 2017 has to offer, culled from the year's quarterly Top Ten Tracks Charts. Here are the top five offerings as selected by SHOOT 's editors--with work for Porsche, University of Phoenix, Nat Geo's "Genius," Gatorade and Tile. Read More, Comment

Here's the best visual effects and animation content that 2017 has to offer--as culled from the year's quarterly Top Ten VFX/Animation Charts. In the mix are a pair of Kia spots, including one from this year's Super Bowl, as well as an Absolut tour de force, a Honda "Dream Makers" piece, and a Salvation Army PSA. So enjoy these entrees on the 2017 VFX/Animation menu, as selected by SHOOT 's editors. Read More, Comment

NEW YORK -- Matt Miller, president and CEO of AICP, and Rachelle Madden, executive director of AICE, announced that the two organizations are merging, effective Jan. 1, 2018. The associations represent companies that produce and finish the majority of advertising and marketing content in the moving image. Post merger, AICP and AICE will function as a single association under the AICP brand, dedicated to promoting and advocating for independent production and post companies when it comes to producing brand... Read More, Comment

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The biggest figures and institutions in entertainment have established a commission to be chaired by Anita Hill that intends to combat sexual misconduct and inequality in the industry in the wake of the huge wave of revelations spurred by allegations against Harvey Weinstein. A statement Friday announced the founding of the Commission on Sexual Harassment and Advancing Equality in the Workplace, a group that grew out of a meeting called by "Star Wars" producer Kathleen Kennedy and several other... Read More, Comment

While an “inspiring lullaby” may sound like an oxymoron, that was the music called for in this emotionally moving Gatorade short film titled “Sisters in Sweat” directed by Jaci Judelson from Tool of North America for TBWA\Chiat\Day, Los Angeles. The score topped our 4th quarter of 2017 Top Ten Tracks Chart. Starring Serena Williams holding her recently born baby girl (actually a double for her baby), this short shows the tennis superstar imparting an important message to her child: “Baby girl,... Read More, Comment

From a mom's wish for her newborn daughter to the King of the Beasts sorely in need of relaxation--this is just part of the creative range reflected in our Quarterly Top Ten Tracks Chart which showcases the talents of music and sound artisans throughout the industry. See and hear the best this past quarter has to offer from the likes of Pivot Audio, Yessian, Beacon Street Studios, JSM, Amber, Shindig, SOUTH, Bang and more. Read More, Comment

Directed by Moth Studio via multimedia production house Hornet for The Richards Group, this animation campaign for the Salvation Army tells different stories about hardship and what generosity means to those in need—as well as to those who give. One of these public service spots introduces us to Emma, an elderly homeless woman who remembers her childhood when she had a roof over her head. Back then, she loved holiday dinners when family got together and listened to Xmas music. She particularly... Read More, Comment

Evoking empathy for a homeless woman this holiday season is a chart-topping Salvation Army PSA directed by Moth Studios via Hornet Inc., for The Richards Group, Dallas. Also in the mix is a "Moz the Monster" creation for John Lewis, an electrical high-wire act that's for the birds--and for an energy company, the birth of a ram who eventually meets its match in the form of a VW, and UFOs that put the New York Lottery into perspective. So get an eyeful of the best this quarter has to offer on the... Read More, Comment

Cinematographer Matthew Jensen’s ascent in feature films, punctuated by the global hit Wonder Woman (Warner Bros.), was prompted in large part by his varied television endeavors. His early career indie feature exploits dovetailed into those initial opportunities in TV spanning a variety of shows, locations, circumstances and directors. Among the most significant of those series was Showtime’s Sleeper Cell which, while low profile, showcased the DP’s talent and penchant for getting the most out... Read More, Comment

TORONTO (AP) -- There are rituals to an Alexander Payne production. Movie nights on Wednesdays during pre-production at Payne's house, with pizza and soft drinks. Friday-night screenings during post-production with martinis. And, reliably, an endless struggle to secure financing. "Only one studio guy said what I needed him to say, which was: 'I know it doesn't make sense on paper. We're making it anyway,'" Payne says of his latest, "Downsizing." ''Those are the words on which my career has hung." At a cost of... Read More, Comment

