The leadership of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) have endorsed a plan to consolidate their unions—a move they contend will increase their negotiating power in the entertainment industry. Last weekend (4/12-13), the national boards of SAG and AFTRA voted overwhelmingly to send the plan out for a membership vote in June. In order to come to pass, the plan must gain approval from 60 percent of each union’s members. Per the plan, three affiliates dedicated to actors, broadcasters and recording artists, respectively, would operate under a single umbrella union, tentatively called the Alliance of International Media Artists. Whether there are enough membership votes for the plan to gain passage remains to be seen. SAG members in opposition to the proposal are organizing in an effort to defeat the formation of a consolidated union….Industry vet Jeff Devlin has formed Media Logic, a New York-based venture through which he will serve as an executive producer and head of New York sales operations for two production houses: the Los Angeles-headquartered Original Film, headed by exec producer Bruce Mellon; and bicoastal Aero Films, recently launched by executive producers Skip Short and Lance O’Connor and director Klaus Obermeyer, Jr. Devlin becomes a partner in Original….Bicoastal HKM Productions has signed director Eden Diebel, formerly of bicoastal Headquarters, and the directing duo Jacobs/Briere—Kim and Alain, respectively—who had been with HSI Productions, bicoastal….The Haus, New York, has signed still photographer Jonathan Miller for spot representation in the U.S. and Canada….Directors Michael Imperioli and Mark Perez have joined City Lights Productions, New York, for commercials. Both helmers come over from Perretti Productions, New York. Additionally, City Lights has entered into a partnership with Sal Del Guidice, founder of Tangerine Films, New York, whereby he serves as executive producer for City Lights Productions…. Bicoastal Cosmo Street Editorial has signed editor Lucas Spaulding, formerly with Mackenzie Cutler, New York. Additionally, Cosmo Street has entered into an agreement with London-based editorial house Peep Show to represent that company’s editors nationwide. The Peep Show talent now available to the U.S. market through Cosmo Street comprises Andrea MacArthur, Mark Edinoff, Jim Weedon and Amanda Perry. Coming over to Cosmo Street’s New York office fulltime is former Peep Show editor Jinx Godfrey. Joining Cosmo Street with Godfrey is her longtime producer, Lisa Greenleaf. Godfrey and Greenleaf will still be available for select jobs via Peep Show…..Editor Martha Kelley, formerly of Avenue, Chicago, has come aboard the roster of Phoenix Editorial, San Francisco….Judges have selected Krystyn Campbell and Jennifer Perry of Lowe, New York, as the creative team that will represent the U.S. in the Young Creative competition on June 14 in Cannes during the International Advertising Festival. The competition pits teams from some 30 countries against each other, with a panel of international judges determining which artisans create the best ad in a 24 hour turnaround time on behalf of a public service/nonprofit client…..
London Critics Name “The Brutalist” The Film of the Year
The Brutalist, Brady Corbet’s immigrant saga, won the Film of the Year prize at the 45th London Critics’ Circle Film Awards.
While The Brutalist garnered just one award, it was the marquee honor. Meanwhile Nickel Boys, Conclave and A Real Pain all receivd multiple awards, and Zoe Saldaña was honored twice.
Edward Berger’s Vatican thriller Conclave took two awards for British/Irish Film of the Year and Actor of the Year for Ralph Fiennes, while RaMell Ross’s radical Colson Whitehead adaptation Nickel Boys was recognized with Director of the Year and the Technical Achievement Award for Jomo Fray’s first-person cinematography. Jesse Eisenberg’s dark comedy A Real Pain was the night’s other multiple prizewinner, landing Screenwriter of the Year for the actor-filmmaker, and Supporting Actor of the Year for co-star Kieran Culkin.
Payal Kapadia’s Mumbai-set drama All We Imagine as Light was named Foreign Language Film of the Year, while the Palestinian-Israeli collective behind No Other Land took Documentary of the Year.
Alongside Conclave, British productions awarded by the Circle in the top categories included Mike Leigh’s intimate character study Hard Truths, which took Actress of the Year for Marianne Jean-Baptiste, while Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl was named Animated Feature of the Year. In the British/Irish-specific categories, Saoirse Ronan won British/Irish Performer of the Year for her performances in The Outrun and Blitz, 14-year-old Nykiya Adams won Young British/Irish Performer of the Year for her screen debut in Andrea Arnold’s Bird, and Rich Peppiatt won the... Read More