Phedon Papamichael, ASC, GSC, an Oscar-nominated cinematographer who’s diversified successfully into directing, has signed with Untitled Inc., the Santa Monica-based commercial production company headed by founders/executive producers Jim and Kristin Evans. Papamichael comes aboard Untitled’s directorial roster, having built momentum overseas as a spot helmer.
“Phedon’s been directing up a storm in Europe this past year, with captivating and poignant work for Green Cola, Milko, Volkswagen, Seat and Infiniti,” said Jim Evans. “We’re looking forward to bringing Phedon’s unique gift for directing back to the American marketplace.”
Papamichael is no stranger to Untitled. He shot for McCann New York the latest Nespresso spot directed by Untitled’s Grant Heslov and featuring George Clooney. “I’ve recently had good fun working with Jim on the Nespresso spots,” said Papamichael. “Together with him, Grant Heslov and Clooney there is a relaxed, family-like atmosphere during production. I’m excited and honored to be part of the family.”
With his award-winning cinematography background, Papamichael brings his prowess for strong visuals to the commercial directing world. As a DP, he is responsible for dozens of hit films, including Pursuit of Happyness, The Descendants, 3:10 to Yuma, Walk the Line, and Nebraska–the latter earned him Oscar and ASC Award nominations. Papamichael’s next cinematography release, Alexander Payne’s Downsizing, is slated for release on Dec. 22.
“Downsizing is a satire about the end of the world,” said Papamichael. “It’s timely. It even has a ‘Wall’ in it–humane, sad, funny–all without ever being preachy. And Matt Damon is amazing, as always.”
Over the past year, Papamichael’s masterful short film A Beautiful Day has screened at 25 film festivals internationally, winning awards for Best Short at five of them.
With home bases in Athens, Greece and Los Angeles, Papamichael attributes his gift for filmmaking to his worldly upbringing, growing up in Europe to a Greek father and a German mother. After his Fine Art studies in Munich, he moved to the States to pursue cinematography.
“I was raised in the indie film world. My father, Phedon Papamichael Sr., was an art director for John Cassavetes,” he said. “I got to hire my father to do production design on the first feature I directed when I was 29 years old [The Sketch Artist]–Wally Pfister was the DP.
“Later we [father and son] worked together again on Nick Cassavetes’ first feature, Unhook the Stars.”
For Papamichael, the best script is one that is simple but high concept, relying on exceptional visuals for storytelling. He prefers to let a designed, composed cinematic language do the talking.
He is enthusiastic about all forms of filmmaking. “I dislike the way the industry attempts to pigeon-hole us, especially in the feature world. When you’re good at something, they want you to just keep doing the same thing.
“Commercials give me an opportunity to explore different styles and techniques – it’s the perfect way to stay fresh and innovative for many years to come.”
Google Opens Its Defense In Antitrust Case Alleging Monopoly Over Online Ad Technology
Google opened its defense against allegations that it holds an illegal monopoly on online advertising technology Friday with witness testimony saying the industry is vastly more complex and competitive than portrayed by the federal government.
"The industry has been exceptionally fluid over the last 18 years," said Scott Sheffer, a vice president for global partnerships at Google, the company's first witness at its antitrust trial in federal court in Alexandria.
The Justice Department and a coalition of states contend that Google built and maintained an illegal monopoly over the technology that facilitates the buying and selling of online ads seen by consumers.
Google counters that the government's case improperly focuses on a narrow type of online ads — essentially the rectangular ones that appear on the top and on the right-hand side of a webpage. In its opening statement, Google's lawyers said the Supreme Court has warned judges against taking action when dealing with rapidly emerging technology like what Sheffer described because of the risk of error or unintended consequences.
Google says defining the market so narrowly ignores the competition it faces from social media companies, Amazon, streaming TV providers and others who offer advertisers the means to reach online consumers.
Justice Department lawyers called witnesses to testify for two weeks before resting their case Friday afternoon, detailing the ways that automated ad exchanges conduct auctions in a matter of milliseconds to determine which ads are placed in front of which consumers and how much they cost.
The department contends the auctions are finessed in subtle ways that benefit Google to the exclusion of would-be competitors and in ways that prevent... Read More