Composer Justin Hurwitz is a four-time Oscar nominee, the latest nod coming in January for Best Original Score on the strength of writer-director Damien Chazelle’s Babylon (Paramount Pictures). Hurwitz’s first three nominations came in 2017 for Chazelle’s La La Land with the composer winning two Academy Awards--for Original Score and Original Song (“City of Stars”). In fact Hurwitz has composed the music for all of Chazelle’s feature films, including Whiplash and First Man . Babylon spans the... Read More 

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) -- Tom Cruise was honored for his nearly three decades of work as a producer, and “ Everything Everywhere All at Once “ solidified its status as the frontrunner for the best picture Oscar by taking the top prize at Saturday night’s Producers Guild of America Awards. “We love you! We love you!” another Oscar favorite and one of the film’s stars, Ke Huy Quan, shouted gleefully from the stage as Jonathan Wang and the other producers of the multiversal dramedy accepted the award for best theatrical... Read More 

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The unlikely awards season juggernaut "Everything Everywhere All at Once" marched on at the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday, and even gathered stream with wins not just for best ensemble, Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan but also for Jamie Lee Curtis. The SAG Awards, often an Oscar preview, threw some curve balls into the Oscars race in a ceremony streamed lived on Netflix's YouTube page from Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles. But the clearest result of the SAG Awards was the overwhelming... Read More 

A film-industry weapons supervisor made her first formal court appearance Friday on a felony charge in the shooting death of a cinematographer by actor Alec Baldwin on the set of a Western movie. Hannah Gutierrez-Reed's attorney said his client will plead not guilty, but the judge did not take that plea during the virtual court proceeding. Instead, the judge issued conditions of release that allow Gutierrez-Reed to keep a gun at home for self-defense. Gutierrez-Reed and Baldwin were charged... Read More 

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) -- Angela Bassett won entertainer of the year at Saturday’s NAACP Image Awards on a night that also saw her take home an acting trophy for the television series “9-1-1.” The Bassett-led Marvel superhero sequel “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” won best motion picture at the ceremony, which was broadcast live on BET from Pasadena, California. Viola Davis won outstanding actress for the action epic “The Woman King,” a project she championed and starred in. Will Smith won for the slavery drama “... Read More 

LOS ANGELES -- Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (Netflix Presents A Double Dare You! Film/A Shadowmachine Production in association with The Jim Henson Company) won the Best Feature honor at the 50th Annie Awards™ celebration Saturday night (2/25) on the campus of UCLA. Pinocchio also won for Best Character Animation, Feature (Tucker Barrie); Best Direction, Feature (Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson); Best Music, Feature (Alexandre Desplat, Roeban Katz, Guillermo del Toro, Patrick McHale); and Best Production... Read More 

NEW YORK (AP) -- Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. is suing Paramount Global, saying its competitor aired new episodes of the popular animated comedy series "South Park" after Warner paid for exclusive rights. Warner says it signed a contract in 2019 paying more than $500 million for the rights to existing and new episodes of the irreverent show, according to a lawsuit filed Friday in New York State Supreme Court. HBO Max, Warner's streaming platform, was scheduled to receive the first episodes of a new "South Park"... Read More 

GLENDALE, Calif. (AP) -- Ludwig Göransson initially felt tremendous pressure in composing new music for "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," with hopes of living up to his Oscar-winning score on the franchise's 2019 epic first film. But instead of dwelling in his successful past, Göransson focused on pushing the sequel's future forward with fresh tunes entirely inspired by the film's storyline. With just a script in hand, the Swedish composer flew to Mexico City where he spent time with a music archaeologist to reimagine... Read More 

NEW YORK -- Sally Campbell, founding partner of the production company Somesuch and a leader in the industry’s efforts for equity and inclusion in the production ranks, has been named chairperson of the 2023 AICP Show: The Art & Technique of the Commercial. Also announced is the full lineup of experts from a cross-section of the industry who will serve on the 2023 AICP Show Curatorial Committee. The AICP Show, along with the AICP Next Awards and AICP Post Awards, comprise the suite of competitions... Read More 

