International commercial/branded content production house Hungry Man, headquartered in New York, was among five recipients of the fourth annual “Made in NY” Awards. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg presented the honors, which are in recognition of individuals or organizations that have made significant contributions to New York City’s entertainment industry. The ceremony was held on Monday (6/15) at Gracie Mansion in NYC.
In addition to Hungry Man, the honorees were: actress Edie Falco; Broadway composer and lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda; Gerry Byrne, senior VP for the Entertainment Group at Nielson Business Media; Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts, a not-for-profit advocacy organization; and Sesame Street, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this fall. The proceedings began with Mayor Bloomberg being introduced by Sesame Street’s Elmo and joined by Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Robert C. Lieber and Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting Commissioner Katherine Oliver.
Hungry Man’s credentials include being home to 20 notable directors worldwide and producing in the past year alone high profile brand launches for Microsoft as well as the Sprint campaign featuring many iconic New York City images and memorable spots for American Express starring Martin Scorsese and Tina Fey. Hungry Man is run by three partners: directors Hank Perlman and Bryan Buckley, and executive producer Kevin Byrne.
Actress Falco is known for her Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG Award-winning role as Carmela Soprano in the lauded HBO series The Sopranos. She can currently be seen in the Showtime series Nurse Jackie, which is filmed entirely in New York City.
Miranda is the composer-lyricist-star of In The Heights, the 2008 Tony Winner for Best Musical. Sesame Street stands out as the most thoroughly developed and researched preschool television program and media offering with a comprehensive curriculum that focuses on the development of the whole child. Produced in New York since its inception nearly 40 years ago, Sesame Street has introduced generations of children to information and experiences ranging from nutrition and space exploration to lessons about cooperation, friendship, and diversity with the help of the beloved Muppets including Elmo, Big Bird and Cookie Monster. Honored with more Emmy Awards than any other television show in history, Sesame Street continues to set the gold standard for excellence in educational media, giving children the best head start in school and life.
Byrne in his capacity at Nielsen Business Media is responsible for the global entertainment, music and literary publishing enterprises across digital, print and face-to-face platforms. .
And the Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts, established in 1986, is a national not-for-profit advocacy organization based in New York City that seeks solutions to the problems of racism and exclusion in theatre, film, and television.
It serves as an expert advocate and educational resource for the full creative participation of American arts and entertainment professionals who are African American, Asian American, Native American, Latino, South Asian, Arab American, those who are Deaf or hard of hearing, blind or have low vision, or who have intellectual, developmental, or physical disabilities. The Alliance promotes and facilitates inclusive hiring practices and standards, diversity in leadership, and balanced portrayals of persons of color and persons with disabilities.
“New York City is home of some of the most talented people on the planet, and tonight’s honorees prove just that,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “They have become stars here in the City in various facets of the entertainment industry, and we’re proud to call them all New Yorkers. Our film and television industry is critical to our city’s economic success, and it’s the reason we created the ‘Made in NY’ tax incentive. We look forward to working with the industry to extend the credit in a fiscally responsible way.”
“The ‘Made in NY’ Awards truly are the perfect way to celebrate the City’s vibrant entertainment industry,” said Commissioner Oliver. “Today we honor those who diligently work behind the scenes, in front of the camera, and behind desks to contribute to the films, TV shows, theatrical productions, commercials, and publications that showcase the best New York City has to offer.”
At the ceremony, Mayor Bloomberg also acknowledged the CBS daytime drama Guiding Light, which will come to an end this fall after fifty-seven years on air. The show, which the Guinness Book of World Records named the world’s longest-running TV drama, has been based in New York City since 1949 when it was a radio serial. The Mayor also recognized recent New York City College of Technology graduate Michael McLean, the first recipient of the “Made in NY” Scholarship, which is awarded to students who are pursuing a baccalaureate degree in the Entertainment Technology field at the New York City College of Technology.
Since 2002, the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting has been at the forefront of the New York City’s entertainment industry, supporting the film, television, music video, and commercial projects that shoot throughout the five boroughs. Last year, 208 films were shot on location here, and during the 2008-2009 season, twelve new broadcast and cable series came to New York City.
This winter, the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting unveiled a public service announcement initiative entitled “Reel Jobs. Reel Proud. Real New Yorkers.” The electronic and print campaign featured local New Yorkers who work in the production industry in an effort to thank local residents for hosting film and television production in their neighborhoods and explain the importance of the industry. The spots were helmed by Otis of bicoastal The Artists Company, who gained inclusion last month’s into SHOOT’s 7th annual New Directors Showcase (SHOOT, 5/22).
In recent weeks, the “Made in NY: Walking Tours of Film and Television Locations in New York City” was launched. Narrated by actors Julianna Margulies and Matthew Modine, these free and downloadable podcast walking tours, which are available on www.nyc.gov and iTunes, offer listeners an informative and fun way to learn about the rich and fascinating history of film and television location shooting in New York City.
Apple and Google Face UK Investigation Into Mobile Browser Dominance
Apple and Google aren't giving consumers a genuine choice of mobile web browsers, a British watchdog said Friday in a report that recommends they face an investigation under new U.K. digital rules taking effect next year.
The Competition and Markets Authority took aim at Apple, saying the iPhone maker's tactics hold back innovation by stopping rivals from giving users new features like faster webpage loading. Apple does this by restricting progressive web apps, which don't need to be downloaded from an app store and aren't subject to app store commissions, the report said.
"This technology is not able to fully take off on iOS devices," the watchdog said in a provisional report on its investigation into mobile browsers that it opened after an initial study concluded that Apple and Google effectively have a chokehold on "mobile ecosystems."
The CMA's report also found that Apple and Google manipulate the choices given to mobile phone users to make their own browsers "the clearest or easiest option."
And it said that the a revenue-sharing deal between the two U.S. Big Tech companies "significantly reduces their financial incentives" to compete in mobile browsers on Apple's iOS operating system for iPhones.
Both companies said they will "engage constructively" with the CMA.
Apple said it disagreed with the findings and said it was concerned that the recommendations would undermine user privacy and security.
Google said the openness of its Android mobile operating system "has helped to expand choice, reduce prices and democratize access to smartphones and apps" and that it's "committed to open platforms that empower consumers."
It's the latest move by regulators on both sides of the Atlantic to crack down on the... Read More