The directing team Blue Source—Rob Leggatt and Leigh Marling—has signed with Bob Industries, Santa Monica. The duo was previously with Blink USA, Venice, Calif.…Director Darren Grant has joined the rosters of bicoastal and Chicago-based X-Ray Productions and sister shop merge@crossroads, Los Angeles. Grant will helm commercials for X-Ray, while merge will handle him for music videos….Z group films, Venice, Calif., and Chicago, has added director Kohl Norville….Director Allen Coulter has just completed filming an episode of Rome for HBO, and is now available again for commercials through bicoastal/international Hungry Man….Director Dominic Savage, formerly of now defunct Large, has joined The Brave Film Company, London….Cleber Redondo has launched Wimze Studios, a shop specializing in 3-D character animation for the advertising, TV programming, home video, Web and gaming markets. Redondo, who will hold the title of president/animation director, will head up the company, which is based in Fairview, N.J. Additional Wimze staffers include senior animator/technical director James Gu, shading/ lighting supervisor Tacken Chae, 3-D character animator Ken Lee, technical director Inpyo Hong and character animator Joao G.N. Amorim….Mary O’Gara, who was producing at R!OT, Santa Monica, is the new director of visual effects and telecine at sister shop Company 3, also in Santa Monica.…Tony Smith has joined R!OT, Santa Monica, as senior colorist; he arrives from sister company Level 3 Post, Burbank, Calif.…New York-based sister companies Version2. Editing and Liquid Light (visual effects) are merging. The Liquid Light brand will no longer be used; the companies were already based in the same building….
Breakout Films and Major Takeaways From This Year’s Sundance Fest
Film wasn't the only thing on people's minds at this year's Sundance Film Festival, which comes to a close Sunday in Park City, Utah ( and online ).
The effects of the wildfires in Southern California loomed large, as did the bittersweet knowledge that this year will be the second to last Sundance based in Park City. Some films offered an escape from reality; others were a pointed reminder of the domestic and international political landscape, from transgender rights to the war in Ukraine.
Here are some of the key takeaways from the 41st edition of the festival.
The effects of the Southern California fires were deeply felt
The wildfires were still burning in parts of Los Angeles when Sundance began last week and reminders of its devastation were everywhere, even on screen. Max Walker-Silverman's "Rebuilding," starring Josh O'Connor as a cowboy who loses his ranch in a wildfire and forms a community with fellow survivors in a FEMA camp, hit close to home for many.
Filmmakers Meena Menon and Paul Gleason lost their home in Altadena where they filmed some of their zombie apocalypse movie "Didn't Die." Sundance artist labs head Michelle Satter lost her Palisades home as well. Satter had an audience of Sundance Institute donors in tears early in the festival while accepting an honor at a fundraising gala.
"It's a deeply devastating time for us and so many others, a moment that calls for all of us coming together to support our bigger community," Satter said. "As a friend recently noted, and I have to listen to this, 'Take a deep breath ... We lost our village, but at the end of the day we are the village.'"
The festival's move to another city dominated conversations
It was a topic... Read More