LOS ANGELES -- Detroit (Annapurna Pictures) marked a reunion for cinematographer Barry Ackroyd, BSC and director Kathryn Bigelow. They first teamed on The Hurt Locker for which Bigelow won the Best Director Oscar as well as a DGA Award in 2010. The film also garnered Ackroyd a Best Cinematography Oscar nomination as well as his first ASC Award nod. (He received his second ASC Award nomination four years later for Captain Phillips ). Ackroyd values his collaborative relationship with Bigelow, one which was... Read More, Comment

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) -- The Sundance Film Festival has always been a place for boundary-pushing programming, but from the Me Too movement, to diversity and representation in film and even the current presidency, this year the snowy mountain town of Park City, Utah, is primed to be an epicenter of conversation around some of the most burning issues of the day. Among the over 110 films set to play at the festival, which kicks off Thursday night, are timely documentaries about trailblazing women like Supreme Court... Read More, Comment

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) -- Sundance Institute founder Robert Redford did not shy away from addressing the elephants in the room — Harvey Weinstein and the #MeToo — Thursday at the Sundance Film Festival, saying that the fallen executive is not "going to stop the show." Both the lingering shadow of Weinstein, who long lorded over the indie film festival, and the Me Too movement dominated conversation at the historically tame opening day press conference in Park City, Utah. "Harvey Weinstein was a moment in time and we're... Read More, Comment

LOS ANGELES -- The Visual Effects Society (VES) unveiled the nominees for the 16th Annual VES Awards, the prestigious yearly celebration that recognizes outstanding visual effects artistry and innovation in film, animation, television, commercials and video games and the VFX supervisors, VFX producers and hands-on artists who bring this work to life. Blade Runner 2049 and War for the Planet of the Apes tie for the most feature film nominations with seven each. Despicable Me 3 is the top animated film... Read More, Comment

LOS ANGELES -- Dunkirk and The Greatest Showman won the Casting Society of America’s Artios Awards last night (1/18) for Big Budget Drama and Big Budget Comedy Feature, respectively. Taking the Feature Drama, Studio or Independent casting honor was Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri . Earning casting distinction in the Feature Film, Studio or Independent, Comedy category was Lady Bird . Rounding out the theatrical feature winners were: Beach Rats for Low Budget Feature Film; and Coco for Feature Film... Read More, Comment

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Five feature films including “The Shape of Water” and “Call Me By Your Name” have been nominated for GLAAD Media Awards, one year after it found only two films to honor for gay-inclusive story lines and characters. The other wide-release films nominated Friday are “Battle of the Sexes,” ‘’Lady Bird” and “Professor Marston and the Wonder Women.” Last year’s nomination of only two films by the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender advocacy group was its fewest nominations for major releases... Read More, Comment

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A jubilant Ava DuVernay was named entertainer of the year at an NAACP Image Awards ceremony that focused on the black community’s power to create change. DuVernay lauded other black artists from the stage as she accepted her award Monday night, naming writers and directors such as Shonda Rhimes, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Kenya Barris and “Black Panther” Ryan Coogler. “This is our time,” DuVernay said. “We can say we were here when all this gorgeous art was happening, and that we supported it —... Read More, Comment

LONDON -- Pulse Films has added James Marsh, a 2009 Best Documentary Oscar winner for Man on Wire , to its directorial roster for global representation. Marsh’s body of work spans documentary, narrative features, scripted TV and commercials. Marsh’s Man on Wire also earned a BAFTA Award for Best British Film, an Independent Spirit Award, and a DGA Award nomination. In 2012, Marsh went on to win the DGA Award for his documentary Project Nim . Marsh’s narrative feature, The Theory of Everything , won a... Read More, Comment

