Ronny Northrop has been appointed executive creative director of Y&R California. Based in San Francisco, Northrop will play an integral role in the creative product of the agency, leading creative teams and directing Y&R California’s new creativity and innovation lab, dubbed “Wrestling Club.” He reports directly to chief creative officer Mimi Cook.
Northrop started his career as a copywriter at Crispin Porter + Bogusky, where he worked on MINI Cooper, truth and Virgin Atlantic, among others. Then, as copywriter and creative director at Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, he created digital and integrated work for brands like got milk?, HP, Rolling Rock and Sprint, the latter of which he helped the agency to secure as a client. While serving in a first-of-its-kind hybrid role at Goodby designed to foster projects centered on innovation, Northrop helped launch Hacking Autism, a program that works to crowd-source software ideas for apps that help people with Autism find a voice. Hacking Autism has been picked up by Autism Speaks and is now the organization’s largest initiative to date globally. Between Goodby and Y&R, Northrop freelanced at agencies and organizations including Alex Bogusky’s Common, Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project, Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners and 72 and Sunny.
Northrop’s work has been awarded by numerous industry shows, including a handful of Gold Cyber Lions and a D&AD Black Pencil. He has been a judge for One Show Interactive, the Andys, the Kellys and the Radio Mercury Awards.
“Heretic” and “Maria” Set As Red Carpet Premieres At AFI Fest
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Heretic, the psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, and Maria, based on the life of opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, will round out the Red Carpet Premieres section at this year’s AFI Fest. The Heretic Gala Screening will take place on Thursday, October 24, and the Maria Gala Screening will be held on Saturday, October 26. The complete Red Carpet Premieres section includes the world premieres of Music By John Williams, Robert Zemeckis’ Here, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2. All Red Carpet Premieres will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. The full lineup for AFI Fest 2024 will be unveiled on October 1.
“At the heart of AFI Fest is an unwavering dedication to celebrating the best in global cinema--together,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. “We look forward to uniting artists and audiences once again to be inspired by the art form in a powerful sense of community.”
Heretic follows two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (portrayed by Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and produced by Stacey Sher, Beck, Woods, Julia Glausi and Jeanette Volturno. The film will be released nationwide by A24 on November 8.
Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria presents a tumultuous and beautiful depiction of one of the world’s most renowned artists and reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days in Paris, as Callas (Jolie)... Read More