Caviar has acquired Funny Or Die’s award-winning commercial production company Gifted Youth. Caviar will maintain the Gifted Youth shingle name with a roster of directors, which include Jake Szymanski (Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, Tour De Pharmacy), Alice Mathias (Portlandia), and Paymen Benz (Brooklyn 99, Key and Peele). Under the deal, Funny Or Die will continue to work with Caviar to identify up-and-coming directors to add to the Gifted Youth roster. Gifted Youth’s NY-based Josh Morse–whose ad agency pedigree includes Barton F. Graf and TBWAChiatDay–will continue to serve as executive producer, working alongside the Caviar team.
“We have seen Caviar ‘in market’ for years and have always been impressed with their diverse roster and their commitment to producing outstanding creative advertising,” said Chris Bruss, president of Funny Or Die. “Their leadership team is top notch, and the Gifted Youth brand could not have found a better home.”
Michael Sagol, executive producer and managing partner of Caviar, related, “We could not be happier to be taking on this venture. Gifted Youth, under Funny Or Die, has created a unique brand and we are confident that it will only continue to thrive as part of the Caviar family.”
Szymanski added, “I am incredibly proud of the work that myself and the rest of the Gifted Youth roster created over the last several years, and proud of the special brand we were able to develop and curate within Funny Or Die. Having originally started my commercial directing career with Caviar, I’m excited for Gifted Youth’s next chapter there, and excited to be working with Michael and the amazing Caviar team.”
Szymanski recently wrapped production on what will be the first Gifted Youth campaign under Caviar, a series of commercials for Smirnoff from 72andSunny (New York).
Founded in April 2012, Gifted Youth has produced hundreds of commercials and branded entertainment campaigns, including both Jeff Gordon “Test Drive” videos, directed by Peter Atencio for Pepsi Max, and the prolific Ron Burgundy/Dodge Durango commercial campaign directed by Szymanski, in partnership with the release of Anchorman 2.
In 2004 and 2005, four companies merged to form Caviar, pooling their talents and resources. In addition to Caviar Los Angeles, the company maintains offices in London, Paris, Brussels, Madrid, and Amsterdam. Caviar currently represents more than 70 directors, spanning visual and comedic expertise, including a lineup of young talent.
Caviar is known for its commercial work for brands such as Apple, Gucci, Adidas, and Budweiser to name a few. The company is also known in the U.S. market for creating top-shelf music videos for artists like Jay-Z, Dua Lipa, Cardi B, and films such as last year’s indie-darling, The Rider (2017) directed by Chloé Zhao, The Diary of a Teenage Girl (2014) directed by Marielle Heller, and the Sundance Award-winning documentary, Jawline (2018).
Rom-Com Mainstay Hugh Grant Shifts To The Dark Side and He’s Never Been Happier
After some difficulties connecting to a Zoom, Hugh Grant eventually opts to just phone instead.
"Sorry about that," he apologizes. "Tech hell." Grant is no lover of technology. Smart phones, for example, he calls the "devil's tinderbox."
"I think they're killing us. I hate them," he says. "I go on long holidays from them, three or four days at at time. Marvelous."
Hell, and our proximity to it, is a not unrelated topic to Grant's new film, "Heretic." In it, two young Mormon missionaries (Chloe East, Sophie Thatcher) come knocking on a door they'll soon regret visiting. They're welcomed in by Mr. Reed (Grant), an initially charming man who tests their faith in theological debate, and then, in much worse things.
After decades in romantic comedies, Grant has spent the last few years playing narcissists, weirdos and murders, often to the greatest acclaim of his career. But in "Heretic," a horror thriller from A24, Grant's turn to the dark side reaches a new extreme. The actor who once charmingly stammered in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and who danced to the Pointer Sisters in "Love Actually" is now doing heinous things to young people in a basement.
"It was a challenge," Grant says. "I think human beings need challenges. It makes your beer taste better in the evening if you've climbed a mountain. He was just so wonderfully (expletive)-up."
"Heretic," which opens in theaters Friday, is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, co-writers of "A Quiet Place." In Grant's hands, Mr. Reed is a divinely good baddie — a scholarly creep whose wry monologues pull from a wide range of references, including, fittingly, Radiohead's "Creep."
In an interview, Grant spoke about these and other facets of his character, his journey... Read More