“The Hurt Locker” scored the top film award from the Producers Guild of America, building new momentum for the Iraq war drama in the expanded Oscar race for best picture. The film about a risk-taking bomb disposal technician beat out such celebrated nominees as “Avatar,” ”Inglourious Basterds” and “Up in the Air.”
“The Hurt Locker,” starring Jeremy Renner and directed by Kathryn Bigelow, also bested the films “Star Trek,” ”District 9,” ”An Education,” ”Invictus,” ”Up” and “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ By Sapphire” at Sunday’s Producers Guild Awards at the Hollywood Palladium, the latest kudofest in the run-up to the Academy Awards in March.
Assuming “The Hurt Locker” earns an Oscar best-picture nomination Feb. 2, it will have just as much competition as it did at the PGAs, which followed Oscar organizers lead and doubled the best-picture category to 10 nominees, aiming to bring a broader range of movies into the fold, which means a blockbuster could take the top category.
In other PGA film categories, “Up” won for animated feature and “The Cove” was lauded for documentary. The Harlem drama “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ By Sapphire” was honored with the Stanley Kramer Award, a prize named after the late director that recognizes work which explores and addresses provocative social issues.
Four television shows were repeat winners from last year: AMC’s “Madmen” for drama TV; NBC’s “30 Rock” for comedy TV; Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report” for live entertainment and competition TV; and CBS’ “60 Minutes” for nonfiction TV. The HBO TV film “Grey Gardens” snagged the prize in the long-form TV category.
Career achievement awards were bestowed on Sony Pictures chairman Michael Lynton and co-chairman Amy Pascal; Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios chief creative officer John Lasseter; and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Dollhouse” mastermind Joss Whedon.
The Many Hires Jeremiah Wassom As Group Creative Director
Independent agency The Many has added Jeremiah Wassom as group creative director.
Wassom most recently worked a decade at Deutsch LA where, as SVP/creative director, he led the Taco Bell account and won new business for the agency. His agency past also includes AKQA and TBWAChiatDay. His creative work has touched the QSR, video games, automotive, fashion, and culture brand sectors. He also served eight years with the United States Marine Corps.
“Throughout his career, Jeremiah has helmed work that has not only made me personally jealous but has consistently pushed brands to show up in memorable and innovative ways,” said Josh Paialii, head of creative at The Many. “One look at his body of work and you will see his passion for storytelling and craft has raised the bar for entire categories, driving participation with many brands’ most loyal fans. Beyond being a world-class creative director and maker, Wassom is a proven team player and strategic thought leader. He’ll be a great addition to the leadership team at The Many working across all accounts. His role will be immediately felt as he guides and supports each of the creative leads in the department.”
A 20-year creative with agency, brand, and freelance experience, Wassom has forged a creative approach which focuses on crafting engaging connections rather than simply make ads. He sees the need for advertising to mean more, not simply do more.
The Many believes that true business growth is made possible by harnessing the power of participation and partners with brands to forge deeper connections with consumers, cultivate trust and loyalty, and maximize marketing spend and execution. The agency is built around a flexible model that offers a suite of capabilities, including... Read More