Duffy Higgins has joined the directorial roster of Greencard, a New York-based creative studio headed by founder and EP Emily Wiedemann. Director, DP and photographer Higgins comes over from A76, his own production company through which he’s been turning out commercials, branded content and documentaries since 2006.
Higgins has already finished his first project under the Greencard banner: a voluminous campaign of 150 ultra-short videos for TikTok and digital agency Huge. Running on Snapchat, they’re designed to seamlessly integrate with native content while boosting engagement with the video sharing site. Shot on an iPhone over five days in Atlanta (and posted at Greencard as well), the work tapped Higgins’ ability to create on the fly, honed from his work in documentaries and shooting music and lifestyle assignments.
“One of our goals is to attract a director corps that represents a diverse group of talents, all of whom bring unique points of view to their work, and Duffy fits this description with ease,” said Wiedemann. “We want filmmakers who complement each other in terms of their approach to storytelling, and who simultaneously fill a range of niches when it comes to genres. Duffy’s background as a director, cinematographer and photographer–which is particularly evident in his docu-style work and his action and sports content–means he’ll occupy a vital role in terms of our client offering.”
A native of Miami, Higgins currently splits his time between there and New York, and his work reflects the style, attitude, fashion and swagger associated with both cities. Recent projects include content for ESPN, Google, Netflix and Anheuser-Busch, while his first feature documentary, Brooklyn Basketball, premiered at the Coney Island Film Festival and screened at the NYC Independent Film Fest.
“I was looking for a shop with great people to not just promote my work," said Higgins, "but also continue to push and guide me in the directions I want to move towards as a director, whether that’s in the narrative, commercial or documentary genres. Greencard was a perfect fit.”
Joining the roster will allow him to focus solely on directing while taking advantage of the studio’s one-stop, integrated production-through-post model. Higgins said he was also drawn to Wiedemann and her team, which includes EP Chazz Carfora and director of sales Dani Zeitlin.
Singer-Songwriter and Actor Kris Kristofferson Dies At 88
Kris Kristofferson, a Rhodes scholar with a deft writing style and rough charisma who became a country music superstar and an A-list Hollywood actor, has died.
Kristofferson died at his home on Maui, Hawaii, on Saturday, family spokeswoman Ebie McFarland said in an email. He was 88.
McFarland said Kristofferson died peacefully, surrounded by his family. No cause was given.
Starting in the late 1960s, the Brownsville, Texas native wrote such country and rock 'n' roll standards as "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down," "Help Me Make it Through the Night," "For the Good Times" and "Me and Bobby McGee." Kristofferson was a singer himself, but many of his songs were best known as performed by others, whether Ray Price crooning "For the Good Times" or Janis Joplin belting out "Me and Bobby McGee."
He starred opposite Ellen Burstyn in director Martin Scorsese's 1974 film "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore," starred opposite Barbra Streisand in the 1976 "A Star Is Born," and acted alongside Wesley Snipes in Marvel's "Blade" in 1998.
Kristofferson, who could recite William Blake from memory, wove intricate folk music lyrics about loneliness and tender romance into popular country music. With his long hair and bell-bottomed slacks and counterculture songs influenced by Bob Dylan, he represented a new breed of country songwriters along with such peers as Willie Nelson, John Prine and Tom T. Hall.
"There's no better songwriter alive than Kris Kristofferson," Nelson said at a 2009 BMI award ceremony for Kristofferson. "Everything he writes is a standard and we're all just going to have to live with that."
Kristofferson retired from performing and recording in 2021, making only occasional guest appearances on stage, including a performance... Read More