The Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI) honored its inaugural graduating class of Certified Film Commissioners at its Cineposium 09 confab in Universal City, Calif., on November 2.
Launched in 2007, the AFCI’s Certified Film Commissioner Designation is awarded to those individuals who have completed all required training through AFCI University, the membership organization’s professional development program. The program consists of a combination of required Master Classes, exams, a case study, and other service and educational activities. The designation signifies the recipient has achieved the highest level of accomplishment in his/her profession according to a certification committee of seven AFCI members.
AFCI member Pat Swinney Kaufman, chairperson of the certification committee and executive director of the New York State Governor’s Office for Motion Picture and Television Development, presented six film industry professionals with their certificates in front of an audience of film commissioners and entertainment industry executives.
The first AFCI University graduating class consisted of: Jamie Cope, location services manager, West Virginia Film Office; Johnny Griffin, director, Wilmington Regional Film Commission, Inc.; Jennifer Parramore, film commissioner, St. Petersburg/Clearwater; Kevin Shand, director, Colorado Office of Film, Television and Media; Mark Stricklin, executive director, Birmingham-Jefferson Film Office; and Aaron Syrett, director, North Carolina Film Office.
“The merit of a membership organization like AFCI is deeply rooted in the knowledge, expertise, and dedication of its constituents,” said Mary Nelson, AFCI board president, and communications manager for the Virginia Film Office. “Congratulations to these film commission professionals for their ongoing commitment to providing the best possible service to on-location filmmakers worldwide.”
The AFCI is the global professional organization whose members are film commissioners that assist film, television and video production throughout the world. It is a non-profit educational association whose network of members serves as city, county, state, regional, provincial or national film commissioners for their respective governmental jurisdictions.
Director Ayse Altinok Joins Good Times For U.S. Commercial Representation
Director and writer Ayse Altinok has joined commercial production company Good Times for U.S. representation. Altinok has directed campaigns for Nike, Horizon Milk, Larabar, Jose Cuervo, Unilever, Mavi Jeans, Boots, Lumene, and more.
A former art director at Wieden + Kennedy in Amsterdam and Portland, she approaches each project with careful consideration, analyzing the end goal as a first step and uncovering meaningful moments along the way. Her work features a cinematic, dreamlike quality and elevated aesthetic.
“Having the right chemistry and karma is very powerful and that’s what attracted me to Good Times, and also timing,” said Altinok. “It’s a place where I can continue to push myself as a filmmaker and try new things, whether it’s for a traditional commercial spot or a high concept art project and everything in between.”
“I’ve worked with Ayse for 20 years and she’s super talented. She’s great at finding gems in stories that would otherwise be overlooked, and her aesthetic is phenomenal,” noted Bernadette Spear, executive producer at Good Times. “She can also empathize with creatives, because she’s lived in that world and understands what our clients face and knows how to support their vision.”
Throughout her career, Altinok’s work has won many industry accolades, including awards from The One Show, Clio, Art Directors Club, AICP, and the ANDYs. In 2016, she was nominated for a D&AD Next Director Award for her short film A Day at the Mall Reminds Me of America, a motion poem. Her first short film, 2009’s Hortum was an official selection of 11 film festivals worldwide and won the Special Jury Prize for Best Drama at the Amsterdam Film Festival.
Outside of her short... Read More