Directors Richard Sears and Alain Gourrier have signed with Tate USA, Santa Monica for exclusive U.S. spot representation. Sears had been at bicoastal Coppos while Gourrier is perhaps best known for his tenure at Bruce Dowad Associates, Los Angeles…. Backyard Productions, Venice, Calif., has signed director Jeffrey Karoff….Directors Mike Wang, formerly of Trio Films, Venice, and Basil Schlegel have joined V12, a hybrid production, animation, design and graphics house headed by executive creative director David Hwang. This marks the first time that the German-born Schlegel has had formal spot representation in the U.S…. Francesca Silvestri and Lizzie Friedman of commercial production house Moxie Pictures’ motion picture division are producing Miramax Films’ comedy Outward Blonde, which has just gained a commitment from Hillary Duff to star in the lead role. Bicoastal Moxie sold the theatrical motion picture project—in the form of a script penned by former Ally McBeal writer/producer Kayla Alpert—to Miramax in ’00 (SHOOT, 6/23/00, p. 1)….New York-based wild(child) has added editor Patrick Burns Jr. Burns was formerly with The Whitehouse, which has offices in Santa Monica, New York, Chicago and London. Wild(child) has also taken on Sarah Grey, who was named head of development. Grey had been serving as executive producer at Brand New School, New York….After 11 years with The Mill, London, Flame artist David Smith has left to launch London-based boutique Absolute Post with his long-time producer Sally Heath….The Blue Rock Editing Company, New York, is now handling stateside representation for editor Jochen Kraus, who makes his home in Germany. Since ’96, Kraus has been the head of editing and sound supervision for Velvet Mediendesign GMBH, Munich….Production company The Ebeling Group, headquartered in Los Angeles, has opened an office in Brazil, which will handle director/design collective Nakd, who is based in Rio de Janeiro, and Lobo, based in São Paolo. Producer Ben Apley will oversee the new office….Former Sony exec Larry Thorpe, who accepted Sony’s early retirement package at the end of ’03, has been named national marketing executive for the Broadcast and Communications division of Canon USA, headquartered in Lake Success, N.Y. Imaging is Thorpe’s area of expertise; he played a key role in launching the "Dreams" project with Young & Rubicam, New York, as a program to get Sony’s Cine Alta cameras into the hands of commercialmakers. As previously reported, Thorpe was succeeded by Rob Willox who serves as general manager of the content creation unit at Sony Electronics’ Broadcast and Production Systems division….
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