Digital studio Reel FX, Dallas/Santa Monica, has signed director Elliot Dillman for U.S. commercial representation. His directorial experience spans commercials, branded content, music videos and multi-camera live events. He has worked on national campaigns for agencies including GSD&M, CP+B, Leo Burnett, Y&R and BBDO, directing for Dominos Pizza, Pacifico Beer and Kraft Mac and Cheese, among others. Prior to signing, Dillman collaborated with Reel FX on a number of projects, including a recent spot for Hasbro.
“Elliot is an accomplished director, gifted at integrating live action, graphics, and animation, who excels at bringing out the best in talent,” said Steve Johnson, Reel FX’s executive producer of live production. “Having grown up in the commercial industry, he’s been a storyteller from a young age. I am confident that he will be a major talent at Reel FX as we expand and develop our live action and VR divisions.”
Dillman grew up on sets. As the oldest son of Emmy-winning director Ray Dillman, he was regularly working as a PA from age 12 on, for production companies including GARTNER and MJZ. While studying at Loyola Marymount University’s School of Film and Television, Dillman began his directing career with multi-camera live concert shoots for the ESPN Summer and Winter X Games, staying with the X Games for four consecutive seasons. After graduating, he primarily directed feature film tie-in spots for Sony Pictures, Warner Bros. and Paramount Studios. He also directed a number of music videos at this time for bands such as Pennywise, Strung Out and Death By Stereo, as well as helming national advertising campaigns for such brands as the Walt Disney Company and Royal Purple Motor Oil.
Google Opens Its Defense In Antitrust Case Alleging Monopoly Over Online Ad Technology
Google opened its defense against allegations that it holds an illegal monopoly on online advertising technology Friday with witness testimony saying the industry is vastly more complex and competitive than portrayed by the federal government.
"The industry has been exceptionally fluid over the last 18 years," said Scott Sheffer, a vice president for global partnerships at Google, the company's first witness at its antitrust trial in federal court in Alexandria.
The Justice Department and a coalition of states contend that Google built and maintained an illegal monopoly over the technology that facilitates the buying and selling of online ads seen by consumers.
Google counters that the government's case improperly focuses on a narrow type of online ads — essentially the rectangular ones that appear on the top and on the right-hand side of a webpage. In its opening statement, Google's lawyers said the Supreme Court has warned judges against taking action when dealing with rapidly emerging technology like what Sheffer described because of the risk of error or unintended consequences.
Google says defining the market so narrowly ignores the competition it faces from social media companies, Amazon, streaming TV providers and others who offer advertisers the means to reach online consumers.
Justice Department lawyers called witnesses to testify for two weeks before resting their case Friday afternoon, detailing the ways that automated ad exchanges conduct auctions in a matter of milliseconds to determine which ads are placed in front of which consumers and how much they cost.
The department contends the auctions are finessed in subtle ways that benefit Google to the exclusion of would-be competitors and in ways that prevent... Read More