George & Tammy (Showtime) is already on the Emmy season radar with Jessica Chastain winning the SAG Award for her portrayal of Tammy Wynette. The limited series chronicles the country music power couple, Wynette and George Jones (played by Michael Shannon), who had a tumultuous romance and 30-plus chart-topping country songs between them. Big hits for Wynette and Jones included, respectively, “Stand by Your Man” and “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” While he was drawn to what he described as “... Read More 

One DP picked up his first Emmy nomination in-between lensing this year’s Best Picture Oscar winner and then a recently debuted streaming series that has garnered widespread acclaim. Another cinematographer successfully took on season five of a lauded series which she’s been a fan of from the outset. Yet another lenser entered the Star Wars universe with a streaming show which last month earned a Peabody Award. And our fourth artisan made his debut as a cinematographer on a high-profile series... Read More 

“The times They Are a Changin,” famously wrote Bob Dylan. A contemporary update on those lyrics would additionally reflect that our times are also a-challenging--with labor unrest as exemplified in the writers’ strike, concerns if not outright fear over AI, the quest to attain diversity, equality and inclusion, the struggle for a work-life balance, the efforts to harness technology for the greater good, and somehow trying to build positive consensus, caring and empathy in an increasingly... Read More 

It’s only natural that jury presidents and judges think that the award category she, he or they are involved in is one of, if not the most significant in competition. And generally a good case can be made--and has been in this Cannes Lions Preview by the likes of Film Lions jury president Bruno Bertelli, Mobile Lions president Shannon Washington, and Creative Effectiveness Lions judge Tahaab Rais, among others. This year’s crop of Cannes Lions judges consists of some 300 experts from across 46... Read More 

Kat Coiro made her first foray into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (Disney+), directing multiple episodes and serving as an executive producer on the series. Tatiana Maslany stars Jennifer Walters, an attorney for superhuman cases who, like her cousin Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), turns into a Hulk when she gets angry. The tongue-in-cheek show--which has generated Emmy buzz--adds to an already eclectic body of work for Coiro whose exploits range from the feature And... Read More 

ALBUQUERQUE, NM (AP) -- The weapons supervisor on the film set where Alec Baldwin shot and killed a cinematographer was drinking and smoking marijuana in the evenings during the filming of "Rust," prosecutors are alleging, saying she was likely hungover when she loaded a live bullet into the revolver that the actor used. They leveled the accusations Friday in response to a motion filed last month by Hannah Gutierrez-Reed's attorneys that seeks to dismiss her involuntary manslaughter charge. The prosecutors accused her... Read More 

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) -- More than a year and a half after Alec Baldwin shot and killed a cinematographer while rehearsing a scene on set in New Mexico, prosecutors have yet to solve the biggest mystery in the tragic case: How did live rounds get on the set? Prosecutors said in their latest court filing that they have some evidence to support the theory that weapons expert Hannah Gutierrez-Reed may be responsible for the introduction of the rounds. But they have offered no details, and barring more evidence, they're... Read More 

The words "Tom Holland" and "spoilers" can immediately illicit snickering. There are compilation videos on YouTube of the "Spider-Man " star accidentally revealing too much about the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His slip-ups and near-giveaways have become a running joke among his co-stars and filmmakers. The actor found himself in familiar territory with his new twisty, surprise-laden series "The Crowded Room," now streaming on Apple TV+ — and says by comparison, keeping quiet about Marvel is a... Read More 

NEW YORK (AP) -- Chelsea Peretti plays a first-time director in her directorial debut: "First Time Female Director." The film premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival takes an acutely meta premise in lampooning the tumultuous experience of an inexperienced woman brought in to a direct a play at a small, local theater in Glendale, California, after its original male director is accused of misconduct. In one scene, while Peretti's character bangs a trash can lid and shouts "Learn your blocking," a cast member... Read More 

NEW YORK & BARCELONA -- The Art Directors Club of Europe (ADC Europe, ADCE) has reached an agreement with The One Club for Creativity to merge and become part of its structure, and thus be able to grow and promote European creativity beyond the continent. The merger also enables The One Club to make its programs accessible to the old continent thanks to the ADCE network that unites 22 clubs and associations from 20 countries, with more than 6,000 leading creatives from the graphic design and the visual communication... Read More 

RICHMOND, Va. -- The Martin Agency is ready to take on entertainment culture by expanding its brand-building palette with the launch of Martin Entertainment. Leading the new venture--which will evolve how and where brands connect with consumers through premium storytelling in a variety of content mediums--is former Netflix executive Alanna Strauss who becomes EVP, head of Martin Entertainment and the Cultural Impact Lab. Strauss comes to Martin from Fender, where she was SVP, creative and content, leading brand... Read More 

