Director Jaume, formerly of bicoastal/international Partizan, has come aboard bicoastal/international Believe Media for representation in the U.S. and Europe…..Passion Pictures, London, has taken on representation for the animation collective SSSR, which consists of Kristian Hammerstad, Marc Raisbig and Yu Sato. The latter is from Japan, while Hammerstad and Raisbig are from Norway; the threesome met at Central St. Martin’s College of Art where they graduated with degrees in graphic design last year. SSSR’s credits include a trilogy of music videos for the band Subtle, and a 30-second test commercial, “Evolution,” which won the Kodak Student Film Award. The spot addresses the dangers of smoking….The directing team of Coodie and Chike has signed with A Band Apart, Los Angeles, for exclusive representation in commercials and music videos. The duo’s credits include the Kanye West video “Through The Wire,” which recently copped video-of-the-year honors at The Source Hip Hop Awards. Among other Coodie and Chike-helmed clips are West’s “Two Words,” which featured Mos Def and Freeway, “Culo” with rappers Pit Bull and Lil’ Jon, and a directorial collaboration with Mos Def on the gritty street video “Ghetto Rock.” Coodie and Chike recently directed a spec TV spot for Burrell Advertising, Chicago, which helped the agency land work for McDonald’s….Director Sarah Pirozek, who continues to work via Dame Works, New York, has extended her geographic reach by linking with Sugar Film Production, Dallas….Director/graphic artist Anders Hallgren has joined Freestyle Collective, New York, as a senior designer. He most recently worked as a freelance designer and director at several New York studios….Director Allen Coulter (HBO’s The Sopranos and the upcoming Rome) is prepping his first feature, Truth, Justice and the American Way. The Focus Features film examines the mysterious death of actor George Reeves, who portrayed Superman in the original live-action TV series. Adrien Brody, Ben Afflect and Diane Lane will star. Coulter directs commercials via bicoastal/international Hungry Man….After wrapping work on the new MTV Networks series Wonder Showzen, director Jim Tozzi is again available for commercials via KanDoKid, a New York house founded last year by executive producer Tony Harding and director Jeff Kennedy….
Mindy Kaling and Kate Hudson Take On Pro Basketball In Netflix Series “Running Point”
In Mindy Kaling's new Netflix series, "Running Point, " Kate Hudson stars as Isla Gordon, the new president of the Los Angeles Waves, a pro basketball team that's been run by her family for years. Hudson's character has to prove herself as a woman in a man's world not only to her passed-over brothers, but also to players whose egos need checking and other executives who don't take her seriously.
If Isla's story rings a bell, take a look at the list of executive producers on the 10-episode season dropping Thursday: Among them is Jeanie Buss, the president of the Los Angeles Lakers, who was embroiled in similar turmoil over control of the storied NBA franchise after the death of her father, Jerry Buss.
Buss not only has given the show her blessing, it was her idea said Kaling. Buss was a big fan of "The Office" and approached Kaling with the premise about five years ago. Kaling ended up as the co-creator, writer and executive producer alongside Ike Barinholtz and David Stassen.
"She's in a very serious, stressful job but she loves comedy. She does not take herself seriously," Kaling says of Buss. "That's really rare when someone has that much power and that much to lose."
Jeanie Buss' blessing
In fact, Kaling said, Buss wanted the show to be funny and had "no ego" about using her real life as inspiration.
"She's had some extremely interesting things happen to her as the president of the Lakers. Some of it is she literally dated the coach for many years and she's like, 'Do whatever you want,'" Kaling says, referring to Buss' former relationship with Phil Jackson. "To get that kind of carte blanche, I'd never heard that from someone who is so famous and, you know, pretty private."
Shortly after the news... Read More