ALTERED.LA has added the directorial duo The Martians–consisting of Diogo Abrantes and João Rito–to its U.S. roster for commercials and branded content. This marks the first U.S. representation for the directing team which came together in 2022.
Abrantes has extensive experience on the agency side, having spent over a decade working as a creative at shops in London, earning Cannes Lions and D&AD Awards, among other honors. Rito’s background includes many years working alongside the best names in comedy on TV series in Portugal, serving as a director and executive producer.
As a directing duo, The Martians have become known for a unique brand of creativity and comedic storytelling with work for such clients as sports betting platform bet.pt, financial investment firm Aldrin and a lauded “Born to Create Drama” promo for the Young Director Award. Looking ahead, the duo is gearing up to launch a comedy commercial for a collaboration between a world-famous chocolate brand and a renowned entertainment studio.
Marcos Cline, founder and executive producer at ALTERED.LA, said, “More and more, our agency partners are seeking directors whose reels showcase exceptional art direction, a contemporary feel, slow motion, and a unique ‘wink-and-a-nod’ style of comedy that looks phenomenal. So, you can imagine my excitement when I met The Martians! This directing duo embodies all of these qualities and more, bringing an incredible personality to the mix. As ALTERED.LA continues to grow, introducing talented directors like Martians to the U.S. market for the first time becomes increasingly important. Their overall aesthetic and style not only complement our roster but also raise the bar.”
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