Absolute has appointed Rebekah King-Britton as its new head of CG. She will manage Absolute’s 3D team across the advertising, film, TV and music sectors.
Originally a product designer whose sidestep into the industry was a happy accident, King-Britton has come a long way since starting as a runner and “perfecting the art of biscuit arranging.” Tenures at Saddington Baynes, VFX Co and Smoke & Mirrors allowed her to hone her craft on jobs for high-profile clients such as Sky, Harrods, BMW and Estée Lauder.
In 2002, King-Britton became head of 3D at Smoke & Mirrors. “It was unusual for a woman to take such a position in those days and sadly it still remains so some 20 years later,” she said. In the years that have followed, King-Britton has mentored several teams. She expresses pride in having watched so many talented artists “start from scratch and become leaders in their own right” and is passionate about channeling diversity within the industry.
Of her new role, King-Britton commented, “I have been around long enough to be rejoining many people I have worked with before at Absolute. I’m thrilled to be reconnecting with them and looking forward to meeting new faces. Creativity and excellence are at the center of everything they do.”
Absolute’s CEO Dave Smith, added, “Rebekah is the embodiment of what good leaders should be. Bright, compassionate and forward-thinking. We feel very lucky to have her on board and can’t wait to welcome her ideas and watch her thrive in our expanding CG team.”
First-Time Feature Directors Make Major Splash At AFI Fest, Generate Oscar Buzz
Two first-time feature directors who are generating Oscar buzz this awards season were front and center this past weekend at AFI Fest in Hollywood. Rachel Morrison, who made history as the first woman nominated for a Best Cinematography Oscar---on the strength of Mudbound in 2018--brought her feature directorial debut, The Fire Inside (Amazon MGM Studios), to the festival on Sunday (10/27), and shared insights into the film during a conversation session immediately following the screening. This came a day after William Goldenberg, an Oscar-winning editor for Argo in 2013, had his initial foray into feature directing, Unstoppable (Amazon MGM Studios), showcased at the AFI proceedings. He too spoke after the screening during a panel discussion. The Fire Inside--which made its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival--tells the story of Claressa “T-Rex” Shields (portrayed by Ryan Destiny), a Black boxer from Flint, Mich., who trained to become the first woman in U.S. history to win an Olympic Gold Medal in the sport. She achieved this feat--with the help of coach Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry)--only to find that her victory at the Summer Games came with relatively little fanfare and no endorsement deals. So much for the hope that the historic accomplishment would be a ticket out of socioeconomic purgatory for Shields and her family. It seemed like yet another setback in a cycle of adversity throughout Shields’ life but she persevered, going on to win her second Gold Medal at the next Olympics and becoming a champion for gender equality and equitable pay for women in sports. Shields has served as a source of inspiration for woman athletes worldwide--as well as to the community of... Read More