Production company Panoptica has signed Los Angeles-based director Samuel Miron, marking his first commercial representation. Miron has worked with such brands as Alexander Wang, Tommy Hilfiger, Jack in the Box, and Naked Juice. Now formally coming on board the company roster, Miron continues what’s been a fruitful recent partnership with Panoptica on projects for Google and Courvoisier.
“Sam’s dedication to the craft is inspiring and he brings a thoughtful approach to every project,” said Panoptica founder Hughes William Thompson. “He is one of the most prepared directors I’ve ever met.”
Panoptica executive producer Roan Bibby added, “As a long time collaborator, I’ve shot with Sam in locations ranging from Paris to New York to L.A. His experience with fashion, celebrities, documentary, and VFX will make Panoptica even more competitive.”
Miron kick-started his film career at a young age. While still in film school, he co-founded a film company, Other|Side Pictures, which was awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation. He went on to direct a feature-length documentary, A New High, which premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival and was later sold to Netflix. His accomplishments did not stop there with Miron winning a Telly for his work on a Jack in the Box ad campaign.
“Filmmaking, to me, is the largest and most collaborative manifestation of art,” said Miron. “It’s like you’re painting, but with a massive team of specialists, each of whom are experts in their respective fields. You work together over a long period of time to create something that only lasts a few moments on screen. It’s amazing.”
Directing commercials, Miron enjoys paying homage to specific filmmaking eras and genres, such as classic French romance or ‘80s horror films. He believes researching and overcoming challenges is the best part of the process. Having worked freelance for a number of years, he appreciates the support that a production company like Panoptica offers–and the shared belief that diversity and kindness should be a priority, both on and off the screen.
“Panoptica’s ability to ensure their directors focus solely on the art, and nothing else, is priceless,” concluded Miron. “They’re serious about having diverse film sets and diverse content. Every time they send me a new concept, I’m not only excited about the project, but I’m also excited about the people we’ll work with to create it. It’s a good feeling.”
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