As part of an ongoing effort to support and elevate the Black storytelling community, the Denton Black Film Festival and its DBFF Institute (DBFFI) announced the expansion of its partnership with Panavision.
During the 2021 Denton Black Film Festival, Jan. 27–Feb. 1, Panavision will donate two camera rental grant packages to the winning filmmakers in the Best Narrative Feature and Best Documentary Feature categories.
To further the mission of the DBFFI, Panavision will collaborate with the Institute to curate a series of workshops that aim to educate, train, and inspire the next generation of Black storytellers. The four-part educational series for 2021 will kick off during the festival, with subsequent workshops following quarterly and covering a range of technical and creative topics that confront filmmakers from pre-production through post.
Additionally, to continue amplifying the voices of Black artists, DBFFI and Panavision have created Voice x Vision, a social video series that provides a platform to filmmakers who are telling powerful stories related to the Black experience.
“Panavision has been a tremendous partner over the years,” said Harry Eaddy, who along with his wife, Linda, help lead a team of volunteers to produce the annual film festival. “By expanding this effort, we’re able to support creatives with their projects and expose their great work to a broader audience.”
Kim Snyder, president and CEO of Panavision, added, “The Denton Black Film Festival is a wonderful vehicle for creatives to showcase their work. Panavision shares the Festival’s and the Institute’s goal of empowering individuals from the Black community who aspire to or already work in the film, television, and commercial arenas. We’re excited to build upon our partnership to support, encourage, and promote the work of Black storytellers.”
Nikki Maizel Named President Of Publicis New York
Nikki Maizel has been hired as president of Publicis New York. She reports to Carla Serrano, global chief strategy officer of Publicis Groupe and CEO of Publicis New York.
Maizel brings more than two decades of leadership experience to her new role. Most recently, she served as the head of business leadership and managing partner at McCann New York, where she transformed the agency’s business and growth strategies while shaping its culture and employee training infrastructure, receiving numerous accolades during her tenure.
“Our industry is at a pivotal moment, with clients seeking partners who can challenge them to innovate, impact their bottom line, and move faster than ever,” said Serrano. “Our ‘Power of One’ approach, embodied within Publicis New York, allows us to offer integrated solutions that meet these demands. We’re thrilled to welcome Nikki, who has a proven track record of growing businesses globally, building best-in-class teams, and elevating collective offerings to clients.”
Maizel said, “Publicis Groupe has earned a reputation for pushing the boundaries of what’s achievable. I’m excited to collaborate with our partners and teams to set our clients apart. Publicis New York is the engine behind ‘Power of One,’ the unique model of the future that combines cross-agency capabilities, so I can’t imagine a more exciting time to join and help shape what’s next for our clients and teams.”
Maizel becomes the latest Publicis New York appointment under Serrano’s leadership. Last year, Publicis New York named Patrick White as its chief strategy officer, and welcomed Joe Mongognia as its chief creative officer.
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