CRIC, the Italian directing duo consisting of Davide Mardegan and Clemente De Muro, has landed its first U.S. commercial representation, signing with L.A.-based Boxer Films. The helming team made a major splash with its debut spot, Poste Italiane’s “Because I Like You,” a :90 which won a Bronze Lion at Cannes in 2011.
“Because I Like You” was also recognized with a Silver at ADCI, a Bronze at Italian Young Lions and nominations for the ADCE Awards and the Young Directors Awards, making the duo the most awarded advertising directors that year in Italy. CRIC’s affecting narrative storytelling combines stunning imagery and a personal sensitivity for character and emotion.
Mardegan and De Muro met when entering university in Milan and quickly discovered a common passion for filmmaking. Opting out of a traditional film education, the duo studied philosophy and literature to inform a unique creative viewpoint, choosing to learn their technical approach through hands-on experience. After landing entry-level jobs: De Muro as a copywriter at Lowe Pirella and Mardegan doing director research at a production company, the duo quickly realized their creativity would be best showcased in their own collective. They amplified their skills, attending a Master in Film Production in Rome, followed by a Master in Directing at the School of Visual Arts in New York.
Since launching CRIC, they have crafted spots for international brands including Fiat, Poste Italiene, Banco Intesa San Paolo and Chronotech, among others.
L.A. Location Lensing Declines In 2024 Despite Uptick In 4th Quarter
FilmLA, partner film office for the City and County of Los Angeles and other local jurisdictions, has issued an update regarding regional filming activity. Overall production in Greater Los Angeles increased 6.2 percent from October through December 2024 to 5,860 Shoot Days (SD) according to FilmLA’s latest report. Most production types tracked by FilmLA achieved gains in the fourth quarter, except for reality TV, which instead logged its ninth consecutive quarter of year-over-year decline.
The lift across all remaining categories came too late to rescue 2024 from the combined effects of runaway production, industry contraction and slower-than-hoped-for post- strike recovery. With just 23,480 SD filmed on-location in L.A. in 2024, overall annual production finished the year 5.6 percent below the prior year. That made 2024 the second least productive year observed by FilmLA; only 2020, disrupted by the global COVID-19 pandemic, saw lower levels of filming in area communities.
The continuing decline of reality TV production in Los Angeles was among the most disappointing developments of 2024. Down 45.7 percent for the fourth quarter (to 774 SD), the category also finished the year down 45.9 percent (to 3,905 SD), which placed
it 43.1 percent below its five-year category average.
The two brightest spots in FilmLA’s latest report appeared in the feature film and television drama categories. Feature film production increased 82.4 percent in the fourth quarter to 589 SD, a gain analysts attribute to independent film activity. The
California Film & Television Tax Credit Program also played a part, driving 19.2 percent of quarterly category activity. Overall, annual Feature production was up 18.8 percent in 2024, though the... Read More