LOS ANGELES -- John Mathieson, BSC is no stranger to the Oscars, having earned Best Cinematography nominations in 2001 for Gladiator and in 2005 for The Phantom of the Opera. He is now again in the awards season conversation for Mary Queen of Scots , which marks the feature directorial debut of Josie Rourke, known for her work on stage. Mathieson observed that the film is “very theatrical” in many ways, with stage influences including the director’s detailed attention to performance. “She (Rourke) was very... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK (AP) -- Harmony Korine’s “The Beach Bum,” Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut, and a documentary on the breakout campaign of Texas politician Beto O’Rourke will premiere at the annual South by Southwest Film Festival. The Austin, Texas-based festival announced the lineup to its 26th edition Wednesday after previously revealing that Jordan Peele’s “Us” will open the festival on March 8. Among the selections are the latest from “Spring Breakers” director Korine, starring Matthew McConaughey, and Wilde’s “... Read More, Comment

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) -- “Roma” is the top winner at the Critics’ Choice Awards, winning best picture, foreign language film and a pair of individual honors--best director and cinematographer--for Alfonso Cuaron. The 24th annual ceremony held Sunday at Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, California, also split the top actress award between Glenn Close for “The Wife” and Lady Gaga for “A Star Is Born.” The split win comes a week after Close won the Golden Globe Award for best actress in a film drama, an award that many... Read More, Comment

LOS ANGELES -- The Visual Effects Society (VES) has unveiled the nominees for the 17th 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. Avengers: Infinity War garnered the most feature film nominations with six. Incredibles 2 is the top animated film contender with five nominations and Lost... Read More, Comment

STUDIO CITY, Calif. -- The Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE) has unveiled nominees for the 66th Annual MPSE Golden Reel Awards. Nominees represent the work of the world’s most talented sound artists and their contributions to the past year’s most outstanding feature film, television, animation and computer entertainment productions. Among the feature films with nominations across different categories are A Quiet Place, A Star is Born, Black Panther, Bohemian Rhapsody, The Favourite, First Man, Isle of Dogs, Mary... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK -- A new slate of officers--headed by Rich Carter of brother--has taken leadership roles at AICP, promising to continue setting progressive policies and goals for the association as it addresses rapidly changing business conditions. Announcement of the new lineup of officers was made by Matt Miller, president and CEO of AICP. Newly elected as AICP National Board chairperson is Carter, who was re-elected as a director at large, and previously served as vice chairperson. He’s succeeded in that... Read More, Comment

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. -- Innocean USA has promoted Barney Goldberg and Bob Rayburn to executive creative directors of Hyundai and Genesis, respectively. In their individual roles, Goldberg oversees a multi-channel creative department charged with making Hyundai work that resonates with a diverse audience. Rayburn’s focus is on building Hyundai’s Genesis brand, one of the newest luxury car companies in the automobile market. In 2016, Goldberg and Rayburn were the key creative leads on Hyundai’s Super Bowl 50 work,... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK -- Shay Fu has been promoted to head of global operations for Craft, McCann Worldgroup’s global content production and adaptation unit. Craft offers integrated print, video and digital design production as well as translation and adaptation services in more than 65 markets worldwide. Fu will lead global studio operations in addition to her continuing position as EVP, managing director of Craft North America. In her expanded role, Fu will partner with Craft’s regional studio leads and managing... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK -- Johannes Leonardo has brought Samira Ansari on board as group creative director. She will be tasked with leading creative teams across the agency’s client base, including MassMutual, Amazon, EA Sports, and The Bezos Family Foundation. Ansari will work out of Johannes Leonardo’s headquarters in New York and report directly to founders Jan Jacobs and Leo Premutico. Ansari brings more than two decades of experience driving and fueling creative ideas to her new role. Prior to Johannes Leonardo, she... Read More, Comment

CHICAGO -- Joe Burke has been promoted to EVP/chief creative officer at MARC USA, overseeing the ad agency’s three offices in Chicago, Pittsburgh and Boston. Burke joined MARC USA in 2011 and was formerly executive creative director in the Chicago office. Burke’s experience includes creative leadership roles at DDB, Element 79, FCB and JWT prior to MARC USA. He is perhaps best known for the iconic, multi-award-winning “Is It in You?” campaign for Gatorade. His work also spans such brands as Rite Aid, True... Read More, Comment

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (AP) -- The breakthrough representation of minorities in Hollywood blockbusters has ignited a frequently overlooked discussion about whether prejudice isn't just about the color of a person's skin, but the shade. "Colorism," the idea that light-skinned minorities are given more privilege than their darker-skinned peers, is a centuries-old concept that many insiders say remains pervasive in the entertainment industry. The instant reckoning of social media has brought prominence to the issue and on... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK (AP) -- The Screen Actors Guild on Monday called on the film academy to stop trying to prevent stars from appearing on award shows before the Oscars. In an unusually critical statement, SAG-AFTRA said it has received multiple reports that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is pressuring certain actors to appear only at next month's Academy Awards. Several award shows occur before that, including the guild's own Screen Actors Guild Awards on January 27. "This self-serving intimidation of... Read More, Comment

MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Playing Cleo in director Alfonso Cuaron's Spanish-language film "Roma " was for Yalitza Aparicio much more than putting herself in the shoes of another woman. For the lead actress of Mixtec origin praised for her moving portrayal of a domestic worker, it was personal: that was her mother's occupation. "For me it has been very important to grow up knowing about my mom's work and that she was always at every moment supporting me and teaching me to have this strength," she said in a recent... Read More, Comment

Director Peter Jackson is upfront about what audiences should not expect from his unconventional World War I documentary, "They Shall Not Grow Old." This is a film made by a non-historian for an audience of non-historians, he says. There are no dates, names or locations. Neither are there any talking heads or historians or politics. It's just images and the voices of those who were there, telling their own stories. And the result is riveting — an immersive, haunting and often transcendent... Read More, Comment

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. -- The Directors Bureau has signed director Emmanuel Adjei for commercials and music videos in the U.S. This marks his first representation in the American market. He continues to be handled by production houses Compulsory in the U.K., Dreamers in France, and HALAL in Amsterdam. Adjei is a Dutch-Ghanaian film director and visual artist whose work spans narrative shorts, music videos and commercials. With a painterly, cinematic style, and drawing from such varied inspirations as Ghanaian sci-fi... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK -- Commercial, music video, and film director Chris Turner, whose directing moniker is Favourite Colour: Black (FC:B), has signed with Grand Large for U.S. representation. Known for his in-camera blend of technical genius and visual artistry, FC:B has amassed a body of work spanning such clients as Adidas, Honda, BMW, Fiat, National Geographic, Samsung, and MasterCard, as well as music artists Jay Z, The Kooks and Alice. A graphic designer by training, Turner paved his future path via his work... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK -- IDENTITY has signed film and commercial director Ayse Altinok to its roster for U.S. spot representation. Altinok is a Turkish-born filmmaker whose work has been recognized globally at Cannes; Raindance; and the Rome, Melbourne and Amsterdam International Film Festivals, among others. She joins IDENTITY from Biscuit Filmworks, where her work included spots for Jose Cuervo, SOS Homophobie, LÄRABAR, Boots No7 and Horizon Organic, and collaborations with such agencies as CP+B, Fallon, TBWA/Paris... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK (AP) -- A Gillette ad for men invoking the #MeToo movement is sparking intense online backlash, with accusations that it talks down to men and groups calling for a boycott. But Gillette says it doesn't mind sparking a discussion. Since it debuted Monday, the Internet-only ad has garnered nearly 19 million views on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter — a level of buzz that any brand would covet. Titled "We Believe," the two-minute ad from Grey New York for Procter & Gamble's razor brand shows men and boys... Read More, Comment

LOS ANGELES -- Production house kaboom has added director James Lovick to its roster, marking his first U.S. representation. A product of a family steeped in cinema, Lovick absorbed a film education on set working in a variety of crafts--editing, DP, stills photography--that continue to inform his approach as a director. It was a discovery process that led to directing acclaimed documentary series for the BBC and Channel 4, including one that followed Eddie Izzard during his journey to do 43 back-to-back... Read More, Comment

BROOKLYN, NY -- Longtime creative partners Elliot Lim and Aaron Kemnitzer have teamed to launch Bullpen, a design and animation studio with bases of operation in Brooklyn, NY, and the Northern California community of Menlo Park. Lim and Kemnitzer open their new venture with over 25 years of combined experience in the motion design industry. After first meeting at design shop Digital Kitchen, the two became fast friends, collaborating off and on ever since. In that time, they have worked with postproduction and... Read More, Comment

LOS ANGELES -- On-location filming in Greater Los Angeles rose 5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2018, a strong finish for a year in which local film production came close to record highs. According to a FilmLA report, area filmmakers logged 10,359 shoot days (SD) in the fourth quarter, and 38,795 SD for all of 2018. Reasons for the 1.3 percent year-over-year annual increase includes double digit increases in feature film (up 12.2 percent), TV drama (up 10.6 percent) and TV pilot (up 15.2 percent) production... Read More, Comment

LOS ANGELES -- The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) has named Oscar®-winner Jeff Bridges as the recipient of the organizations’ 2019 Board of Governors Award. Bridges will accept the award at the 33rd Annual ASC Awards for Outstanding Achievement on Feb. 9 at Hollywood & Highland’s Ray Dolby Ballroom. “Jeff Bridges is an extraordinary talent on the screen, and also a remarkable person off screen,” said Kees van Oostrum, ASC president. “He is beloved by many for his achievements as an outstanding... Read More, Comment

