Director Tony Petrossian–who gained inclusion into SHOOT‘s New Directors Showcase back in 2007–has signed with Rhythm+Hues Commercial Studios. To his new roost he brings filmmaking experience spanning live action and visual effects as well as commercials and music videos. Petrossian, who was formerly repped by Rockhard Films, has helmed spots for such clients as Nike, McDonald’s, Subway and Sony Ericsson. His music video exploits include artists like Taking Back Sunday, Rise Against, Slipknot, Ludacris and DMX.
Petrossian earned his way into the aforementioned New Directors Showcase based largely on his branded content piece, Beijing Ballers, for Nike out of Wieden+Kennedy, Shanghai.
Given his diverse range of work and disciplines, Petrossian is an ideal fit for Rhythm+Hues Commercial Studios which offers resources in live action, VFX, animation, design and postproduction, being able to draw upon the talent and technical firepower of VFX/animation facility Rhythm+Hues Studios. Petrossian regards Rhythm+Hues as a place that will enable him to continue “to push myself and expand creatively.”
Rhythm+Hues Commercial Studios is under the aegis of executive producer Paul Babb. Recent commercial projects include Activision, Budweiser, Chevrolet, Coca-Cola, Crayola, Electronic Arts, Hartford, Kellogg’s, Mattel, Microsoft, X-Box, Nascar, Nasonex, Quaker State, Tide and Ubisoft.
Feature film VFX credits for Rhythm+Hues Studios include a VFX Oscar-winning effort for Golden Compass in ’08, as well as work for Moneyball, X-Men: First Class, Chronicle and Big Miracle. Films currently in production include Life of Pi, Snow White and the Huntsman, R.I.P.D. and Hunger Games.
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