Five cinematographers represented by Dattner Dispoto and Associates (DDA) recently earned Emmy nominations: Kira Kelly for Insecure (HBO), Erik Messerschmidt, ASC for Mindhunter (Netflix), Jeff Cronenweth, ASC for Tales From The Loop (Amazon Prime), Paul Cameron, ASC for Westworld (HBO) and Xavier Grobet, ASC, AMC for Watchmen (HBO)….
IABM, the international trade association for suppliers of broadcast and media technology, has set the lineup for its APAC Members’ Council, which includes a new chair as well as several members in sales and marketing positions. Named council chair is Alex Timbs, sr. business development manager at Dell EMC. Among those chosen to serve as council members are Richard Jones, director of sales, ASEAN, Grass Valley; Justin Knox, marketing manager, RGBlink Science & Technology Co.; and Charu Puri, director, marketing communications, Interra Systems. IABM facilitates the networking and interaction between suppliers that shape and define the unique ecosystem of the broadcast and media technology industry….
Leader Electronics has appointed Neil Coles as European regional development manager. Based in London, he will be working directly with customers and via the Leader network of distribution partners to extend the company’s presence across the continent. Leader designs and manufactures cost-effective test and measurement instruments. Leader products are specified for R&D, broadcast, production and service applications. Coles started his career in 1996 at a London post house, progressing through various roles including account management at West 1 Television and postproduction management for travel documentaries. His path included senior positions at NEP Group and Bexel Global Broadcast Solutions. He also established his own company specializing in high grade broadcast production facilities and system integration services….
Jennifer Kent On Why Her Feature Directing Debut, “The Babadook,” Continues To Haunt Us
"The Babadook," when it was released 10 years ago, didn't seem to portend a cultural sensation.
It was the first film by a little-known Australian filmmaker, Jennifer Kent. It had that strange name. On opening weekend, it played in two theaters.
But with time, the long shadows of "The Babadook" continued to envelop moviegoers. Its rerelease this weekend in theaters, a decade later, is less of a reminder of a sleeper 2014 indie hit than it is a chance to revisit a horror milestone that continues to cast a dark spell.
Not many small-budget, first-feature films can be fairly said to have shifted cinema but Kent's directorial debut may be one of them. It was at the nexus of that much-debated term "elevated horror." But regardless of that label, it helped kicked off a wave of challenging, filmmaker-driven genre movies like "It Follows," "Get Out" and "Hereditary."
Kent, 55, has watched all of this — and those many "Babadook" memes — unfold over the years with a mix of elation and confusion. Her film was inspired in part by the death of her father, and its horror elements likewise arise out of the suppression of emotions. A single mother (Essie Davis) is struggling with raising her young son (Noah Wiseman) years after the tragic death of her husband. A figure from a pop-up children's book begins to appear. As things grow more intense, his name is drawn out in three chilling syllables — "Bah-Bah-Doooook" — an incantation of unprocessed grief.
Kent recently spoke from her native Australia to reflect on the origins and continuing life of "The Babadook."
Q: Given that you didn't set out to in any way "change" horror, how have you regarded the unique afterlife of "The... Read More