Smoke & Mirrors, the international visual effects and design company, has teamed up with London-based The Assembly Rooms to offer offline editorial to agencies and clients throughout the U.S. Although The Assembly Rooms’ owners and editors Nik Hindson and Sam Rice-Edwards are known in the stateside market, this marks their first official foray outside their U.K. base.
“We’ve been editing projects for select agency clients here in New York for a while now, but this marks the official launch of a world-class offering that should interest our clients across the country,” said Mary Knox, managing director of Smoke & Mirrors.
Founded in 2004, The Assembly Rooms has cut numerous lauded commercials, including Vodafone’s “The Kiss,” edited by Rice-Edwards and directed by Frederic Planchon. “The Kiss” earned multiple awards in 2013, including a Cannes Bronze Lion for editing.
Over the years, Hindson, Rice-Edwards and other editors at The Assembly Rooms have worked on spots for such brands as Guinness, Barclays, HSBC, Coke, Budweiser, Lexus, Canon, British Airways and ESPN.
“We’ve built a reputation for knowledge and creativity in the U.K., and we now feel it’s natural to reach out to the U.S.,” said Hindson. “So much great work has come out of the States over the years, and we’re really looking forward to collaborating with American talent.”
Other London-based editors now available via Smoke & Mirrors in New York include Joe Parsons, David Stevens, Lou MacGregor, Matt Chodan, Simon Hargood, Ruth Hegarty and Kat Janes.
A global company, Smoke & Mirrors also has offices in London, Shanghai and Sao Paolo, in addition to New York. Recent commercial clients in the States include agencies such as Y&R, BBDO, mcgarrybowen and Mother, and brands such as Target, Google, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lord & Taylor and Coke.
The Assembly Rooms will be represented by Smoke & Mirrors reps Robin Stevens and Sarah Jenks in both the East Coast and Midwest regions.
Angelina Jolie To Receive Gothams Performer Tribute For “Marie”
The Gotham Film & Media Institute has announced that Academy Award®-winner Angelina Jolie will receive the Performer Tribute for her performance as Maria Callas in Pablo Larrain’s upcoming film Maria, at the 34th edition of The Gothams, taking place on Monday, December 2, at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. The tribute will honor Jolie’s rendition of legendary opera singer Callas.
“Like the legendary figure she portrays, Angelina Jolie transcends mere performance to craft something extraordinary. Her interpretation captures both Maria Callas’ complexity as an artist and the cultural resonance that defines an icon,” said Jeffrey Sharp, executive director of The Gotham. “We are thrilled to celebrate what is truly one of Ms. Jolie’s career-defining performances in the final installment of Pablo Larrain’s magnificent trilogy.”
Maria follows Callas, one of the most iconic performers of the 20th century, as she retreats to Paris after a glamorous and tumultuous life in the public eye. The film reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days as the diva reckons with her identity and life. Written by Steven Knight, with cinematography by Ed Lachman and costumes by Massimo Cantini Parrini, Maria has Jolie joined by a star-studded cast including Alba Rohrwacher (Hungry Hearts, Happy As Lazzaro), Pierfrancesco Favino (Padrenostro, Adagio), Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog, Dolemite Is My Name), and Valeria Golino (For Your Love, The Beautiful Game). Marie premiered to critical acclaim at the Venice Film Festival and Jolie’s performance continues to stun audiences at the New York Film Festival, London Film Festival and the AFI Fest. Maria will be in... Read More