After serving as a director on Game of Thrones for three seasons, what would Mark Mylod do for an encore? That was the quandary facing him several years back. Fast forward to today and Mylod will again grapple with the same daunting challenge of what’s next after a monumental success--this time four seasons of Succession (HBO) as an executive producer and director. Succession has thus far yielded for Mylod three Emmy nominations for Outstanding Drama Series (winning twice--in 2020 and ‘22), a... Read More 

NEW YORK -- The year’s best advertising was saluted tonight (6/8) at The Museum of Modern Art during a gala AICP Awards celebration and screening. Winners for the 2023 AICP Show: The Art & Technique of the Commercial, the AICP Next Awards and the AICP Post Awards premiered earlier in the week at MoMA. The top prizes in each competition--the AICP Show’s Advertising Excellence and Advertising Excellence/Campaign winners, the Next Awards’ Most Next winner and the Post Awards’ Best of Show honoree--were... Read More 

Actors represented by the Hollywood union SAG-AFTRA voted Monday evening to authorize a strike if they don't agree on a new contract with major studios, streamers and production companies by June 30. The strike authorization was approved by an overwhelming margin — nearly 98% of the 65,000 members who cast votes. The guild, which represents over 160,000 screen actors, broadcast journalists, announcers, hosts and stunt performers, begins its negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and... Read More 

LOS ANGELES -- Directors Guild of America (DGA) president Lesli Linka Glatter announced tonight (6/6) that the DGA National Board, in a special meeting, voted unanimously to approve and recommend for ratification a new three-year collective bargaining agreement. “We set out to negotiate a contract that would build for the future. This is a significant deal with gains for every director, assistant director, unit production manager, associate director and stage manager,” said Glatter. “Our industry is rapidly... Read More 

NEW YORK (AP) -- Aside from the inverted skyline, the only giveaway that something is off in one of the most striking images of "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" is the ponytail that's sticking straight up in the air. Gwen Stacy (voiced by Hailee Steinfeld) and Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) have just reunited in the "Into the Spider-Verse" sequel. After giddily swinging through New York skyscrapers, they perch themselves on the underside of a clocktower ledge. Their view is ours: An upside-down city,... Read More 

Filmmaker Jay Roach usually has a moment of panic and doubt before production starts on a project. It's something Sydney Pollack, who was a mentor of his, once assured him was normal. He'd also read something similar about Mike Nichols in Mark Harris's biography. Good company to be in, sure, but still not the greatest feeling to be thinking "I've made a horrible mistake and how can I get out of this?" But for his latest endeavor, "High Desert," his first foray into episodic television, he didn'... Read More 

In the new Peacock series " Based on a True Story," debuting Thursday, Kaley Cuoco plays Ava, a woman obsessed with true crime. She consumes these dark stories all day, analyzes the cases with her friends and murder-centric podcasts help lull her to sleep at night. "Do we have to wake up to murder every morning?" her husband Nathan, played by Chris Messina, asks in a scene. The series highlights an explosion of coverage of true crime in recent years. It is the subject of podcasts, documentary... Read More 

NEW YORK (AP) -- Celine Song was 12 when she moved from South Korean to Ontario. Her parents gave her the chance to pick a new first name. There are differing theories among her family about how she (then Ha Young) settled on Celine. "My dad insists it's from a French film, ' Célline and Julie Go Boating,' " says Song, whose father is a filmmaker. "But I feel like there just happened to be a Celine Dion CD lying around." The adjustment was difficult at first. Song, accustomed to being an accomplished student,... Read More 

There were many stressful things about making "The Flash" and getting it to theaters. It was shot in the middle of a pandemic. There was isolation from friends and family for the 138-day shoot. There were A-list schedules to coordinate for cameos. There was a star in Ezra Miller who, after it wrapped, made headlines for legal run-ins amid a mental health crisis. And behind it all, a studio undergoing leadership changes and rethinking the whole DC Comics strategy. But first, they had to figure... Read More 

Many big companies, including Target and Bud Light's parent, are still backing Pride events in June despite the minefield that the monthlong celebration has become for some of them. Target and Bud Light recently came under fire for their efforts to appeal to the LGBTQ+ community, only to come under more fire when they tried to backpedal. But even as they battle the negative publicity, Target and Bud Light haven't pulled away from this year's Pride celebrations. Target is a platinum sponsor of... Read More 

NEW YORK -- The campaign that tackled vaping--Truth Initiative and Mojo Supermarket’s “Depression Stick + Breath of Stress Air,” with contributing agencies Gale, Allegiance Group, and Crux Research--has been awarded the Grand Effie at the 2023 Effie Awards U.S. Gala on Thursday (6/1) in New York. The Truth Initiative effectively challenged an entire category, sparking anger towards vaping companies and inspiring young people to quit vaping by tapping into an insight about their mental health that resonated... Read More 

LOS ANGELES -- Partizan has signed director Floyd Russ for representation across the U.S., U.K., France and Canada. Russ' body of work spans advertising campaigns, music videos, scripted and non-scripted films and TV series. Russ’ talent for deftly capturing the poignancy of the human experience is reflected in such work as his documentary short, Zion , which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2018. Zion introduced audiences to Zion Clark, a young wrestler who was born without legs. Growing up in... Read More 

