Director Matt Ogens–who made his first major ad industry mark back in 2005 when he was included in SHOOT‘s New Directors Showcase as well as Y&R New York’s Young Guns emerging directors showcase–has joined the roster of Tool of North America. He comes over from Rabbit.
Since his initial showcase splash, Ogens has gone on to shape a career spanning multiple disciplines: assorted commercials; the well received feature-length documentary Confessions of a Superhero (centered on the dreams of stardom and backstories of Hollywood Blvd. street performers who portray costumed comic book superheros); Toyota’s third season of The Line of Scrimmage, the documentary shorts series from Saatchi & Saatchi LA that appeared during halftime of NBC’s Sunday Night Football; a web docu short series True Stories for Hitachi and McCann Erickson, San Francisco; and television fare such as ESPN series Timeless, which received two Sports Emmy nominations (he had earlier done ESPN’s The Life), segments from the awards show CNN Heroes, and sequences of a Victoria’s Secret fashion show for CBS.
Among Ogens’ other notable projects was being selected by the Red Cross as one of a handful of filmmakers assigned to document the devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and Rita in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. He shared his experiences on that job with SHOOT‘s readership in an October ’05 column titled “Gulf Coast Diary,” a moving account which resonates to this day as the fifth year anniversary of Katrina and Rita is nearly upon us. More recently. Ogens documented the behind-the-scenes goings on at the Hope For Haiti Now telethon.
Ogens’ filmmaking chops were evident prior to his becoming known in the ad biz in ’05. While a student a Tulane University, he directed and produced Ray of Hope, a documentary principally shot behind the walls of the Louisiana State Penitentiary. Ogens went on to also direct the documentary Harvest which was released in ’01, and a VH-1 pilot, Players, profiling hip-hop artist Ludicris in ’03.
Prior to Rabbit, Ogens’ commercial production house roosts included the former HKM and Headquarters, the latter shop having produced the work which helped him gain entry into the ’05 SHOOT New Directors Showcase: Wildaid’s “Defense” spot for JWT New York, and Ping Golf’s “Ticket” for The Martin Agency, Richmond, Va.
Ogens is also a noted print photographer, underscoring the visual acumen exhibited in his spot, TV and documentary pursuits. His documentarian skillset translates into emotionally charged storytelling and insights into people from varied walks of life, qualities evident in his commercialmaking and branded content endeavors.
Apple and Google Face UK Investigation Into Mobile Browser Dominance
Apple and Google aren't giving consumers a genuine choice of mobile web browsers, a British watchdog said Friday in a report that recommends they face an investigation under new U.K. digital rules taking effect next year.
The Competition and Markets Authority took aim at Apple, saying the iPhone maker's tactics hold back innovation by stopping rivals from giving users new features like faster webpage loading. Apple does this by restricting progressive web apps, which don't need to be downloaded from an app store and aren't subject to app store commissions, the report said.
"This technology is not able to fully take off on iOS devices," the watchdog said in a provisional report on its investigation into mobile browsers that it opened after an initial study concluded that Apple and Google effectively have a chokehold on "mobile ecosystems."
The CMA's report also found that Apple and Google manipulate the choices given to mobile phone users to make their own browsers "the clearest or easiest option."
And it said that the a revenue-sharing deal between the two U.S. Big Tech companies "significantly reduces their financial incentives" to compete in mobile browsers on Apple's iOS operating system for iPhones.
Both companies said they will "engage constructively" with the CMA.
Apple said it disagreed with the findings and said it was concerned that the recommendations would undermine user privacy and security.
Google said the openness of its Android mobile operating system "has helped to expand choice, reduce prices and democratize access to smartphones and apps" and that it's "committed to open platforms that empower consumers."
It's the latest move by regulators on both sides of the Atlantic to crack down on the... Read More