By Millie Takaki
SANTA MONICA --Editor Michael Hackett, who spent the past three years on staff with Crush Editorial, Santa Monica, has joined FilmCore, the edit house with operations in Santa Monica, San Francisco and New York.
Hackett brings experience in spots, music videos and episodic TV to his new roost. Among his most recent work is a visual effects-driven spot Chevy spot directed by Olivier Gondry of bicoastal/international Partizan for Campbell-Ewald, Detroit. This represents the latest collaboration for Hackett with Gondry. The pair has teamed three times. Earlier this year, Hackett cut the Gondry-helmed “Throw It In A Tundra” for Toyota via Saatchi & Saatchi L.A., Torrance, Calif. That spot shows two men loading items into the back end of a vehicle as their environment undergoes rapid changes in weather.
And in late 2005, Hackett performed a re-edit of the classic Go-Gos’ music video, “Our Lips Are Sealed.” The original video footage was blended with new footage of women wearing Nordstrom fashions. The piece was used to launch the retailers Nordstrom Silverscreen interactive media channel in November. The branded entertainment channel, which offers broadband video content that combines fashion, music, technology and pop culture, was created by Fallon, Minneapolis.
In addition to a remix of the Go-Gos’ song by Fatboy Slim, director Gondry created a remix of the song’s video. In the updated version, the Go-Gos are seen riding in a convertible and frolicking in a fountain; at the same time an updated crew of models mimics their moves, wearing fashions available at Nordstrom (users can click on the clothing to purchase it).
Hackett’s other credits include spots for such clients as PacifiCare, Calvin Klein and Toyota’s Rav-4 sports utility vehicle. For the latter Hackett edited “Versatility” which premiered during this year’s Super Bowl telecast. Directed by Gavin Bowden of Plum Productions, Santa Monica, “Versatility” shows the SUV’s interior features and exterior environment undergo a series of instantaneous changes.
“The spot included running footage, car mounts, interior green screens and exterior background plates, in addition to a ton of compositing and CG work,” related Hackett. “I worked very closely with the director and the visual effects house [Asylum, Santa Monica] on the project.”
Saatchi associate creative director Mark Taylor, who worked with Hackett on “Versatility” and several other jobs, said of the editor, “He is someone who will fight to the end. He just won’t let me down at any point. With the way clients will sometimes change their minds, you need an editor who will continue to do his best work even on the fourth revision. You want them to see the job through one-hundred percent all the way.”
Hackett began his career in production with t minus 30 films, Venice, Calif. He later transitioned into postproduction via that company’s editorial division. Hackett worked as an assistant editor on the TV series Babylon 5, where he was introduced to visual effects work. He then joined Avenue Edit, Santa Monica, where he graduated from assistant to editor. He has also freelanced through several Southern California edit houses, including Brass Knuckles and Oasis.
“Overnight Success” Has Been More Than A Decade In The Making For Meghann Fahy and Eve Hewson
Meghann Fahy and Eve Hewson, two of the stars of Netflix's whodunit "The Perfect Couple," have news for you if you want to call them breakouts: They've been working in this business for more than a decade.
Fahy made her TV debut in 2009 in an episode of "Gossip Girl." Hewson's first big film role was in 2011's "This Must Be the Place." They do concede, however, that it's recent TV roles โ "The White Lotus" for Fahy and "Bad Sisters" for Hewson โ that have led to new frontiers of opportunity.
Susanne Bier, who directed "The Perfect Couple," says both Fahy and Hewson are "going to be big stars."
"They certainly have proper, profound star quality, Both of them in very different ways," Bier says. "Both are incredibly creative, incredibly smart, and also have a impressive insight as to who they are. You can be a great actor or actress and not necessarily really know who you are yourself. And they do."
Hewson, 33, whose dad is U2 front man Bono, may have grown up in a famous family but she's now in demand in her own right. She will next be seen in a second season of "Bad Sisters, " out in November. She's in Noah Baumbach's next film, alongside Adam Sandler, George Clooney and Riley Keough. She's also been cast in Steven Spielberg's next production and is set to star opposite Murray Bartlett in a racing series for Hulu.
Fahy, 34, is in production on a limited series with Julianne Moore and Milly Alcock called "Sirens," written by Molly Smith Metzler ("Maid") for Netflix. She also has two films in the can with Josh O'Connor ("The Crown," "Challengers") and Brandon Sklenar ("It Ends With Us").
The two actors spoke candidly about this phase of their careers. This interview has been condensed for clarity and... Read More