NEW YORK -- Javier Campopiano has been named to the new position of global chief creative officer for McCann Worldgroup and McCann. He will report directly to McCann Worldgroup CEO Daryl Lee, who also serves as CEO of the McCann agency, and will join the company later in 2023. Campopiano will be responsible for creative leadership across the McCann Worldgroup global network, spanning 100+ countries and 16,000 people. Campopiano most recently served as worldwide chief creative officer at Grey, where he... Read More 

NEW YORK -- Senior management changes have been made at R/GA, an Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG) shop. R/GA global chief creative officer Tiffany Rolfe has additionally taken on responsibilities including company vision, culture and business leadership as chair of the agency. And her partner in leading R/GA will be Robin Forbes, currently global chief client officer, who steps up as interim CEO. This succession plan coincides with the departure of current global CEO Sean Lyons, who is pursuing a new... Read More 

LOS ANGELES -- Ridley Scott’s RSA Films has signed director Jared Malik Royal for commercial representation. Royal’s body of work reflects an artful aesthetic and a voice that champions advocacy over complacency in the cultural moment. “We’re surrounded by a lot of negative things that are taking our attention away from what matters most,” Royal said during a recent interview on the filmmaking podcast, Musicbed. “In my work, I want to find beauty in the ugly.” Among his recent commercial credits are Comcast’s... Read More 

NEW YORK -- With Women’s History Month underway, Ogilvy has appointed two key leaders to its team in North America. Darla Price has been named president of Ogilvy New York where she will be responsible for all aspects of that office’s business across its Advertising, Public Relations, Experience, Consulting, and Health capabilities. She takes the helm from Carina De Blois, who has been promoted to chief operating officer of Ogilvy North America. De Blois will work with leaders across the region to unlock... Read More 

Sam Claflin is the first to admit that when he got the part of Billy Dunne, the co-lead singer of a world-famous 1970s rock band in "Daisy Jones & the Six," he was no musician. Claflin was the last person cast. His co-stars had already begun rehearsing at a band camp where the actors learned to play their designated instruments and perform original songs written for the show. "They said, 'OK, there's about 15 songs you're going to need to learn. Oh, and can you play guitar?'" Claflin... Read More 

LOS ANGELES -- "Elvis," "Top Gun: Maverick," "The Banshees of Inisherin," "All Quiet on the Western Front" and "Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio" were among the feature film winners at the Motion Picture Sound Editors’ (MPSE) 70th annual Golden Reel Awards during a gala ceremony at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles. "Elvis" topped the music editing category for a feature motion picture while "Top Gun: Maverick" took the sound editing-feature effects/foley category. "The Banshees of Inisherin" was... Read More 

LOS ANGELES -- Elvis, Everything Everywhere All at Once , and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery took feature film honors at the 25th Costume Designers Guild Awards (CDGA) last night (2/27) at the Fairmont Century Plaza. Costume designer Catherine Martin topped the period film category for Elvis while Shirley Kurata came away with the sci-fi/fantasy film honor for Everything Everywhere All at Once , and Jenny Eagan was recognized for excellence in contemporary film for Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery . On... Read More 

LOS ANGELES & LONDON -- Director and DP duo MOM have signed with the Ridley Scott Creative Group’s Black Dog Films for representation in the U.S. and U.K. spanning commercials, branded content and music videos. This marks their first U.S. representation. MOM tell socially relevant stories with a contemporary lens, allowing the viewer to see the world through a cohesive and unique perspective. The artistic partnership of Skokomish Yakama artist Ray and cinematographer Matt was formed in 2019 with a holistic view to... Read More 

LOS ANGELES -- Thinking Machine, the creative storytelling boutique founded by directors Matthew and Jason Docter, aka Docter Twins, has signed acclaimed filmmaker Kat Keene for commercial representation. Keene, who joins Thinking Machine from Caviar, has directed commercial films for brands such as Facebook, H&R Block, Verizon, Chick-fil-A, CVS and Lincoln which span the genres of sports, beauty and tech. “Kat and I have known each other since the beginning of her career in advertising and it has been an... Read More 