BROOKLYN, NY -- Production house Tinygiant has signed director and photographer Peggy Sirota, adding to its roster an artist with a celebrated career in commercials, print advertising and still photography. Sirota began directing commercials in 1994, a natural progression from her major success as a still photographer. Sirota has photographed countless notables, from Robin Williams to Harry Styles, Steph Curry, Taylor Swift, Lizzo, JLo, Drew Barrymore, and Barack Obama. Her images have made magazine covers... Read More 

LOS ANGELES -- Sanctuary Content has signed Kayla Abuda Galang, a filmmaker and second-generation Filipino-American whose shorts have made their mark on the film festival circuit. This marks her first U.S. commercial signing. “When it comes to commercial work, I get excited about being present and attuned to the needs, dreams, and funny bones of people. And even more so with people who share this mentality,” said Galang. “Everyone at Sanctuary is disarmingly kind and wonderful. I immediately felt we were a... Read More 

LOS ANGELES -- Jonathon Ker, a veteran exec producer with a track record of bringing new talent to the U.S. market, and filmmakers Alejandro Saevich and Jorge Aguilera, who are both co-founders of Mexico City-based production company Madrefoca, have teamed to launch MADRE in the U.S. With a fresh perspective born from the Latin gaze, MADRE is looking to serve as a collaborative, truly bilingual production house that redefines crossover narratives and visions. The new venture’s directorial roster, which has a... Read More 

LONDON -- JOAN Creative, a New York-based independent creative and brand transformation agency, has extended its reach internationally with the launch of JOAN London, which will be led by executive creative director Kirsty Hathaway, former VP creative at Refinery29, and managing director Tom Ghiden, formerly joint head of business leadership at McCann London, who will be joining the agency in mid-August. The new office is the first global expansion for U.S. shop JOAN Creative and its full-service maker... Read More 

LOS ANGELES -- WORLD WAR SEVEN (WW7) has signed directors Lizzy Born and Jonathan Pearson for commercials and branded content. Born directed the first season of the groundbreaking variety show, Ziwe , for A24 and Showtime, along with short-form series Girl Kyle for Comedy Central. She was selected by Paul Feig to direct the Euphoria -esque Gen Z web series Everything’s Fine , for Snapchat, via his incubator production company Powderkeg. In the branded space, Born’s work lives at the nexus of fashion, luxury,... Read More 

LONDON -- Technicolor Creative Studios has announced that Mark Benson, former SVP, has been appointed president of The Mill, its business line dedicated to the production of groundbreaking advertising, branded content and interactive marketing solutions. Benson is charged with leading the business forward. Under his leadership, the studio will continue to utilize new technologies, in tandem with leading talent, to deliver content and experiences across multiple platforms and every size of screen, from... Read More 

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina -- DAVID Buenos Aires has promoted Nicolás Vara (Nico) and Ignacio Flotta (Nacho)--aka Nico & Nacho--to serve as chief creative officers. Nico & Nacho are one of the most awarded teams among Latin American creative leaders. They joined DAVID Buenos Aires as creative directors, in March 2017. In just one year, their work contributed to DAVID Buenos Aires becoming a leading agency globally, through multi award-winning campaigns including “All In Promo” for Noblex. In 2019, thanks to the... Read More 

CUPERTINO, Calif. (AP) -- Apple on Monday unveiled a long-rumored headset that will place its users between the virtual and real world, while also testing the technology trendsetter's ability to popularize new-fangled devices after others failed to capture the public's imagination. After years of speculation, Apple CEO Tim Cook hailed the arrival of the sleek goggles — dubbed "Vision Pro" — at the the company's annual developers conference held on a park-like campus in Cupertino, California, that Apple's late co-founder... Read More 

Flamin' Hot Cheetos get an origin story worthy of any Marvel superhero with Hulu's totally engrossing "Flamin' Hot." It's the tale of how a struggling Mexican American janitor came up with the idea of adding spice to the cornmeal, forever saving after-school snacking. Is it true? Probably not. Don't let that stop you. You'll wish "Flamin' Hot" was accurate because it's a winning tale of perseverance, family love, proud heritage and blue-collar success, told with a wink, some Cheetos dust and a... Read More 

LOS ANGELES -- Golden LA has added director Paul Minor to its roster for U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded content. His credits include memorable spots for Acura, Lincoln, Corona, Nike, Google and BMW. Matthew Marquis, Golden’s managing director, said of Minor, “I’ve watched his approach to filmmaking evolve over the last few years, driven by his ability to combine storytelling with authentic performances and a unique visual perspective.” Marquis had previously worked with the filmmaker at... Read More 

LOS ANGELES -- Social issues-driven director Brenton Gieser has joined L.A.-based Invisible Collective. This marks his first commercial signing. He brings to his new roost a body of work informed by his background as a biracial Korean American, photographer and social advocate. A filmmaker whose work has screened at DOC NYC, Mill Valley Film Festival, Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, CIFF, SF Indie Fest, and more, Gieser first crossed paths with Invisible... Read More 