LOS ANGELES -- The International Cinematographers Guild (ICG, IATSE Local 600) has announced nominees for the 56th Annual ICG Publicists Awards to be held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Friday, February 22. More than 900 industry leaders are expected to attend this year’s luncheon, which traditionally occurs the week leading up to the Academy Awards®. The announcement was made by Tim Menke, ICG Publicist Awards chair. “This diverse array of nominated campaigns is emblematic of what publicists do – designing... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK (AP) -- Carol Channing, the lanky, ebullient musical comedy star who delighted American audiences over almost 5,000 performances as the scheming Dolly Levi in "Hello, Dolly" on Broadway and beyond, has died. She was 97. Publicist B. Harlan Boll said Channing died of natural causes at 12:31 a.m. Tuesday in Rancho Mirage, California. Boll says she had twice suffered strokes in the last year. Besides "Hello, Dolly," Channing starred in other Broadway shows, but none with equal magnetism. She often... Read More, Comment

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- “The Big Bang Theory” is starting to pick up ratings steam in the final stretch of its 12-year run. The CBS sitcom was last week’s most-watched entertainment show as total viewership ticked up to a 2018-19 season high of more than 13 million, according to Nielsen figures Tuesday. That’s a welcome sign for CBS, given the 30 percent drop in the sitcom’s season debut compared to the fall 2017 opener. While audience interest is likely to grow as the show draws to its conclusion this spring, “The... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK (AP) -- Kevin Hart isn't hosting the Oscars, but he's got a number one movie. "The Upside," starring Hart and Bryan Cranston, surpassed expectations to open with $19.6 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday. The strong performance of "The Upside" pushed "Aquaman" to second after the aquatic superhero's three-week reign atop the North American box office. Warner Bros.' "Aquaman" still passed $1 billion worldwide over the weekend, becoming the first DC Comics release to reach that... Read More, Comment

The truth doesn’t report itself. Rather, it requires journalists with bravery, perseverance and rigor--like those at The New York Times. In this spot titled “Resolve,” that drive to uncover the truth is applied to the Myanmar Rohingya crisis. The film features dynamic text set on top of video clips and stills that depict the story being created and the first person process of the journalist. The evolving type technique reflects the psychology and thought process of The New York Times journalist... Read More, Comment

Marking the 150th anniversary of the Family Action charity, this campaign from agency And Rising aims to get Brits talking about family pressures such as mental health, financial troubles, and parenting struggles--which manifest themselves as animated monsters in a centerpiece 90-second lie-action/animation film directed by Duncan Christie of Great Guns. These shadowy, animated beings observe silently as families struggles with isolating issues such as post-natal depression, poverty, alcoholism... Read More, Comment

A high-energy chase, peppered with comedic twists and turns, puts the tough credentials of the new Mercedes-Benz X-Class V6 on display in this cinema/TV spot directed by Noah Marshall of Sweetshop for agency The Royals. The film for Mercedes-Benz Vans Australia & New Zealand follows a driver being chased by a horde of overzealous paparazzi. Every time the pursuing photographers up the ante – from scooters to motorbikes to choppers (and some not-so-reliable canoes) – the X-Class outdoes them... Read More, Comment

Director Juan Cabral of production house MJZ teamed with ad agency Mother on IKEA’s “The Nightclub,” a trendy venue for what we all crave at nighttime: slumber. Read More, Comment

On the 30th anniversary of its famous tagline “The Best a Man Can Get,” Gillette is taking a fresh look at what it means to be “the best.” The company is introducing a marketing campaign and charitable program dedicated to celebrating the stories of men who are making a positive impact and inspiring other in the process. The program-leading short film, entitled “We Believe,” was developed by Gillette’s global advertising agency Grey and directed by Kim Gehrig of production company Somesuch. It... Read More, Comment

To promote the launch of its Verdera Voice Lighted Mirror with built-in Voice Control, Kohler tapped RSA Films’ filmmaker and visual effects artist Robert Stromberg ( Maleficent ) to direct this centerpiece TV commercial for its new “Mirror, Mirror” campaign. The “Mirror, Mirror” spot features a modern-day “evil” queen using Kohler’s first mirror-of-its-kind in the market to transform from a villainous character into the best version of herself. At the queen’s bidding, the mirror turns the... Read More, Comment

Two youngsters get out of school due to the death of their Uncle Edward. It turns out Uncle Edward has died six times this year--and the lad and lass don’t even have an Uncle Edward. Rather their departed uncle is a ticket to family adventure as mom and dad pick the kids up at school and take off in their mid-size SUV Volkswagen Atlas. Lance Acord of Park Pictures directed “Hooky” for Deutsch. Read More, Comment

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