CULVER CITY, Calif. -- Filmmaker Yoruba Richen has joined Schofield’s Flowers--a creative production outfit known for immersive visual and experiential branded experiences--for exclusive spot representation in the U.S. Based in New York, Richen is a trailblazing documentarian who has been spotlighted by outlets such as PBS, The New York Times , and The Atlantic . Her film, The Green Book: Guide to Freedom , broke records when it was broadcast on the Smithsonian Channel, and earned the Henry Hampton Award for... Read More 

LOS ANGELES -- Production company Invisible Collective has signed the Turner Brothers--a directorial duo consisting of 20-year-old Justen and 24-year-old Julien--for representation spanning commercials, branded content and music videos. Known for their recent collaborations with Beats by Dre and Nike, the Turner Brothers bring a lively, melodic voice to Invisible Collective, as they center Black stories and play with tempo, humor, movement and color. This marks their first official signing with a production... Read More 

LOS ANGELES -- Yard Dog TV, a female-owned and certified production company, has signed commercial and film director Sebastien Guy for U.S. representation. Guy’s work is as diverse and far ranging as his upbringing, born of Australian and French parents and raised around the world. His visual style reflects this global background with the continuity of authentic performances and cinematic excellence in both his commercials and his feature film, Nerve , which was honored by the Australian Cinematographers... Read More 

TORONTO -- Global producer network Makers has brought Diane Jackson aboard as VP global production, a newly created position. Jackson brings a world-class combination of business leadership, production operations, creative storytelling, and a vast community to Makers. She joins Makers from Meta, where she most recently served as director, global head of production, creative and experiential. In her newly created role, Jackson will partner with Makers founder Sumit Ajwani and managing partner Paul Curtin... Read More 

TOKYO (AP) -- The Tokyo Olympic bid-rigging scandal widened Tuesday with Japanese advertising giant Dentsu and five other companies charged by Tokyo district prosecutors. Executives or management-level officials at each of the accused companies, and a Tokyo Olympic organizing committee official, were charged with violating anti-monopoly laws. No trial dates have been set. The charges center around the companies and individuals illegally colluding in assigning contracts for the Games, and test events that... Read More 

NEW YORK -- Performance Art, Interpublic Group’s (IPG) data-driven creative agency, has brought Alex Sprouse on board as group creative director for its New York office. Sprouse will be charged with driving creativity, growth, and cross-functional collaboration for the agency’s growing roster of U.S.-based clients. “Alex is an emerging creative leader with incredible talent across both concept and craft,” said chief creative officer Ian Mackenzie. “He’s client- and team-centric, has deep accountability and... Read More 

NEW YORK -- Brand New School (BNS) has added director Anaïs La Rocca to its creative roster. La Rocca’s career spans writing, animation and live action, with work inspired by her background in design. A graduate of the School of Visual Arts design and advertising program, La Rocca began her career as an art director at Y&R. After a few years in the agency world, she was offered an opportunity to collaborate with legendary Jay-Z and acclaimed filmmaker Anthony Mandler on a series of television spots. La... Read More 

LOS ANGELES -- Backyard Productions has added New Zealand-born film director Luke Huxham to its roster. This marks his first commercial representation in the U.S. Based in Tokyo for the past 15 years and now living in Los Angeles, Huxham has been directing commercials and narrative documentaries worldwide for automotive brands including Porsche, Ferrari, Ford and Mercedes-Benz. With a variety of work spanning various genres of film including automotive and people-first storytelling, Huxham possesses a deep... Read More 

LOS ANGELES -- Lifestyle-marketing and culture agency Cashmere has hired Frank Dattalo as EVP, executive creative director. Dattalo will be responsible for driving growth and leading creative efforts across all lines of business including Taco Bell, Google, Budweiser, and Disney. He will report to Cashmere president and chief creative officer, Ryan Ford. “Frank is a best in class creative who brings immense creative bona fides and an innate sense of balancing story and systems,” said Ford. “His work exhibits... Read More 

