Director Jaume, formerly of bicoastal/international Partizan, has come aboard bicoastal/international Believe Media for representation in the U.S. and Europe…..Passion Pictures, London, has taken on representation for the animation collective SSSR, which consists of Kristian Hammerstad, Marc Raisbig and Yu Sato. The latter is from Japan, while Hammerstad and Raisbig are from Norway; the threesome met at Central St. Martin’s College of Art where they graduated with degrees in graphic design last year. SSSR’s credits include a trilogy of music videos for the band Subtle, and a 30-second test commercial, “Evolution,” which won the Kodak Student Film Award. The spot addresses the dangers of smoking….The directing team of Coodie and Chike has signed with A Band Apart, Los Angeles, for exclusive representation in commercials and music videos. The duo’s credits include the Kanye West video “Through The Wire,” which recently copped video-of-the-year honors at The Source Hip Hop Awards. Among other Coodie and Chike-helmed clips are West’s “Two Words,” which featured Mos Def and Freeway, “Culo” with rappers Pit Bull and Lil’ Jon, and a directorial collaboration with Mos Def on the gritty street video “Ghetto Rock.” Coodie and Chike recently directed a spec TV spot for Burrell Advertising, Chicago, which helped the agency land work for McDonald’s….Director Sarah Pirozek, who continues to work via Dame Works, New York, has extended her geographic reach by linking with Sugar Film Production, Dallas….Director/graphic artist Anders Hallgren has joined Freestyle Collective, New York, as a senior designer. He most recently worked as a freelance designer and director at several New York studios….Director Allen Coulter (HBO’s The Sopranos and the upcoming Rome) is prepping his first feature, Truth, Justice and the American Way. The Focus Features film examines the mysterious death of actor George Reeves, who portrayed Superman in the original live-action TV series. Adrien Brody, Ben Afflect and Diane Lane will star. Coulter directs commercials via bicoastal/international Hungry Man….After wrapping work on the new MTV Networks series Wonder Showzen, director Jim Tozzi is again available for commercials via KanDoKid, a New York house founded last year by executive producer Tony Harding and director Jeff Kennedy….
Apple and Google Face UK Investigation Into Mobile Browser Dominance
Apple and Google aren't giving consumers a genuine choice of mobile web browsers, a British watchdog said Friday in a report that recommends they face an investigation under new U.K. digital rules taking effect next year.
The Competition and Markets Authority took aim at Apple, saying the iPhone maker's tactics hold back innovation by stopping rivals from giving users new features like faster webpage loading. Apple does this by restricting progressive web apps, which don't need to be downloaded from an app store and aren't subject to app store commissions, the report said.
"This technology is not able to fully take off on iOS devices," the watchdog said in a provisional report on its investigation into mobile browsers that it opened after an initial study concluded that Apple and Google effectively have a chokehold on "mobile ecosystems."
The CMA's report also found that Apple and Google manipulate the choices given to mobile phone users to make their own browsers "the clearest or easiest option."
And it said that the a revenue-sharing deal between the two U.S. Big Tech companies "significantly reduces their financial incentives" to compete in mobile browsers on Apple's iOS operating system for iPhones.
Both companies said they will "engage constructively" with the CMA.
Apple said it disagreed with the findings and said it was concerned that the recommendations would undermine user privacy and security.
Google said the openness of its Android mobile operating system "has helped to expand choice, reduce prices and democratize access to smartphones and apps" and that it's "committed to open platforms that empower consumers."
It's the latest move by regulators on both sides of the Atlantic to crack down on the... Read More