m ss ng p eces director Matt Ogens premiered Madu alongside co-director Joel “Kachi” Benson, as the opening night film of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in February. Madu is now scheduled to debut Friday (3/29) on Disney+.
Ogens’ extensive filmmaking experience, storytelling, and stylized approach with Benson’s deep cultural understanding of Nigeria form a rich and immersive tapestry told across two continents.
From practicing barefoot on the streets of Lagos to becoming an online viral sensation to performing on stage in England, 12-year-old Anthony Madu leaves his home in Nigeria to study at one of the most prestigious ballet schools in the world. Leaving home for the first time, Anthony finds himself thrust into a new world, where his wildest dreams are suddenly within reach.
Madu chronicles Anthony’s courageous journey and introduces the world to a boy chasing his dream. Conquering extraordinary obstacles as he searches for belonging amidst new friendships, Anthony’s unexpected challenges and triumphs ultimately inspire and resonate with viewers.
“Our goal with this film was to showcase the incredible strength, resilience, and talent that Anthony has,” said Ogens. “It was an honor to follow along on his journey and capture his growth and success. We’re very excited for the world to see his story.”
Ogens has collaborated with leading agencies and brands in his work produced by m ss ng p eces, helming major campaigns for Activision’s Call of Duty, Land Rover, Under Armour, FIFA World Cup, Hyundai, Toyota, and a Super Bowl campaign for Verizon. He’s earned several prominent awards including Cannes Lions, Clios, One Show, Webby Award, and the SXSW Interactive Award. His previous Netflix Original, Audible, was nominated for an Best Documentary Short Subject Oscar® in 2022. The documentary is a coming-of-age story told from the perspective of deaf high school students and communicated through sign language.
Ogens is an alum of SHOOT's 2005 New Directors Showcase.
Avid completes acquisition of Wolftech
Avid®, known for software solutions for professional media production, has completed the acquisition of Wolftech Broadcast Solutions, a leader in cloud-based multiplatform news planning, production and publishing solutions.
The acquisition enables Avid to combine its digital-first, end-to-end media solution with Wolftech’s expertise in story-centric workflow management. News organizations will be able to increase efficiency and accelerate story delivery through enhanced remote collaboration and multiplatform amplification.
Avid CEO Wellford Dillard stated, “Wolftech is unquestionably on the leading edge of where the industry is going, and this acquisition demonstrates Avid’s commitment to transform news, sports, and live production workflows. We are delighted to welcome Wolftech into the Avid family.”
Wolftech CEO Arne Berven added, “We were focused on finding a partner that could accelerate the adoption of our platform globally. We explored a number of possibilities, but when we talked to Avid, we knew it was the right match.”
The closing of the acquisition follows Avid’s announcement on October 7 that the company had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Wolftech.
With this acquisition, Avid deepens the integration between the two toolsets while continuing to embrace an open approach in partnering with a wide range of media production tools and newsroom systems. Existing Wolftech customers will benefit from Avid’s global scale for customer support and professional services.
Ian Axton, head of production operations for ITV News, said, “As a customer of both Avid and Wolftech we’re excited about the benefits this acquisition will bring to our users and our business. Wolftech has transformed... Read More