Dutch directing collective PostPanic has expanded its relationship with Savage, signing on with the shop–which maintains offices in New York and Prague–for representation in North America. Savage, under the aegis of founder Pavla Burgetova, had already been working with PostPanic in Europe.
Based in Amsterdam, PostPanic’s expertise spans live action, motion graphics, visual effects and 2D/3D animation. The collective’s core members include co-founder Mischa Rozema and Chris Staves. The former is perhaps the best known helmer in the collective while Staves–who directs and heads up the in-house effects team at PostPanic’s central Amsterdam studio–was a former partner and director at Psyop, New York, as well as creative director for both MassMarket (N.Y.) and Method (L.A.)
Most recently, Savage and PostPanic teamed up to produce lauded titles for the 2011 OFFF Design festival in Barcelona, Spain. Shot on location in Prague, the project combines live action with provocative, graphic-led visual effects guiding the viewer through a grim scenario embedded with the names of artists appearing at the festival. The press and festival attention generated by the piece helped garner Rozema a feature film project on which he is currently working.
PostPanic’s work spans varied platforms, from traditional broadcast to production of digital assets for websites and mobile, as well as several 3D projection spots for such clients as Mattel’s HotWheels.
Among PostPanic’s collection of kudos is a 2009 AICP Next Award in the Experiential category for the “Lost Ring” film trailers, part of the digital campaign created by AKQA San Francisco for McDonald’s sponsorship of the 2008 Olympics. PostPanic has turned out work over the years for such U.S. agencies and clients as Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, McCann Erickson, Nike and Google.
Additionally Savage has lined up a couple of independent reps in the U.S., with Siobhan McCafferty & Associates now handling the West Coast, and Catherine De Angelis of Hot Betty covering the Midwest.
Apple and Google Face UK Investigation Into Mobile Browser Dominance
Apple and Google aren't giving consumers a genuine choice of mobile web browsers, a British watchdog said Friday in a report that recommends they face an investigation under new U.K. digital rules taking effect next year.
The Competition and Markets Authority took aim at Apple, saying the iPhone maker's tactics hold back innovation by stopping rivals from giving users new features like faster webpage loading. Apple does this by restricting progressive web apps, which don't need to be downloaded from an app store and aren't subject to app store commissions, the report said.
"This technology is not able to fully take off on iOS devices," the watchdog said in a provisional report on its investigation into mobile browsers that it opened after an initial study concluded that Apple and Google effectively have a chokehold on "mobile ecosystems."
The CMA's report also found that Apple and Google manipulate the choices given to mobile phone users to make their own browsers "the clearest or easiest option."
And it said that the a revenue-sharing deal between the two U.S. Big Tech companies "significantly reduces their financial incentives" to compete in mobile browsers on Apple's iOS operating system for iPhones.
Both companies said they will "engage constructively" with the CMA.
Apple said it disagreed with the findings and said it was concerned that the recommendations would undermine user privacy and security.
Google said the openness of its Android mobile operating system "has helped to expand choice, reduce prices and democratize access to smartphones and apps" and that it's "committed to open platforms that empower consumers."
It's the latest move by regulators on both sides of the Atlantic to crack down on the... Read More