By Robert Goldrich
It wasn’t only their work but also feedback from a directing team selected for the 2015 SHOOT New Directors Showcase that struck a responsive chord with me. The Showcase–now in its 13th year, and set to be celebrated with an evening screening, panel discussion and afterparty at the DGA Theatre on New York City on Thursday, May 21–has always been a source of gratification for us at SHOOT, helping new talent to gain industry exposure. Then from that point on, SHOOT watches and often chronicles how these directors’ careers advance over the years.
A new perspective, though, emerged as to the extent of that gratification and what that career progression is about when the directorial duo the Perez Brothers, in response to our New Directors Showcase survey (portions of which appear in this issue), identified their favorite piece of branded content–”unskippale” YouTube ads for Geico. The Perez Brothers noted that the Geico work came from another directorial team, Terri Timeley which consists of Corey Creasey and Ian Kibbey. Terri Timeley is now handled for commercials and branded content by Park Pictures. Back in 2006, Terri Timeley earned a slot in SHOOT’s New Directors Showcase.
Terri Timeley and the Perez Brothers are both Bay Area directing teams whose inclusion in our Showcase is separated by nine years. To now reach the point where new Showcase directors are citing the work of their Showcase predecessors represents a new coming of age. Just as one experience informs another, so too can a director’s work influence or be admired by another, and to have that dynamic take hold in our Showcase resonates with us.
And perhaps the Perez Brothers’ humorous short film titled The Weigh In will one day be cited several years down the road by another director in our Showcase.
SHOOT has seen Showcase directors go on to make high-profile theatrical features, earn Emmy nominations, win a DGA Award, garner Cannes Lions, garner a One Show Entertainment Awards Gold Pencil, even make a feature directorial debut at the Tribeca Film Festival. But in our mind’s eye, ranking with those achievements, is a simple acknowlegement by a new Showcase director of a Showcase predecessor, underscoring and reminding us of the bond that exists among filmmakers, from those starting out to those who are more accomplished and how they influence and impact one another.
Cinesite expands XR capabilities with hiring of Adipat Virdi as exec director
Cinesite has appointed Adipat Virdi as executive director, XR (global). The U.K.-based Virdi joins Cinesite’s leadership team and will oversee the company’s XR initiatives worldwide.
With a proven track record in XR and immersive technologies, Virdi brings over two decades of experience. He has a background in experience design and immersive storytelling, skills which he has brought to projects for a wide range of major brands and organizations such as BBC, Sony, Netflix, Virgin Atlantic, HSBC, Cosworth, Harbour Immersive, NASA, Charlotte Tilbury, Balenciaga, Lamborghini, Nike, IoC, Real Madrid and PagoNXT, among others. Virdi specializes in developing immersive storytelling frameworks for both social and commercial impact. He joins Cinesite from Facebook (Meta), where he was the global creative product lead for immersive, spearheading the emerging platforms team’s exploration of VR/XR and immersive experiences.
Cinesite CEO Antony Hunt said of Virdi, “His expertise in XR will be invaluable as we continue to push the boundaries of immersive storytelling and expand our offerings in this rapidly growing market.”
Virdi will drive Cinesite’s XR strategy, foster collaboration across the company’s global studios, and explore new opportunities for XR applications in entertainment, fashion, the automobile industry, and beyond.
“At Cinesite, our decades of experience crafting stunning visual effects for Hollywood blockbusters have equipped us with a unique understanding of storytelling and immersion,” said Virdi. “Now, we’re excited to leverage this expertise to create XR experiences that truly transport audiences into the heart of the action. Our goal is to make them feel like they can choose to be main characters and... Read More