LONDON -- Director Joachim Back has signed with Stink for global representation. He had formerly been handled worldwide by Anonymous Content and Somesuch. A visual storyteller with a unique sense of humor, Back has turned out lauded work, including directing the Best Short Film Oscar winner in 2010, the darkly satiric The New Tenants produced by his roost at that time, Park Pictures. He is also noted for his commercialmaking with such credits as the charming “Smallest Bar in the World” for Amstel;... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK -- Y&R’s SparkPlug program, a collaborative incubator that connects global companies committed to creating rich brand experiences and powerful storytelling, has assembled a class of nine growth-stage startups at Y&R’s New York headquarters. This year’s program has just gotten underway and will continue for six months. SparkPlug is a living lab where ideas and technologies are shared to spur new and impactful ways for Y&R clients to reach consumers. Launched in 2011, SparkPlug is open... Read More, Comment

LOS ANGELES -- Bicoastal Station Film has added director Sarah Chatfield to its roster for commercial representation in the U.S. A dynamic visual storyteller inspired by both classic and modern fashion photography and film, Chatfield has to her credit spots for adidas, Credit Suisse, Nike and Huawei, and fashion films for YSL and Eudon Choi which have screened in museums and galleries worldwide and been featured in publications such as Vogue, iD and Dazed & Confused. “We were drawn immediately to the... Read More, Comment

LOS ANGELES -- FANCY Content has added Sophy Holland to its directorial lineup. This marks Holland’s first representation agreement with a U.S. production house. A member of FreeTheBid, she is also the first woman director signed to the company’s roster. Launching her career in the U.K. as an art director, Holland moved to New York a dozen years ago and segued into working with top photographers and filmmakers, which set the stage for her own career pivot into motion and still shooting. Holland’s work covers... Read More, Comment

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. -- Director Michael Illick has signed with production company Arts & Sciences for U.S. representation. He had formerly been handled for spots and branded content by production house Dummy. Illick is a man of many talents, the most notable perhaps being his knack for bringing the ridiculous and surreal to life. He began his career in advertising as a copywriter for agencies including Wieden+Kennedy, Saatchi & Saatchi, and Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, where he cut his teeth writing... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK -- Industrial Color Studios has acquired Click3X, the pioneering film, video and postproduction studio founded in 1993 by Peter Corbett and known for its industry expertise spanning such areas as VR, AR, CGI and live streaming. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Industrial Color Studios is a visual content production company with integrated offerings designed to support marketers, brands, agencies and the wider production industry with solutions for today’s digital commerce... Read More, Comment

SAN FRANCISCO -- Ben Wolan has become executive creative director at DDB San Francisco, part of Omnicom Group. In his new role, Wolan will partner with managing director Mark Hansen and work closely with DDB Chicago’s chief creative officer, John Maxham, to oversee the agency’s creative department across various clients on the West Coast, including Symantec, Energy Upgrade California, and BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse. Before joining DDB, Wolan served as creative director at Goodby Silverstein & Partners (... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK -- Bobby Hershfield is joining the community’s New York office as VP, executive creative director. Hershfield will partner with Ana Bermudez, VP, managing director, to grow the NY office, and help lead the agency’s continued growth in culturally-driven, general market business. In this new position, Hershfield will work closely with Jose Mollá, co-founder and chief creative officer of the community. “I’ve known Bobby for years, since our Wieden days. He is very talented, relentless, and has a... Read More, Comment

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) -- "Hamilton" star Daveed Diggs used his own life as inspiration for the film "Blindspotting," which premiered as one of the opening night films of the Sundance Film Festival Thursday to largely positive reactions. Diggs co-stars in and co-wrote the film with his longtime friend and collaborator Rafael Casal. They used their experience growing up in Oakland to inform the script about a man, Collin, is in his last days of probation, and his best friend Miles, who are grappling with the... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK (AP) -- The expected wave of litigation against the Federal Communications Commission's repeal of net-neutrality rules has begun. A group of attorneys general for 21 states and the District of Columbia sued Tuesday to block the rules. So did Mozilla, the maker of the Firefox browser, public-interest group Free Press and New America's Open Technology Institute. Others may file suit as well, and a major tech-industry lobbying group has said it will support litigation. The rules barred companies like AT... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK (AP) -- Following an outcry over a significant disparity in pay between co-stars, Mark Wahlberg agreed Saturday to donate the $1.5 million he earned for reshoots for "All the Money in the World" to the sexual misconduct defense initiative Time's Up. Wahlberg said he'll donate the money in the name of his co-star, Michelle Williams, who reportedly made less than $1,000 on the reshoots. "I 100% support the fight for fair pay," Wahlberg said in a statement. Williams issued a statement Saturday, saying: "... Read More, Comment

