By Theresa Piti
SHORT CUTS
Pete Kasko of Moondog, New York, edited a spot for J.Lo’s "Glow" perfume via Select Communications, New York. "Enlightenment" (:30/:15/:10 and cinema versions) features young girls shown through mist, calling out in anticipation and excitement for the fragrance. The commercial was directed by Dominique Isserman of New York-based Link Entertainment. Cynthia Clegg was assistant editor for Moondog.
Hollywood-headquartered yU + co conceived and designed the global brand identity for Sony’s new Wega plasma screen optical engine. The new branding is being used to support the launch of the Wega Engine in Japan, with rollouts in others markets, including the U.S. to follow. The package was done for Dentsu, Tokyo, Sony’s Japanese ad agency. The key element in the brand identity package is the Wega Engine motion graphics logo, executed by yU lead 3-D designer Bryan Thombs. Conceived by creative director Garson Yu and designed by Yu with 2-D designer Yolanda Santosa, the logo opens with a "V" composed of bonded circular molecules in scanline. A second "V" described in smooth, clear lines forms out of the first; the two then join to form a "W" as the phrase Wega Engine appears below. Additional yU + co credits go to executive producer Carol Wong.
Rhythm & Hues Studios, Los Angeles, worked on the production and created visual effects for Nestle Crunch’s "RocketCash," for Dailey & Associates, West Hollywood. The :30 features NBA star Shaquille O’Neal appearing on a bus stop shelter wall, querying a young man as to whether he wants "Crunchy stuff." The ad promotes Nestle’s "RocketCash" system wherein one can use the "money" to buy or win prizes by checking Nestle Crunch wrappers. Rhythm & Hues credits to go director Michael Patterson, executive producer Oliver Fuselier, head of production Kat Dillon, producer Sydney Artman, production designer/art director Walter Martishius, DP David Stockton, visual effects supervisor/lead Flame artist Tim Miller, postproduction head of production Michael Theurer, postproduction supervisor Caroline Heyward, editor Michael D’Ambrosio, assistant editor Tim Deleone, Flame artist Justin Blaustein, CGI director John Mark Austin, CGI producer Deborah Austin, and digital artists Jesse Toves and Dennis Greenlaw.
MUSIC NOTES
Top Shelf Recording, New York, composed the tracks for a package of ads promoting Castrol’s NFL Ultimate Fan Vacation. Created by Ogilvy & Mather, New York, "Touchdown," "Touchdown/Adam" and "Touchdown/Trent" feature fans celebrating in their own unique way. The commercials were directed by Chris Nelson of Ritts/Hayden, Los Angeles. Top Shelf’s Rob Hart composed the track for the commercials.
Steve Ford of Chicago-headquartered Steve Ford Music created the music for "Obit #1 Killer," a PSA for the American Heart Association via Meyer & Wallis, Milwaukee. Directed by Bob Ebel of Ebel Productions, Chicago, the :30 features a grandfather reading a story to his granddaughter. As the voiceover points out that "heart disease is still the number one killer in America," an obituary is shown over the face of the little girl: "Lisa Ann Evans, age 4, died of heart disease." Sound design for the spot was done by Tim Butler of Chicago Recording Company.
IN GEAR
Post Logic Studios, Hollywood and Santa Monica, has acquired the Quantel iQ system with nine hours of 2k storage. In addition to its feature film mastering and digital intermediate work, Post Logic also plans on expanding its HD capabilities due to the iQ’s scalable, multi-format, Resolution co-existence, openness and speed. According to Merle Sharp, Post Logic’s director of engineering, one of the deciding factors for the company’s acquisition of the iQ was its ability to perform pan-and-scans for 2k data, due to the various aspect ratios of film mastering. Most recently, Post Logic used the iQ to conform, output and pan-and-scan in high definition the upcoming Adam Sandler feature Eight Crazy Nights, and prior to that, the company did the pan-and-scans for Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams.
Alec Baldwin Urges Judge To Stand By Dismissal Of Involuntary Manslaughter Case In “Rust” Shooting
Alec Baldwin urged a New Mexico judge on Friday to stand by her decision to skuttle his trial and dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against the actor in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of a Western movie.
State District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case against Baldwin halfway through a trial in July based on the withholding of evidence by police and prosecutors from the defense in the 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust."
The charge against Baldwin was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it can't be revived once any appeals of the decision are exhausted.
Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey recently asked the judge to reconsider, arguing that there were insufficient facts and that Baldwin's due process rights had not been violated.
Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer on "Rust," was pointing a gun at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal when it went off, killing her and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has said he pulled back the hammer — but not the trigger — and the revolver fired.
The case-ending evidence was ammunition that was brought into the sheriff's office in March by a man who said it could be related to Hutchins' killing. Prosecutors said they deemed the ammunition unrelated and unimportant, while Baldwin's lawyers alleged that they "buried" it and filed a successful motion to dismiss the case.
In her decision to dismiss the Baldwin case, Marlowe Sommer described "egregious discovery violations constituting misconduct" by law enforcement and prosecutors, as well as false testimony about physical evidence by a witness during the trial.
Defense counsel says that prosecutors tried to establish a link... Read More