LOS ANGELES -- “We reinvent the show every year. That’s why for me it never gets old. There are new sets, new crew members, a new city. It’s like a reset, doing a pilot all over again,” said Lesli Linka Glatter, director and executive producer on Homeland (Showtime). Glatter and her colleagues have proven to be reset maestros as reflected on the awards show circuit. For example, four of Glatter’s six career DGA Award nominations are for Homeland --as are six of her seven Emmy nominations. She won the DGA... Read More, Comment

CANNES, France -- The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE: PG) advanced its commitment to gender equality through a series of new actions, commitments and partnerships to increase diversity throughout the creative supply chain, leading to more accurate and positive portrayals of women in advertising and media, and driving growth and social good. P&G made its intentions and initiatives known at this week’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, calling for cooperative action to help achieve 100%... Read More, Comment

LOS ANGELES -- BBC America’s freshman thriller Killing Eve topped all shows, scoring five nominations for the 2018 Television Critics Association (TCA) Awards. Next up with four noms was The Americans (FX) followed by five series with 3 nods apiece-- Atlanta (FX), The Good Place (NBC), The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu), Barry (HBO) and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon). Scoring two nominations each were This Is Us (NBC), GLOW (Netflix) and The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX). FX leads all... Read More, Comment

CANNES, France -- Film and commercial director Ridley Scott presented the 28th Saatchi & Saatchi New Directors’ Showcase to an audience of 2,300 at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Curated by Scott in partnership with MPC, the Showcase featured seven individual filmmakers and five teams. The solo helmers are Win Bates, Kristof Brandl, Jim Cummings, Steve Cutts, Georgia Hudson, Jodeb, and Jessy Moussallem. The teams are: Mike Skrgatic & James Allen; Elliott Sellers & Erik... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK -- Sonia Malfa--who was selected for the Commercial Directors Diversity Program (CDDP) during its pilot run in 2017 and then became a finalist/adjunct fellow for the new incarnation of the CDDP this year--has joined the roster of bicoastal Good Company for commercials, branded content and music videos. The CDDP is an initiative of the DGA and AICP designed to open up opportunities for talented women and ethnic minority directors, helping to make for a more diverse industry talent base. While the... Read More, Comment

LOS ANGELES -- From the largest studio tent poles to the smallest indie films, diversity among feature film directors remained low in 2017, the Directors Guild of America reported today in a comprehensive new study. The DGA for the first time examined an expanded data set that encompassed the 651 feature films that were released theatrically in the U.S. last year, including those that earned less than $250,000 at the box office. Even though the data included hundreds of micro-budget projects with limited... Read More, Comment

CANNES, France -- Creative brush strokes from Pablo Picasso and Leonardo da Vinci were applied to the ad industry canvas by David Droga, founder and creative chairman of Droga5, during his session titled "I'm Not Sure I'm Right But Who Is" at this week’s Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival of Creativity. Droga addressed a capacity throng, sharing reflections and observations--but screening only one piece of work: Droga5’s short promoting a Christie’s auction of da Vinci’s legendary, rediscovered... Read More, Comment

CANNES, France -- "Hope,” an International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) spot directed by James Rouse via Blur Films in Madrid for agency Sra Rushmore, Madrid, took the Grand Prix honor in the Cannes Film Craft Lions competition. In addition to securing the Grand Prix for Rouse’s direction, “Hope” garnered a Film Craft Gold Lion for its script, which cast light upon attacks on hospitals and health care workers in areas of armed conflict. The goal of the overall campaign is to raise awareness about these... Read More, Comment

CANNES, France -- The new Cannes Social & Influencer Lions has its first Grand Prix winner: Nike’s “Nothing Beats a Londoner” from Wieden+Kennedy, London. A key component of the campaign is a short film--directed by the Megaforce collective and produced by Riff Raff Films--which centers on enterprising, fiercely competitive, young Londoners who shape sport and culture in the metropolis around them. These hungry, resourceful and confident youngsters take us on a whistle-stop tour of their city--with the help... Read More, Comment

CANNES, France -- Feature, commercial and branded content director John Hillcoat ( The Road, Proposition ), who’s handled in the ad arena by Serial Pictures, has seen Corazón , his 48-minute film about organ donation for Montefiore hospital out of agency JohnXHannes, NY, win the Cannes Lions Health & Wellness Grand Prix. JohnXHannes and Serial Pictures teamed to produce Corazón which depicts the real-life story of Elena Ramirez (portrayed de Ana de Armas whose credits include Blade Runner 2049 and Hands of... Read More, Comment

CANNES, France -- The Cannes Design Lions Grand Prix honor was bestowed upon AMV BBDO, London, for creating a flag, currency, passports and stamps for a country--all to raise awareness of plastic pollution and how it negatively impacts our waters and sea life. The country is the size of France and it’s been formed by plastic and trash in the North Pacific. On Worlds Oceans Day (June 8, 2017), the global nonprofit Plastics Ocean Foundation and LadBible submitted an application to The United Nations to recognize... Read More, Comment

