The top ten SHOOT stories that generated the most engagement (clicks to view) in 2021 included: Melina Matsoukas of PRETTYBIRD making history with a DGA Award win for Best Commercial Director of the Year; the unveiling of shortlists for the AICP Awards as well as the finalists’ count for The One Show; the launch of an American Film Institute (AFI) Alumni Council; and the hiring of Orlee Tatarka as head of production for Wieden+Kennedy, Portland, Ore.
Topping the click tally for SHOOT in 2021 was a Toolbox entry marking the Foundry’s release of Nuke 13, introducing a flexible machine learning toolset and much more, carrying what could pan out as long lasting implications for the way VFX artists work.
Next up in second place of our rundown of most viewed stories this year was the setting of program details for the Hollywood Professional Association’s (HPA) free week-long virtual event ALL IN designed to raise awareness of–and promote–diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the industry.
Third in our countdown was the call for entries for the 2021 AICP Awards, encompassing the AICP Show: The Art & Technique of the Commercial; the AICP Next Awards; and the AICP Post Awards.
Finishing fourth in most watched SHOOT story tally was news that the American Film Institute had launched the AFI Alumni Council. This advisory group of AFI alumni guides career development and community engagement for AFI alumni and provide leadership to galvanize AFI filmmakers across the industry to work together to affect progressive change.
Taking fifth place was director Melina Matsoukas’ historic DGA Award win in the commercials competition. On the strength of her stirring “You Love Life” for Apple’s Beats by Dr. Dre from agency Translation, Matsoukas–whose commercialmaking home is PRETTYBIRD–became the first woman and first person of color to win the Guild’s spot honor. Matsoukas’ first career DGA win came for her first commercial nomination. But it was her third overall Guild nod–the first occurring in 2018 for an episode of the TV comedy series Master of None, and the second in 2020 for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in First-Time Feature Film for Queen & Slim.
Coming in as the sixth most clicked story was a review of Vacation Friends, a feature directed by Clay Tarver.
Seventh in the countdown was the unveiling of finalists for The One Show 2021. Topping the field was Droga5 New York with 44 finalists entries. Fourteen of the agency’s finalists were for Facebook, including nine for “Never Lost” and four for “Born in Quarantine.” Eight of the finalists were for “Maurice and the Black Bear School” on behalf of Hennessy, and five are for The New York Times’ “Life Needs Truth.”
Ending up eighth in our click count for 2021 was a look at how entertainment marketing and production company NuContext innovated during the pandemic, enabling business to continue with virtual production and conferencing. This report on NuContext was part of SHOOT’s continuing seres of Sponsored Entertainment & Advertising Technology Features.
Next up was coverage of Orlee Tatarka being hired as head of production for Wieden+Kennedy’s Portland office. Tatarka was chosen to lead W+K’s multidisciplinary production capabilities across Integrated Production, W+K Studios, and Joint. It’s the first time one leader was made responsible for the full remit of W+K Portland’s production capabilities, championing teams navigating all types of production and bringing groundbreaking creative ideas to life. This marked a return to W+K for Tatarka who spent nine years at Wieden+Kennedy New York working on brands including Bud Light, Ford, Sprite, Nike, Jordan Brand, ESPN, Spotify, and Southern Comfort. Prior to this new appointment at W+K Portland, Tatarka was director of integrated production and a senior partner at Carmichael Lynch.
And rounding out our top ten countdown was the release of the shortlists for the AICP Awards–the AICP Post Awards, the AICP Next Awards and the AICP Show. MJZ and Droga5 topped the AICP Show shortlist with R/GA leading the way for the AICP Next Awards. Cabin Editing Company scored the most shortlist mentiokns for the AICP Post Awards.
Here’s a countdown of SHOOT’s most engaging stories of 2021 (click headline to view):
1. Foundry brings machine learning into Nuke 13
2. HPA is ALL IN with program lineup
3. AICP Awards sets call for entries
4. AFI Alumni Council launched
5. DGA Names Melina Matsoukas Best Commercial Director of the Year
6. Review: Director Clay Tarver’s “Vacation Friends”
7. Droga5 NY Tops The One Show With 44 Finalists
8. Workflow Solutions: Gearing Up For Remote Possibilities
9. Orlee Tatarka Named Head of Production At Wieden+Kennedy Portland
10. MJZ, Droga5 Top AICP Show Shortlist; R/GA Leads AICP Next Awards
11. Robyn Tenenbaum Joins BSSP As Creative Director
12. “Emma” Lands Alexandra Byrne Her 6th Career Oscar Nomination
13. Director/EP Craig Zobel Reflects On HBO’s “Mare of Easttown”
14. Lensing, Composing and Production Designing For “Minari”
15. Cinematographers & Cameras: Lensing “Promising Young Woman,” “News of the World,” “Search Party”
16. Lawrence Jones joins Framestore’s New York studio
17. Xenopoulos Becomes Global CCO For WPP On Ford; Kaminkow Named VMLY&R’s NY CEO
18. Cinematographers & Cameras: Lensing “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” “Waiting for the Barbarians”
19. VMLY&R Grows Female Sr. Leadership Across Global and LATAM Teams
20. Sundance Preview: Directors Reflect On Their Feature Documentaries
21. Shaka King Puts Accomplishments Into Perspective For “Judas and the Black Messiah”
22. Insights Into The Lensing of “Mank,” “The Prom,” “Malcolm & Marie”
23. Bullitt and The Directors Bureau Unite As Each Shop Retains Its Respective Brand Identity, Roster
24. Tribeca Fest Sets Jury Lineups For Film, Immersive, Games, Podcasts
