Superprime Films has signed director Mark Romanek. This marks his first signing since joining Satellite Films in 1990, which was a division of Propaganda Films that later evolved into Anonymous Content. Superprime will represent Romanek in the U.S. market, extending to the U.K. and Amsterdam through ProdCo.
A luminary in the film, music video, and commercial realms, Romanek has garnered widespread acclaim for his distinctive storytelling and visionary approach. Notably, he wrote and directed the feature films One Hour Photo (2002), starring Robin Williams, and the 2010 adaptation of Nobel Prize winner Kazuo Ishiguro’s beloved novel, “Never Let Me Go” starring Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, and Keira Knightley.
Romanek’s influence extends deeply into the music world, having collaborated with artists such as Jay-Z, Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Michael Jackson, and Lady Gaga. His music videos have earned him a collection of awards, including 20 MTV Music Video Awards and three Grammy Awards for Best Short Form Music Video.
Beyond his work in music and film, Romanek’s contributions to television include HBO’s Vinyl (produced by Mick Jagger and Martin Scorsese) and the pilot for Amazon Prime’s 2020 series Tales From The Loop, featuring Rebecca Hall and Jonathan Pryce.
His body of work also includes over three dozen TV spots and films for Apple, as well as ads for brands like Tiffany & Co, Calvin Klein, and Nike.
“Mark’s unparalleled body of film-work has impacted people all over the world for nearly three decades. We are beyond thrilled to start this new journey with him,” said Michelle Ross, managing director at Superprime Films.
Romanek shared, “Saying goodbye to my close friends at Anonymous Content was far from a causal decision, mainly because of the love and respect I have for David Levine, Eric Stern, SueEllen Clair and all the great people there, who’ve worked so hard on my behalf–and for so many years. And yet, sometimes it’s simply time for a change–a fresh start with new collaborators. Of all the possible places to land, Superprime was my first and only choice, not only because I’ve known Rebecca Skinner since my days back at Propaganda/Satellite Films (which has made this made this transition very comfortable), but because I feel so honored to be included on a roster of both legendary filmmakers (many of whom are personal heroes) and exemplars of a new generation of visual storytellers. I am excited to continue evolving my craft and sensibilities there, so that we can create even more daring and more sincere work going forward.”
TikTok and the U.S. Face Off In Court Over Law That Could Lead To A Ban Of The Popular Platform
TikTok faced off with the U.S. government in federal court on Monday, arguing a law that could ban the platform in a few short months was unconstitutional while the Justice Department said the measure is critical to eliminate a national security risk posed by the popular social media company.
Attorneys for the two sides - and content creators - appeared before a panel of three judges at a federal appeals court in Washington, where TikTok and its China-based parent company, ByteDance, are challenging the law that is forcing them to break ties by mid-January or lose one of their biggest markets in the world.
Andrew Pincus, a veteran attorney representing the two companies, argued in court that the law unfairly targets the company and runs afoul of the First Amendment because TikTok Inc. - the U.S. arm of TikTok - is an American entity. Another attorney representing creators who are also challenging the law also argued it violates the rights of U.S. speakers and is akin to prohibiting Americans from publishing on foreign-owned media outlets, such as Politico, Al Jazeera or Spotify.
"The law before this court is unprecedented and its effect would be staggering," Pincus said, adding the act would impose speech limitations based on future risks.
The law, signed by President Joe Biden in April, was the culmination of a years-long saga in Washington over the short-form video-sharing app, which the government sees as a national security threat due to its connections to China.
The U.S. has said it's concerned about TikTok collecting vast swaths of user data, including sensitive information on viewing habits, that could fall into the hands of the Chinese government through coercion. The U.S. also says the proprietary algorithm that fuels... Read More