CULVER CITY, Calif. -- Director Greg Popp has joined the roster of Superlounge for exclusive U.S. spot representation. Popp, who specializes in comedy-dialogue fare, recently helmed “Gasoline,” among the new digital projects created via MullenLowe/Boston for Burger King. The spot has racked up nearly 7 million views, and is the most-viewed spot on Burger King’s YouTube page. Also with MullenLowe, Popp’s recent work includes U.S. Cellular’s “Blown Away” and “Getting Hosed” (with 9 million views between them). Popp... Read More, Comment

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- California lawmakers passed legislation Monday that puts more conditions on state film tax credits to encourage better sexual harassment reporting and diverse hiring amid revelations of misconduct and discrimination in the movie industry. The legislation would require feature film and television projects that apply for the credits, which are assigned based on jobs created, to report diversity statistics to the state and designate people to handle misconduct claims. The revised tax credit... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK (AP) -- The mouse is chasing the fox. Disney is upping the ante for Fox, making a $70.3 billion counterbid for Fox's entertainment businesses following Comcast's $65 billion offer for the company. The battle for Twenty-First Century Fox reflects a new imperative among entertainment and telecommunications firms. They are amassing ever more programming to better compete with technology companies such as Amazon and Netflix for viewers' attention — and dollars. The bidding war comes after AT&T bought... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK (AP) -- Fox News Channel faces a growing backlash among Hollywood creators that intensified Tuesday following Laura Ingraham's description of "zero tolerance" detention facilities for children separated from their parents as "essentially summer camps." "Modern Family" co-creator Steve Levitan raised the possibility of no longer working with the 20th Century Fox television studio after tweeting his disgust with Ingraham's remarks. The Fox News Channel primetime host tried to walk back her remarks even... Read More, Comment

LOS ANGELES -- The International Cinematographers Guild (ICG, IATSE Local 600) has named nine honorees for the 2018 Annual Emerging Cinematographer Awards (ECA), spotlighting promising cinematographers and providing crucial exposure needed to succeed in the motion picture industry. The collection of nine selected short films will debut at the ECA Los Angeles event on September 30, 2018, at the Directors Guild of America (DGA) Theater. Additionally, screenings in three major U.S. cities will follow including... Read More, Comment

SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- Hulu has acquired the rights to Minding the Gap , director Bing Liu’s moving documentary which earlier this year earned him the Sundance Film Festival’s Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Filmmaking. The poignant film marked a stirring feature directorial debut for Liu--one which also landed him representation for commercials and branded content through Nonfiction Unlimited, a production company known for helping documentarians diversify into the ad arena. Minding the Gap also garnered Liu a... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK -- Content creation studio BODEGA--with bases of operation in NY and San Francisco--has added L.A.-based animation director Ken Duncan to its animation roster for advertising and content representation in the U.S. He has animated for classic feature films including The Lion King, 9, Tarzan , and Aladdin along with spots for Coca Cola, Disney, Cocoa Puffs, and The San Francisco Giants. Duncan continues to maintain his Duncan Studios but now is branching out through BODEGA Animation to extend his... Read More, Comment

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- "Yellowstone" has everything a worthwhile Western should, including breathtaking vistas, battles over land and Kevin Costner in the lead role. There's also something rare in the contemporary Paramount Network series debuting Wednesday: prominent Native American story lines and parts, including one filled by an actor formidable enough to stand up to Costner and his ranching baron. Gil Birmingham plays Thomas Rainwater, a tribal chief and casino owner who's ready and able to oppose those whose... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK (AP) -- Regal and commanding even in his youth, Christopher Plummer has turned into an even mightier force in old age. The 88-year-old Plummer earlier this year became the oldest actor ever nominated for an Oscar (for his J. Paul Getty in "All the Money in the World"), six years after setting the mark for eldest acting winner (for his coming-out 75-year-old in "Beginners"). The King Lear phase of Plummer's career has been colorfully crowded with aged men too roiled by appetite to resemble any standard... Read More, Comment

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Facebook's Instagram app is loosening its restraints on video in an attempt to lure younger viewers away from YouTube. The expansion announced Wednesday, dubbed IGTV, will increase Instagram's video time limit from one minute to 10 minutes for most users. Accounts with large audiences will be able to distribute programs lasting up to an hour. Video will be available through Instagram or a new app called IGTV. It will give Facebook more opportunities to sell advertising. It's the latest instance... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK (AP) -- In the new documentary "The Quest of Alain Ducasse," the esteemed French chef steps off a small plane in the middle of the Gobi desert in Mongolia. As he stands pondering the vast emptiness, a motorcycle suddenly appears, as if out of nowhere, carrying two men. The bemused chef chuckles: "There are customers everywhere." For Ducasse, 61, that seems to be a fundamental truth — and a driving force. The man oversees a veritable empire, with 27 restaurants across the globe, and 19 Michelin stars... Read More, Comment