NEW YORK & LOS ANGELES -- Martine Syms--who wrote and directed The African Desperate , which was nominated for the John Cassavetes Award at the 2023 Independent Spirit Awards--has joined the roster of production house Imperial Woodpecker for representation in the U.S. This marks her first formal commercial representation. The African Desperate --distributed by Mubi and the closing night film of New Directors/New Films--is one of three features Syms has written and directed, the others being The Mundane Afrofuturist... Read More 

LONDON & LOS ANGELES -- Director and editor Dan Streit has joined Somesuch for representation across music videos, commercials and branded content in the U.S., U.K. and The Netherlands. Known for his work ranging from rap music videos to branded fare, the L.A.-based Streit has turned out content--combining contemporary surreal comedy, energetic narratives, maverick 3D animation and ‘90s nostalgia--for artists and brands such as McDonald’s X CPFM, Joji, A$AP Rocky and Beats by Dre. Armed with a DIY attitude and a... Read More 

NEW YORK -- Effie Worldwide has released the 2022 Effie Index, the annual ranking of the companies behind the world’s most effective marketing--with AB InBev, McDonald’s, WPP, Ogilvy, Leo Burnett Middle East, and Slap Global named Most Effective Marketer, Brand, Agency Holding Group, Agency Network, Agency Office, and Independent Agency, respectively. AB InBev and McDonald’s topped the rankings in their category for the second year running. The 2022 Effie Index rankings reflect the performance of more than... Read More 

LOS ANGELES -- Independent creative lab Los York and its sister production company Los Films have signed director Raphael Vangelis. A multidisciplinary director with a background in filmmaking, editing, motion graphics, animation, live action and model-making, Vangelis is also known for his art installations that are inspired by the street art of Banksy and Keith Haring. Vangelis’ “Brickflats” series are resin cast boxes that fill the space of missing bricks in walls and buildings and contain colorful figures... Read More 

LOS ANGELES -- Filmmaker Julia Pitch has signed with Greenpoint Pictures for commercial representation. Pitch has directed commercial work for The New Yorker , Motorola, Nike, Sephora, Patron, Canva, Amazon, Conde Nast, LEGOS, Venmo, Nike and Vans, and worked with celebrities and public figures like Solange, Larry David, Hilary Clinton, Janelle Monae, Teyana Taylor, Ilana Glazer, Drew Barrymore and Kevin Hart. Prior to joining Greenpoint Pictures, Pitch had most recently been repped in the commercialmaking... Read More 

LOS ANGELES -- Emerald Pictures has added director Nathalie Lamb to its roster of talent. This partnership marks Lamb’s first U.S. representation. With a diverse portfolio that spans genres and techniques, Lamb has crafted compelling narratives through advertisements, feature films and stop-motion animation projects. She dedicated herself to film at an early age, starting with shorts starring handmade puppets she created while growing up in southern Germany. She later refined her craft at the renowned... Read More 

The Federal Trade Commission has sued to block Microsoft from completing its deal to buy video game company Activision Blizzard, the latest antitrust challenge to the proposed merger but one that could hasten its conclusion. The FTC's Monday filing in a federal court in San Francisco seeks a restraining order and injunction to stop Microsoft's $69 billion purchase of the California gaming company behind hit franchises such as Call of Duty and World of Warcraft. Microsoft, maker of the Xbox game... Read More 

Wes Anderson gets back to the heart of things in "Asteroid City," a film about grief, performance, storytelling, the cosmos and, well, everything. Or, as one character, a playwright played by Edward Norton, says when asked what his work is about: "It's about infinity and I don't know what else." Meticulously designed and choreographed, with a beautiful, starry cast reading his and Roman Coppola's droll words, " Asteroid City " is very, very Wes Anderson. Aren't they all? But "Asteroid City"... Read More 

Pixar's "Elemental" conjures a diverse metropolis where the elements — fire, water, earth and air — live like ethnicities mostly ghettoized from one other. For fire and water, especially, mingling can be combustible. A bad splash could consume fire; a strong flame could evaporate water. This is the rare kids' movie where subway rides are actually more fraught with danger than in the real world. "Elemental" is the 27th Pixar feature and the second from longtime studio veteran Peter Sohn ("The... Read More 

CHICAGO -- Director Melissa Silverman, known for her comedy and performance acumen, has joined the talent roster at Tessa Films for U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded content. A graduate of Northwestern, Silverman got her start as a director in MTV’s On-Air Promos department, where creatives would develop often wildly over-the-top promo concepts and then carry them through to production, post and delivery. During this period of her career she worked with everyone from Madonna to Conan O’... Read More 