The lineup of jury president and jurors has been set for the London International Awards’ (LIA) 2023 Creativity In The Metaverse and Evolution categories. Kaleeta McDade, chief experience design officer of VMLY&R. has been named president of the Creativity In The Metaverse and Evolution jury. In her role at VMLY&R, she bridges creative storytelling, technology, design, and user experience for clients. She has demonstrated a proven ability to drive impact for brands; helping them shape a... Read More 

LOS ANGELES -- Stept Studios has added French Canadian director Soleil Denault to its roster for U.S. commercial representation. Known for her colorful art direction and feminine signature, Denault has collaborated with brands such as Knix, Canada Goose, Shopify, Yoplait and Comfort Colors. She worked extensively as an art director before taking the plunge into directing. Nick Martini, co-founder and CEO at Stept Studios, said of Denault, “Her vision and talent as a director are truly mesmerizing, making her... Read More 

LOS ANGELES -- Nexus Studios, which maintains bases of operation in London and Los Angeles, has added director Emily Dean to its global roster for commercial representation. Dean’s visual artistry and commitment to pushing the boundaries of adult animation were showcased recently through her directorial work on the Emmy Award-winning Netflix animated series, Love Death + Robots . Dean is an Asian-Australian writer, director, and artist living in L.A. Alongside her directorial work, Dean has made significant... Read More 

LOS ANGELES -- Bicoastal creative agency Brand New School has signed director Daniel Uribe to its roster of in-house talent for representation in the U.S. Uribe brings his background in design and animation to his work behind the camera, where he crafts shorts, branded films, commercials, music videos, and social impact films. Seamlessly blending live action with motion graphics and animation, Uribe is an expert storyteller who's worked with branded clients including Google, White Claw, Apple, Slack, and Meta... Read More 

As Mina gets increasingly sick, her body withering away, her husband dotes on her: He washes her hair, helps her change, brings the sweetness of a fruit to her lips. But underneath the genuinely tender moments shared by this on-screen Moroccan couple simmers a longing — of a forbidden kind. In her latest film, "The Blue Caftan," Moroccan director Maryam Touzani delicately weaves intricate, overlapping tales of love, both traditional and largely taboo for many in her country and its region as... Read More 

NEW YORK (AP) -- "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" opened in U.S. and Canadian theaters with a massive $120.5 million, more than tripling the debut of the 2018 animated original and showing the kind of movie-to-movie box-office growth that would be the envy of even the mightiest of Hollywood franchises. Sony Pictures' "Across the Spider-Verse," the multi-verse spinning animated Spider-Man spinoff, sailed way past expectations, according to studio estimates Sunday, riding terrific reviews (95% fresh on... Read More 

This “Escape the Catalogue” spot for Wayfair tells the story of a young couple trapped in a dystopian catalogue world of minimalist bland furniture. Once they see their reality for what it is--like the apple the guy’s holding is fake and the baby being cradled by the woman is a toy doll--they are able to break free from the confines of the catalogue into the vibrant, eclectic world of Wayfair where they can fully express themselves in their home and create a new reality of their own. The first... Read More 

Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate bars and agency VCCP have released this :60 titled “Speakerphone,” the latest story in the “There’s a Glass and a Half in Everyone” campaign, now in its fifth year, “Speakerphone” is set within a carpark, and opens on a man sitting in a car pensively. Interrupted by his son calling, the conversation plays out on speakerphone. The son phoned to find out how his dad’s first day at a new job went. Dad is feeling down as you can see and hear the doubt he feels. The son... Read More 

This light-hearted Thatchers Cider commercial uses stop motion animation from the Oscar-winning Aardman studio to bring viewers through the gates of Thatchers’ own Myrtle Farm home in Somerset, U.K. Aardman deployed its world-class skills in perfectly crafted hand-made miniature worlds to bring Thatchers’ cider-making expertise--yielding pint-sized perfection--to the screen. Iconic elements of Myrtle Farm such as its orchards help tell the story of carefully crafting the perfect drop of cider... Read More 

Volvo Cars has launched its new small fully electric SUV designed to have the smallest carbon footprint of any Volvo to date. Volvo is indeed betting big on the next small thing being its EX30. Teaming with agency AKQA and production partner Mill+, Volvo has rolled out this hero film--powered by a “Small is Mighty” philosophy--in which Volvo Cars CEO Jim Rowan introduces the new SUV in a whimsical play on the familiar unboxing trend. A mini, regular and giant Jim Rowan playfully highlights the... Read More 

This Nike spot titled “The Tea” features actress Gail Bean (best known for her portrayal of Wanda Bell on Snowfall) talking about everything that the WNBA has to offer. From hoops, fashion, to off-season moves, she’s spilling all the tea this season to expand sport for a new generation of WNBA fans and players. Daps directed “The Tea” via Anonymous Content for Wieden+Kennedy, Portland, Ore. Read More 

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