BERLIN (AP) -- The French documentary “On the Adamant” (Sur l’Adamant) directed by Nicolas Philibert was named best film Saturday at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival. The film takes viewers onto a Seine barge in Paris that serves as a floating day-care center for adults suffering from mental disorders. “That a documentary is awarded and celebrated, that a documentary can be considered to be cinema in its own right touches me deeply,” said a visibly moved Philibert after the prize was announced... Read More 

It must be a daunting prospect to pick up a franchise on the third movie. Add in the pressure of following filmmakers like Ryan Coogler and Steven Caple Jr. in your directorial debut that you're also starring in and it's enough to make you wonder what on earth Michael B. Jordan was thinking. But " Creed III," in theaters nationwide Friday, is a new start for Adonis Creed. He's finally out of the shadow of his father Apollo and Rocky Balboa, whose legacy loomed large over the first two films (... Read More 

NEW YORK (AP) -- The order came before he arrived. French fries and a glass of milk. Jonathan Majors shortly after slides into a table in the back of the bar at the Chelsea Hotel in Manhattan. On the table he places a small cup off to the side. In his backpack he has pens, a notebook he writes poetry in, a clown nose, the book he's reading (James M. Cain's "The Postman Always Rings Twice") and a speaker for music. He doesn't go anywhere without Paulo Coelho's "Warrior of the Light." Majors points to the cup... Read More 

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Walter Mirisch, the astute and Oscar winning film producer who oversaw such classics as "Some Like It Hot," "West Side Story" and "In the Heat of the Night," has died of natural causes, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Saturday. He was 101. Mirisch died on Friday in Los Angeles, according to a statement from the academy's CEO Bill Kramer and its president Janet Yang. "Walter was a true visionary, both as a producer and as an industry leader," they said, noting he had served... Read More 

NEW YORK (AP) -- The gonzo R-rated horror comedy "Cocaine Bear" sniffed up $23.1 million in its opening weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday, while Marvel's "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" was quickly dwarfed in its second weekend. "Quantumania" was still No. 1 with an estimated $32.2 million in ticket sales in U.S. and Canadian theaters. But the "Ant-Man" sequel, hit with some of the worst reviews and audience scores of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, dropped a steep 69.7% in its second weekend... Read More 

Movistar and VMLY&R Mexico have released “Shouts,” a campaign aimed at denouncing and breaking homophobia, transphobia, and biphobia. Movistar is a major telecommunications provider owned by Telefonica, operating in Spanish and Hispanic American countries and is a major provider of landline, broadband, mobile services and (paid) television in Spain. Mexico is the second most dangerous country for the LGBTQIA+ community in Latin America. Together Movistar and VMLY&R Mexico deployed the... Read More 

A submarine escapes the clutches of a giant octopus. It’s time for the sub’s crew to take a break in the middle of the ocean. Inspired by musicals of the 1960s, a joyous choreography ensues on board. The sub then emerges out of the water and the crew builds a terrace from which to enjoy a Schweppes-fueled aperitif at sunset. It’s a well-deserved time for crew members to freely enjoy the moment which aligns with the campaign mantra, “I like it like that.” Schweppes is the relaxation catalyst to... Read More 

The Joy Smith Foundation has launched “See the Trafficking Signs,” a powerful national awareness and education campaign intended to prevent Canadian youth from being lured into the sex trade. Created by Toronto agency Diamond, the campaign is designed to educate people on the common signs that someone may be at risk of being groomed and lured into sex trafficking. This harrowing “See The Trafficking Signs” campaign video, directed by Taylor Reid of Untitled Films in Toronto, gives a first-hand... Read More 

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) has created a powerful tool to help children regain control of their images online. The child protection organization has unveiled the Take It Down platform which helps minors remove their nude, partially nude and/or sexual explicit photos and videos from the internet. Meta provided initial funding to build the infrastructure for the program that NCMEC launched at the end of December 2022. Since then, more than 200 cases have been... Read More 

DDB Chicago turned chicken to introduce TWIX Cookie Dough candy bars--namely a pair of vocal chickens who contemplate a twist on an age-old question. But instead of which came first, the chicken or the egg, the query this time around is which came first, the cookie or the cookie dough? Titled “Philosophical Chickens,” this spot was directed by Ulf Johansson via Smith and Jones Films. Read More 

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