LOS ANGELES -- A strong bond and sense of purpose brought an extra sense of urgency to the making of director Kathryn Bigelow’s Detroit (Annapurna Pictures). That was the consensus of four key contributors to the film--editor Harry Yoon, production designer Jeremy Hindle, sound designer/supervising sound editor/re-recording mixer Paul N.J. Ottosson, and casting director Vicki Thomas--during an evening panel discussion held last week (12/13) at The Landmark theatre in Los Angeles following a screening of the... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK -- Publicis New York has brought Paul Renner on board in the new role of executive VP, global creative director on the Citi account. Renner was executive creative director at KBS in New York, leading the BMW account. Renner reports directly to Andy Bird, chief creative officer, Publicis New York. For over 20 years, Renner has been working with some of the top creative shops, on some of the top creative brands. Most recently, at KBS, Renner successfully handled BMW. He created the lauded Super Bowl... Read More, Comment

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Morgan Spurlock's latest documentary will not premiere at the Sundance Film Festival as planned. The remaining partners in his production company said Friday that they removed "Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!" from the Sundance slate in light of Spurlock's confessions of sexual misconduct this week. Warrior Poets partners Jeremy Chilnick and Matthew Galkin said in a statement that "this is not the appropriate time" for the film to premiere. YouTube Red, which was to distribute the film, also had... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK (AP) -- Some people have breakout years. Director Patty Jenkins had one with "Monster" in 2003, a movie that earned Charlize Theron a best actress Academy Award. And then there are breakTHROUGH years. This year, Jenkins' "Wonder Woman," starring Gal Gadot, was a mega-hit worldwide. Pulling in $816 million worldwide last summer, it was the most successful live-action film ever directed by a woman. And it was clearly a breakthrough in what was otherwise a less-than-spectacular summer at the box office. "... Read More, Comment

LOS ANGELES -- The Producers Guild of America (PGA), announced the 2018 Stanley Kramer Award will honor the acclaimed feature film “Get Out” produced by Sean McKittrick, p.g.a.; Jason Blum, p.g.a.; Edward H. Hamm, Jr., p.g.a.; and Jordan Peele, p.g.a. (McKittrick & Hamm are deemed a producing partnership.) The Universal Pictures release is the directorial debut of Jordan Peele, who also wrote the screenplay, and features a cast that includes Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Bradley Whitford, Caleb Landry... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK (AP) -- Should Ridley Scott's "All the Money in the World" be measured by the usual critical apparatus or with a stopwatch? If the latter, Scott's movie wins the race, hands down. "All the Money in the World" has, with remarkably few signs of haste, accomplished its unenviable task of recasting Kevin Spacey's role with Christopher Plummer. Plummer parachuted in a few weeks ago to shoot his nine days of work, and Scott has toiled around the clock to recut and remake his own movie. Like a bank thief... Read More, Comment

"Don't fight it," goes the opening song of "The Greatest Showman," sung by Hugh Jackman. "It's coming for you, running at ya." Well, that's for damn sure. "The Greatest Showman" is a one hour-and-45 minute onslaught on the senses — all peppy, fizzy ballads and frantic energy, earnest sentiments and impossibly good intentions. It's begging for love, like a puppy serenading us with pop songs. It's exhausting, and messy. And that's too bad, because Jackman really IS one of the great showmen of our... Read More, Comment

LOS ANGELES -- The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced that 10 films remain in the running in the Visual Effects category for the 90th Academy Awards®. The films are listed below in alphabetical order: “Alien: Covenant” “Blade Runner 2049” “Dunkirk” “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” “Kong: Skull Island” “Okja” “The Shape of Water” “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” “War for the Planet of the Apes” The Academy’s Visual Effects Branch Executive... Read More, Comment