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- What makes a private sexual encounter newsworthy? A little-known website raised that very question after publishing an unidentified woman's vivid account of comedian Aziz Ansari's sexual advances while the two were on a date. The story on Babe.net threw a wrench into the #MeToo movement, with some feminist writers dismissing the incident as a bad date that should have remained private. Others welcomed the piece for spurring a debate over deeper cultural attitudes that normalize aggressive... Read More, Comment

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) -- PBS, which dealt with sexual misconduct allegations in its own backyard, will air a series examining the pressing social issue. The five-part series, "#MeToo, Now What?" will address how we got here and how "we can use this moment to effect positive and lasting change," PBS chief executive Paula Kerger said Tuesday. Hosted by Zainab Salbi, founder of Women for Women International, a humanitarian organization, the series will include reporting and conversations on topics including how race and... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK (AP) -- In a sweeping new sexual misconduct investigation, The New York Times reported Saturday that several male models have accused famed photographers Bruce Weber and Mario Testino of unwanted advances and coercion. Fifteen current and former models told the Times that Weber's demands often occurred during photo shoots and other private sessions. Thirteen assistants and models accused Testino, the Times reported. "I remember him putting his fingers in my mouth, and him grabbing my privates," model... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK (AP) -- In her first televised interview, Dylan Farrow described in detail Woody Allen's alleged sexual assault of her, and called actors who work in his films "complicit" in perpetuating a "culture of silence." Farrow, the adopted daughter of Allen and Mia Farrow, appeared in a taped interview Thursday on "CBS This Morning." Farrow recounted the 1992 incident, when she was 7 years old, in which she said Allen molested her in her mother's Connecticut home. "With so much silence being broken by so many... Read More, Comment

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) -- Actress Eliza Dushku says she was sexually molested at age 12 by a stunt coordinator during production of the 1994 film "True Lies." In a post on her Facebook account Saturday, Dushku also alleged that Joel Kramer, then 36, caused her to be injured on the set as payback for disclosing the alleged misconduct to a friend. Kramer denied the accusations as "lies" in trade publication interviews. A Dushku representative didn't immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday. "These are... Read More, Comment

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- The next phase in data collection is right under your feet. Online clicks give retailers valuable insight into consumer behavior, but what can they learn from footsteps? It's a question Milwaukee-based startup Scanalytics is helping businesses explore with floor sensors that track people's movements. The sensors can also be used in office buildings to reduce energy costs and in nursing homes to determine when someone falls. But retailers make up the majority of Scanalytics' customers,... Read More, Comment

In the days and months following the Sept. 11 attacks, a small U.S. Special Forces unit led an offensive against the Taliban and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan. They worked in harsh conditions alongside a local warlord and his men, an uneasy alliance at best, and, even with all the technology and money of the U.S. military, executed the successful mission largely on horseback. The operation — Task Force Dagger — was classified for years and explored later in Doug Stanton's 2009 book "Horse Soldiers:... Read More, Comment

Greg Barker had assembled nearly all his footage for "The Final Year," a behind-the-scenes look at President Barack Obama's globe-trotting foreign policy team, when something unexpected happened — so unexpected that it left its main characters literally speechless. Donald Trump was elected president. The development not only shocked those onscreen, but changed the trajectory of the film rather dramatically (not to mention the country and the world, but we're talking about the film here.)... Read More, Comment

