Marina del Rey, Calif.-based production company Backyard has secured Sue Rosen of Wry Wit for Midwest sales representation. Wry Wit is a Chicago-based management company representing production companies, editorial, content and music to advertising agencies. Having established herself as a resource for A-level talent in New York, Rosen moved to Chicago in 2000 and quickly immersed herself in the Midwest market. Wry Wit opened its doors in 2008. Alongside Rosen, Lauren Carter has been her associate rep for three years. Wry Wit’s roster also includes, O Positive, Dummy, Slim Pictures, Hey Wonderful, Brother, JSM Music, Sarofsky and Union Editorial….
Los Angeles-based production company Slim Pictures has hired Pegi Murray as its director of business development. Murray has performed in various roles on the way to her current position, starting off in her native Toronto on the ad agency side. A move to Los Angeles was made at the behest of director Jim Sonzero, which led Murray to become a producer at a commercial music production house. Since moving stateside, Murray has worked at Believe Media, Chelsea Pictures, and across the fields of sales, marketing and branding as a West Coast rep for MassiveMusic. Most recently, Murray was an agent at Artistry (formerly Sheldon Prosnit), where she represented cinematographers and production designers for commercials and music videos….
DP Salvatore Totino has wrapped principal photography on Spider-Man: Homecoming–directed by Jon Watts, starring Tom Holland and Robert Downey Jr.–and is now available for commercials and feature films exclusively through ICM Partners….
OptiTrack has added Rick Banks as director of marketing. He comes over from Ubisoft where he served as director of media. Prior to Ubisoft, Banks led the PlayStation account at media agency Carat as VP, director of planning, following a stint at Zenith Media as client strategy director where he managed strategy and research for Ubisoft, EPSON and Travelocity. While working as a media director at indie agency Ignited, he collaborated with several game publishers (Sega, Namco Bandai, Codemasters, Turbine, NCSoft, D3Publisher, etc.) across console, handheld and PC games. In his career he helped launch over 300 game titles, from existing franchises to original IP. Banks’ career began at Team One and Saatchi&Saatchi in Los Angeles, where he managed media planning and strategy for Lexus and Toyota….
“Dune: Part Two” and “House of the Dragon” Win 2 HPA Awards Apiece
Dune: Part Two and House of the Dragon each scored two HPA Awards during a gala ceremony at the Television Academy’s Wolf Theatre in North Hollywood, Calif. on Thursday night (11/7). The HPA Awards honor trailblazing talent in the postproduction industry, celebrating standout achievements in color grading, sound, editing, restoration, and visual effects across theatrical features, commercials, and episodics.
Dune: Part Two topped the Outstanding Color Grading--Live Action Theatrical Feature and the Outstanding Sound--Theatrical Feature categories.
House of the Dragon’s two wins were for “The Red Dragon and the Gold” episode which scored for Outstanding Visual Effects--Live Action Episode or Series Season, and Outstanding Editing--Episode or Non-Theatrical Feature (Over 30 Minutes). In the latter HPA Creative Category, House of the Dragon tied with the “Part Six: Far,l Far Away” episode of Ahsoka.
The HPA’s Judges Award for Creativity and Innovation honored Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour. This recognition celebrates the profound impact on both live and filmed entertainment that defined The Eras Tour, underscoring its exceptional impact on audiences and the industry. The jury issued a statement outlining their choice: “Celebrated as the cultural phenomenon of 2023, Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour set new records in box office sales, tour revenues, and attendance. The tour showcased exceptional artistry and innovation, making a profound impact on both live and filmed entertainment.”
This year, FotoKem was awarded the Charles S. Swartz Award for its role in supporting filmmakers, studios, cinematographers, and artists across diverse film and media landscapes. Also celebrated... Read More