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- George Clooney's Hollywood career spans more than three decades, with memorable roles including fighting vampires, playing Batman and drifting through space in "Gravity." But Clooney's other accomplishments, including directing, screenwriting and activism, led to him becoming the latest recipient of the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award. Clooney, 57, was honored at a star-studded tribute gala earlier this month at the Dolby Theatre, where he has been a frequent guest because of... Read More, Comment

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) -- The MTV Movie & TV Awards gave "Black Panther" its first taste of awards glory, with Marvel's blockbuster taking home four honors including two awards for its star, Chadwick Boseman. Boseman quickly handed off his best hero award to James Shaw Jr., who wrestled an assault-style rifle away from a gunman in a Tennessee Waffle House in April. "This is going to live at your house," Boseman told Shaw, giving him the show's golden popcorn award. The actor said while it was an honor to be... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK (AP) -- Natalie Portman and Jonathan Safran Foer hope they can change the world — one dinner plate at a time. The actress and the author have teamed up to produce the documentary "Eating Animals," an indictment of the factory farm system that argues we are feeding ourselves all wrong. The film takes viewers from a Perdue contract farmer in Fairmont, North Carolina, who is knee-deep in both debt as well as chickens suffering horrific abnormalities, to a small free-range pig farm in Thornton, Iowa, where... Read More, Comment

It's usually a bad sign when critics start questioning your film before it's even finished. But director Eugene Jarecki had to endure worse. While making the documentary "The King," he actually got gruff from a member of his own film crew. After a car breaks down, Jarecki takes the opportunity to ask the driver of the truck hauling it to be fixed what he thinks of the film so far. The crewman responds that he's not sure what Jarecki's intention is and doesn't really buy the tenuous analogy he's... Read More, Comment

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The combined powers of superheroes, the Pixar brand and a draught of family-friendly films helped "Incredibles 2" become the best animated opening of all time, the biggest PG-rated launch ever and the 8th highest film launch overall. Disney estimated Sunday that the film earned $180 million in its first weekend in North American theaters — far surpassing industry analysts' loftiest expectations which had the film pegged for a $120 to $140 million debut. The previous animation record-holder was... Read More, Comment

NEW YORK (AP) -- The newsmagazine “60 Minutes” was not television’s most popular program this year, but for the 11th consecutive season it had more people who watched at least once during the year than any other non-sports show on TV. The Nielsen company’s cumulative measurement of programs may not mean much in the business of television, but it’s a bragging point at CBS News. For the purpose of setting advertising rates, the currency of television is Nielsen’s estimate of how many people watch a program in a... Read More, Comment

Directorial duo Speck and Gordon (Will Speck, Josh Gordon) of production house Furlined teamed with McCann NY on this send-up of the movie musical for the New York Lottery. Titled “Odds of Love,” the spot centers on a guy and a gal whose paths cross by chance--and it’s love at first sight. They break into song but soon realize that they are not compatible. The couple realizes that while the odds are too great for love at first sight, they have an option--they can play the Take 5 NY Lotto game... Read More, Comment

In this Ad Council/Truth Initiative PSA, director Malik Sayeed of production house Little Minx tells us Amy’s story for ad agency Haymaker. Amy shares with us her tale of opioid addiction, which began when she had knee surgery. Doctors kept giving her Vicodin and she was hooked as we learn that opioid dependence can happen just after days. We then see how far Amy will go to get a prescription as she unclicks her seat belt and delibertely crashes her car. Read More, Comment

A soccer player scores a pivotal goal as World Cup fever is rampant. He goes into a prolonged--very prolonged--slide all around the stadium to celebrate. As the slide continues with no end in sight, a spokesman notes that as long as soccer players celebrate with a slide, you can count on GEICO to save you money. Wayne McClammy of Hungry Man directed “Slide” for The Martin Agency. Read More, Comment

Mark Albiston of Sweetshop directed this spot for Australian hardware store/DIY chain MITRE 10 from FCB Auckland. The comedy and charm of the film springs from Roy and his pet donkey, Kong. The donkey goes to great lengths to escape his confines in order to find compatible companionship. Each time he’s flown the coop, Kong adds to the frustration and inconvenience for the busy Roy. The friction between Roy and Kong is both funny and endearing, followed by the inspired, and the very funny,... Read More, Comment

Not To Scale LA, Hello Savants and Saatchi & Saatchi LA bring to life an episode in the “Sole of Kobe” film series celebrating the heritage and future of the ASICS brands, as part of the centennial commemoration of the ingenuity and philosophies of company founder Kihachiro Onitsuka. Directing collective Hello Savants interpret traditional Japanese watercolor techniques through the language of contemporary animation, in the wonderfully realized “A Shot at the Title” sequence which explains... Read More, Comment

Ram Truck, in partnership with Austin, Texas-based agency GSD&M, created a piece of long-form content, “School Talk,” to be shared across social media beginning on Father’s Day on the brand’s Facebook page. The video shows a father’s relationship with his kids and his thoughts on his family as he conveys them during career day in a classroom. He’s devoted to doing the right thing and believes in making things better. His job description entails a selfless spirit dedicated to making the next... Read More, Comment

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