While ABC has taken Apple’s “Think Different” tagline to heart in terms of distributing select shows such as Lost, Desperate Housewives and Disney’s That’s So Raven on iPods, new thinking has to emerge in terms of the migration of commercials to this and other nontraditional platforms. That was the word from Albert Cheng, executive VP of digital media for the ABC Television Group.
Cheng observed that current labor and rights agreements can often preclude TV spots from being shown in other mediums and that ad agencies should be more aggressive in securing these rights to capitalize on certain sponsorship opportunities. Cheng’s remarks came during last month’s Online Media, Marketing & Advertising Conference & Expo in Universal City.
A first step may have been taken last Saturday (4/8) to address this as members of the advertising industry’s Joint Policy Committee on Broadcast Talent Union Relations (JPC), the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) met to consider commissioning a joint study of alternate methods to compensate performers for their participation in commercials that appear on television and radio as well as in the growing assortment of new media. Should the JPC, SAG and AFTRA agree, the study will be conducted by an independent consultant with experience in TV, radio and labor relations, with the resulting approaches to be considered in the bargaining process between the ad industry and the unions on the new commercials contract.
The current contract is scheduled to expire on Oct. 29. However, the parties have also agreed to consider an extension of the contract to enable completion and review of such a comprehensive study, should additional time be needed.
The payments structures in the current collective bargaining agreement has been developed over and dates back to the last 60 years. But with the opportunities presented by digital technology to reach consumers in new ways, the JPC–which represents the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) and the American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA)–and the actors’ unions have recognized that a study analyzing adaptability of this technology to those structures could prove valuable.
Director Lucrecia Signs With PRETTYBIRD For Her 1st U.S. Representation
PRETTYBIRD, the production company helmed by Paul Hunter, Kerstin Emhoff, and Ali Brown, has added award-winning filmmaker Lucrecia to its roster for U.S. commercial and music video representation. This marks the director’s first representation in the U.S. market.
Lucrecia has been signed to PRETTYBIRD UK since 2021, soon after winning UKMVA’s Best Pop Newcomer award for her Tarantino-esque music video for rapper/singer-songwriter Ashnikko--which the director pitched, prepped, and shot in only four days. Since joining PRETTYBIRD UK, Lucrecia has quickly made a name for herself. Her striking narratives, combined with a hyper-real aesthetic and iconic world creation, have been the centerpieces of her filmmaking and photography.
Her work has gone viral on more than one occasion. Her commercial for bibigo, “Live Delicious,” was widely admired and even recreated on an episode of Jimmy Kimmel. She has won awards from Kinsale Shark, Creative Circle, and UKMVA, as well as recognition at the Cannes Lions Young Directors Awards and Ciclope Awards.
Candice Dragonas, VP, talent strategy/executive producer PRETTYBIRD US, said of Lucrecia, “She brings a uniquely stylish approach to storytelling with the perfect splash of humor and playfulness. I admire her extreme passion for her craft and the drive to create at the top of her game.”
In addition to Lucrecia’s cinematic visual aesthetic, she routinely engages in another unique form of self-expression: nail art. She has had everything from whipped cream and cherries to chrome flames adorning her nails.
At PRETTYBIRD, Lucrecia joins a roster of filmmakers including Academy Award-winning duo Daniels (Everything Everywhere All At Once), A.V. Rockwell (A Thousand... Read More