LOS ANGELES -- The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that seven films remain in competition in the Makeup and Hairstyling category for the 90th Academy Awards®. The films are listed below in alphabetical order: “Bright” “Darkest Hour” “Ghost in the Shell” “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” “I, Tonya” “Victoria & Abdul” “Wonder” On Saturday, January 6, 2018, all members of the Academy’s Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch will be invited to view 10-minute excerpts from each of... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK (AP) -- Now that federal telecom regulators have repealed net neutrality, it may be time to brace for the arrival of internet "fast lanes" and "slow lanes." The net neutrality rules just voted down by the Federal Communications Commission prohibited such "paid prioritization," as it's technically known. That's when an internet provider such as Verizon or Comcast decides to charge services like YouTube or Amazon for faster access to users. Firms that decline to pay up could wind up in bumper-to-bumper... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK (AP) -- "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" will happily settle for second. Rian Johnson's second installment in the third "Star Wars" trilogy rocketed to a debut of $220 million at the North American box office, according to studio estimates Sunday. That gives "The Last Jedi" the second-best opening ever, slotting in behind only its predecessor, "The Force Awakens." The Disney blockbuster became just the fourth film to open above $200 million domestically. Aside from "The Force Awakens" ($248.8 million), the... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK (AP) -- To judge by the collective shrug that viewers greeted Fox’s performance of “A Christmas Story Live!,” the fascination with live theater on television may have run its course. The Nielsen company said that Fox’s telecast was seen by 4.52 million viewers on Sunday night. That’s lower than any of the live plays that have been shown on broadcast television since NBC kicked off the trend in 2013 with “The Sound of Music.” That 2013 performance was such an unexpected smash, with 18.6 million viewers... Read More, Comment

A driver reacts to unwanted news from his front seat passenger. But the smart technology of the vehicle they’re in, the Renault Scenic, doesn’t allow the distracted driver to compromise the safety of their commute. The passenger notes that he’s going to Vegas with the driver’s ex-wife, that they’re getting married, and that she’s pregnant. Each revelation causes the driver to, respectively, speed up, swerve out of his lane, and then not notice some crossing pedestrians ahead. The safety-first... Read More, Comment

U.K. charity Breast Cancer Now unveiled this campaign film, titled 2050 , to help raise funds for research to defeat the disease. Duncan Christie of production house Great Guns directed 2050 which follows a young girl on a secret mission, the purpose of which isn’t revealed to the viewer until the very end. Over a series of days, we see the tiny trooper determinedly studying complex science textbooks, watching quantum theory videos, and raiding the house for objects to use in her special... Read More, Comment

This holiday season, Lyft is showing a token of appreciation to a few special drivers who have received passenger praise above and beyond the call of duty. Production company Strike Anywhere worked directly with Lyft to shine a light on the stories of drivers Paloma and Lamont, and thank them for their incredible acts of service and kindness. Strike Anywhere enlisted the help of director/cinematographer Joshua Z Weinstein whose film Menashe was released theatrically by A24, earning a score of... Read More, Comment

In this spot, two penguins break away from their huge group to head to their annual breding ground. They don’t need to mindlessly follow others--after all, they have their own GPS. But technology isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, leaving our penguins lost in limbo. A spokesman breaks in to tell us that as long as GPS fails someone, GEICO will be around to provide savings on car insurance. Randy Krallman of Smuggler directed “The Great Penguin Migration” for The Martin Agency. Read More, Comment

This promo film for OtterBox cases, which protect smartphones and tablets, takes the form of a kitschy 1980s toy commercial spoof starring corporate mascot Ollie, an overprotective critter whose alter ego is reflected in a small but mighty action toy action figure named Action Ollie. Reminiscent of ‘80’s icons like G.I. Joe and He-Man, the “Action Ollie!” holiday video is a cheesy special effects-laden, rockin’ hair metal-tastic homage to classic Saturday morning kids’ toy commercials. Even the... Read More, Comment