Mob Scene, an entertainment marketing agency for major motion picture studios, television networks, and production companies, has bolstered its executive team with two senior level promotions: Jason Groff has been named the company’s president, while Mitchell Rubinstein becomes its chief operating officer. Prior to their promotions, Groff had been the company’s EVP of operations; Rubinstein had been Mob Scene’s SVP of creative content. In their new posts, Groff will oversee all of Mob Scene’s businesses and creative services. Rubinstein will be responsible for oversight of the agency’s overall daily operations across all divisions….
Sesame Workshop has named Benjamin Lehmann the new executive producer of Sesame Street, taking the helm from creative director and interim executive producer Brown Johnson. Lehmann has served as the show’s supervising producer since 2015. He first joined Sesame Street production as a PA in 2001, rising through the ranks to producer in 2007; he has also served as a director for the past three years. Lehmann has won multiple awards for his work on Sesame Street, including nine Emmys and four Producers Guild Awards. Recently, he and the Sesame Street production team won a Primetime Emmy for 2016’s holiday special, Once Upon A Sesame Street Christmas. He also directed The Magical Wand Chase, a season-launching special that aired on HBO on Saturday, November 11th, 2017. Lehmann currently co-chairs the Community Action Committee for the Producers Guild East, where he helps connect film and television productions with volunteer opportunities. Prior to joining Sesame Workshop, he was an independent producer, cinematographer, and director with his own production company; his work included both television and feature films. He received a BA from Colorado University, Boulder. Lehmann grew up in Paris and Los Angeles; he now lives in Queens, New York with his wife and two children….
“Heretic” and “Maria” Set As Red Carpet Premieres At AFI Fest
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Heretic, the psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, and Maria, based on the life of opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, will round out the Red Carpet Premieres section at this year’s AFI Fest. The Heretic Gala Screening will take place on Thursday, October 24, and the Maria Gala Screening will be held on Saturday, October 26. The complete Red Carpet Premieres section includes the world premieres of Music By John Williams, Robert Zemeckis’ Here, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2. All Red Carpet Premieres will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. The full lineup for AFI Fest 2024 will be unveiled on October 1.
“At the heart of AFI Fest is an unwavering dedication to celebrating the best in global cinema--together,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. “We look forward to uniting artists and audiences once again to be inspired by the art form in a powerful sense of community.”
Heretic follows two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (portrayed by Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and produced by Stacey Sher, Beck, Woods, Julia Glausi and Jeanette Volturno. The film will be released nationwide by A24 on November 8.
Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria presents a tumultuous and beautiful depiction of one of the world’s most renowned artists and reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days in Paris, as Callas (Jolie)... Read More