LOS ANGELES -- The International Cinematographers Guild (ICG, IATSE Local 600) has announced nominees for the 55th Annual ICG Publicists Awards to be held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Friday, March 2. More than 900 industry leaders are expected to attend this year’s luncheon, which traditionally occurs the week leading up to the Academy Awards. In the running for the Maxwell Weinberg Publicist Showman Motion Picture Award are the union publicists who worked on: Beauty and the Beast, Baby Driver, Daddy’s... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK (AP) -- Meryl Streep, Liam Neeson, Taraji P. Henson and Paddington Bear and all rushed into movie theaters over Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, but "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" still roared the loudest with an estimated $27 million in ticket sales, Friday to Sunday. "Jumanji" easily remained the no. 1 film in North America despite an onslaught of new challengers, according to studio estimates Sunday." The Sony Pictures release is now approaching $300 million domestically and, after grossing $40... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK (AP) -- Television viewership for the NFL’s divisional round playoff games was down 16 percent compared to last year, offering ammunition to critics of the football league, but there are a couple of compelling explanations. The weekend’s four games averaged 30.43 million viewers, off from 36.22 million the year before, the Nielsen company said. The NFL has received some blowback from President Donald Trump and his supporters for protests involving the National Anthem, with some suggesting that had... Read More, Comment

This :60 anthem spot for the new Santander Bank campaign conceived by Arnold Worldwide tells the story of a lost (and animated) piggy that has gone missing. The spot’s lighthearted tone with a sense of whimsy is a departure from the advertising norm in the banking category. Directed by Daniel Kleinman of Rattling Stick with VFX by Framestore, “Piggy” opens with a little girl and her father posting “Lost” signs around their neighborhood. We soon find the small pig wandering around the city... Read More, Comment

Conceived by a team at BBH London, this spot for Europe’s independent train and coach platform Trainline puts us in a high-stakes chase action thriller as we see one spy in hot pursuit of another. For a moment, it appears the villain has gotten away, jumping onto a train. But coming to the rescue is a helpful traveler with the “wonderfully predictable” Trainline app which gives the film’s hero real time train times and platform information which will help her locate the elusive bad guy. Filmed... Read More, Comment

Director Rodrigo Garcia Saiz of Central Films, L.A., teamed with Madrid-based agency El Ruso de Rocky on this short for Platano de Canarias, an institutional brand marketing bananas from the Canary Islands. The six-minute spot is a continuation of the “Savor every day” campaign, which was first launched in April 2017. Titled “El Regalo” (“The Gift”), this latest piece aired in full on broadcast with additional media buys across cinemas, digital and social media. The heartfelt spot peers into... Read More, Comment

Berlin-based agency antoni created this “Stronger Than Time” campaign introducing the new Mercedes-Benz G-Class. Centerpiece of the campaign is this film, “Stronger Than Time,” produced by Hamburg-based Sehsucht. Ole Peters of Sehsucht directed the short. At the heart of the campaign is a massive amber-like block installation, with an original 1979 model G-Class suspended inside. This installation was produced in Hamburg, then shipped to Detroit to be exhibited at the North American... Read More, Comment

Blue Apron, known for delivering memorable cooking experiences to home cooks across the country, launched its latest integrated marketing campaign titled “What Cooking Can Do” in collaboration with agency Droga5 New York. The new campaign includes five different stories featured on their respective day of the week (Monday-Friday) in both offline and online channels. Each story highlights a relatable moment that reflects how different people, with different lifestyles, transform a day by... Read More, Comment

A different take on planning for one’s financial future is espoused in this campaign from GSD&M, Austin, Texas, for client Northwestern Mutual. In this spot titled “Backyard Bliss,” there’s something to be said for investing in enjoying life today--especially while your kids are still in the house. The MJZ duo Hoffman/Metoyer--recently nominated for the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials--helmed this and three other spots in the Northwestern Mutual campaign... Read More, Comment

In this spot titled “Turnpike”--the latest entry to GEICO’s “It’s Not Surprising” campaign--the Father of our Country, George Washington, and his Continental Army suffer from a mix-up in directions. Instead of their famed crossing of the Delaware, they instead are in a boat crossing the Delaware Turnpike, backing up traffic much to the chagrin of commuters. This change in history is “surprising.” However, not surprising is GEICO being able to offer savings on auto insurance. Steve Miller of... Read More, Comment