DECEMBER 15, 2000
Lisa Prisco, who recently ended her four year tenure creative director at the Gap’s San Francisco-based in-house ad agency, has launched a directing career, signing for exclusive commercial and music video representation in the U.S. with Los Angeles-headquartered A Band Apart….Commercial editor Peter Odiorne has signed with Crew Cuts, New York. Crew Cuts also maintains shops in San Francisco and Santa Monica….Red Car, San Francisco, headed by managing director Jan Frei, has secured editors Peter Sorcher and Kerie Kimbrell. Sorcher comes over to the recently launched shop from Red Car, New York….Bicoastal/international Partizan has added executive producer Sheila Stepanek as executive producer. She will work out of the shop’s Los Angeles office….
DECEMBER 15, 1995
Frank Steifel, president of Hollywood-based Steifel & Company, has been elected to a one-year term as chairman of the Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP). He succeeds Nick Wollner, founder/partner of bicoastal Crossroads Films….Farhad Mann, Los Angeles-based director of several episodic television shows and made-for-TV movies as well as commercials, has joined production company Emerald Films, New York….Director Piers Plowden, formerly with Hollywood-based DNA, has joined bicoastal The Artists Company for representation throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe….Big Fish Films, Dallas, has signed director Rich Carroll for representation throughout the U.S., except in the Midwest….
Microsoft Report Says Efforts By Russia, Iran and China To Sway U.S. Voters May Escalate
Foreign adversaries have shown continued determination to influence the U.S. election –- and there are signs their activity will intensify as Election Day nears, Microsoft said in a report Wednesday.
Russian operatives are doubling down on fake videos to smear Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign, while Chinese-linked social media campaigns are maligning down-ballot Republicans who are critical of China, the company's threat intelligence arm said Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Iranian actors who allegedly sent emails aimed at intimidating U.S. voters in 2020 have been surveying election-related websites and major media outlets, raising concerns they could be preparing for another scheme this year, the tech giant said.
The report serves as a warning – building on others from U.S. intelligence officials – that as the nation enters this critical final stretch and begins counting ballots, the worst influence efforts may be yet to come. U.S. officials say they remain confident that election infrastructure is secure enough to withstand any attacks from American adversaries. Still, in a tight election, foreign efforts to influence voters are raising concern.
Microsoft noted that some of the disinformation campaigns it tracks received little authentic engagement from U.S. audiences, but others have been amplified by unwitting Americans, exposing thousands to foreign propaganda in the final weeks of voting.
Russia, China and Iran have all rejected claims that they are seeking to meddle with the U.S. election.
"The presidential elections are the United States' domestic affairs. China has no intention and will not interfere in the US election," the Chinese Embassy said in a statement.
"Having already unequivocally and... Read More