LOS ANGELES -- Backyard Productions has brought tabletop and live-action director Jennifer Davick aboard its roster of talented creatives. With over 15 years of experience, Davick has worked on numerous high-profile campaigns for brands such as Food Network, Starbucks, State Farm, Captain Morgan, Publix, Sara Lee, Pepperidge Farm, FreshDirect, and Kikkoman, among others. Her unique vision and attention to detail have earned her critical acclaim and numerous accolades for both her motion and photographic work... Read More 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. & NEW YORK -- Production studio Sugarhi has added Paloma Rincón to its directorial roster for North American representation spanning commercial and music video projects. This marks her first such representation in North America. Internationally she is repped in Spain by The Finesse Films, in Mexico by Fauna, and in Italy by Noruwei. Currently based in Spain, Rincón is a Mexican-born director with a strong focus on visual storytelling. Her quirky style is marked by bold colors and graphic composition set... Read More 

"It's not nice to fool Mother Nature," went a famous '70s commercial catchphrase. But we learn in "The Flash" — the much awaited, long gestated new DC Studios offering — that it's Father Time one musn't cross. Because trying to change the past can really mess you up when you get back to the future and realize you've inadvertently changed that, too. But of course, we already knew that. We learned it from Marty McFly, immortalized by Eric Stoltz in "Back to the Future." Relax! Of course it was... Read More 

Tyler Rake was clinically dead when we last saw him at the end of "Extraction," tumbling over a bridge in Bangladesh with a fatal, burbling bullet wound to his neck. But death is no match for Netflix. Chris Hemsworth returns as the sad-sack, gun-for-hire Rake in "Extraction 2" and you'll thank the giant streamer for such a nifty bit of resurrection because this franchise is pure cinematic adrenalin. The new movie comes two years after a surprisingly good first installment, which saw Rake... Read More 

NEW YORK (AP) -- The intimate, funny-sad musical "Kimberly Akimbo" nudged aside splashier rivals on Sunday to win the musical crown at the Tony Awards on a night when Broadway flexed its creative muscle amid the Hollywood writers' strike and made history with laurels for nonbinary actors J. Harrison Ghee and Alex Newell. "Kimberly Akimbo," with songs by Jeanine Tesori and a book by David Lindsay-Abaire, follows a teen with a rare genetic disorder that gives her a life expectancy of 16 navigating a dysfunctional... Read More 

MILAN, Italy (AP) -- Silvio Berlusconi, the boastful billionaire media mogul who was Italy's longest-serving premier despite scandals over his sex-fueled parties and allegations of corruption, died Monday. He was 86. Supporters applauded as his body arrived at his villa outside Milan from the city's San Raffaele Hospital, where he had been treated for chronic leukemia. A state funeral will be held Wednesday in the city's Duomo cathedral, according to the Milan Archdiocese. A onetime cruise ship crooner, Berlusconi... Read More 

It was Miles Morales and the Spider-Verse versus the "Transformers" at the box office this weekend and the bots came out on top. "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts," the seventh entry in the series, took the No. 1 spot in its first weekend in North American theaters with $60.5 million according to studio estimates Sunday. " Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse " wasn't too far behind, however, with an estimated $55.4 million in its second weekend. Paramount Pictures released "Rise of the Beasts"... Read More 

Meta teamed with Ventureland on this short documentary, They Came From All Over , from Iranian-American director Rayka Zehtabchi, an Oscar winner in 2019 for the short film Period. End of Sentence . They Came From All Over follows grocery store owner Tom Mulholland as he faces the possibility of losing his fourth generation family business, which would have a profoundly negative impact on a small town in Iowa. His story underscores the critical role small businesses play within--and what they... Read More 

A lot has happened since Volkswagen first hit the roads of Norway 75 years ago. In a new anniversary spot for VW, Norwegian director Andreas J. Riiser of production company Bacon embraces nostalgia while highlighting the progress that has been made in car safety throughout the years. From kids riding shotgun to drivers changing CDs on the road, this “Safety” spot from Oslo agency Try takes us on a relatable and warm road trip through time. Read More 

Super Serious, the new venture co-founded by Terry Crews and ad vets Paul Sutton and Matt O’Rourke, turned out this 90-second commercial, “Making Meat History,” for Impossible Foods. Directed by Jake Scott of RSA Films, the musical spot imparts a history lesson spanning the centuries which leads up to the new meat--made from plants. “Making Meat History,” which premiered last night (6/11) on the Tony Awards telecast, kicks off Impossible Foods’ summer marketing effort. Read More 

This trailer is for Translators, a documentary short focused on the lives of three immigrant, bilingual children who are the only ones in their otherwise non-English speaking families who can translate everything from grocery shopping to financial, health and government documents. Translators screens this week at the Tribeca Festival on the heels of its world premiere at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival. Conceived and produced by McCann Worldgroup and directed by Rudy Valdez... Read More 

Agency adam&eveDDB in London has brought the Famous Five--a group of adventurous young children and their dog Timmy from the series of novels by English author Enid Blyton--back to screens for their first new adventure on Great Western Railway (GWR) since 2020. Titled “Five Get There First,” this 60-second TV spot for British train operating company GWR begins with Uncle Quentin and Aunt Fanny waving goodbye to the children as they all set off for a day at the beach--Quentin and Fanny in... Read More 

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