Bicoastal The Famous Group has signed director Pete Chatmon. He’s already wrapped his first job at his new roost–a campaign for Spectrum starring Sister, Sister actress/model Tamera Mowry out of agency Castells.
Chatmon’s work over the years spans commercials, shorts, TV and features. His recent TV directing endeavors include episodes of ABC sitcom Black-ish, Freeform’s hit Grown-ish, OWN’s Greenleaf drama, and Netflix’s Atypical. Other TV credits include The Last O.G., Grey’s Anatomy, Insecure and American KOKO. Chatmon continues to develop episodic shows while booking directorial gigs for upcoming broadcast, cable and streaming seasons.
No stranger to advertising and branding, Chatmon through his digital studio TheDirector spent the last decade directing, shooting and editing content for agencies and Fortune 500 companies. Busy with multiple TV and film projects, he felt it time to join a production company with a national presence. “The Famous Group is a high profile production company which spends every day finding opportunities I would miss being on the set,” he said. “They understand that I’m a teller of stories, mostly fiction, but always real.”
Chatmon’s film career broke right from the gate, with Sundance selecting his NYU thesis film, 3D starring Kerry Washington. Another one of his shorts, Blackcard, premiered on HBO. His debut feature film Premium, starring Dorian Missick, Zoe Saldana and Hill Harper, premiered on Showtime after a theatrical run. Chatmon additionally wrote, produced and directed 761st, a documentary about the first all-black tank battalion in World War II. Chatmon also received the Tribeca Film Institute’s “All Access” Award for his screenplay $FREE.99.
“Pete has a gift for directing cinematic lifestyle, strong performances and star talent,” said David Kwan, managing director of The Famous Group. “Spectrum was the perfect campaign for Pete because of his ability to direct strong dialogue from film and TV celebrities, creating a sleek look and feel influenced by his premium filmmaking experience.”
Rom-Com Mainstay Hugh Grant Shifts To The Dark Side and He’s Never Been Happier
After some difficulties connecting to a Zoom, Hugh Grant eventually opts to just phone instead.
"Sorry about that," he apologizes. "Tech hell." Grant is no lover of technology. Smart phones, for example, he calls the "devil's tinderbox."
"I think they're killing us. I hate them," he says. "I go on long holidays from them, three or four days at at time. Marvelous."
Hell, and our proximity to it, is a not unrelated topic to Grant's new film, "Heretic." In it, two young Mormon missionaries (Chloe East, Sophie Thatcher) come knocking on a door they'll soon regret visiting. They're welcomed in by Mr. Reed (Grant), an initially charming man who tests their faith in theological debate, and then, in much worse things.
After decades in romantic comedies, Grant has spent the last few years playing narcissists, weirdos and murders, often to the greatest acclaim of his career. But in "Heretic," a horror thriller from A24, Grant's turn to the dark side reaches a new extreme. The actor who once charmingly stammered in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and who danced to the Pointer Sisters in "Love Actually" is now doing heinous things to young people in a basement.
"It was a challenge," Grant says. "I think human beings need challenges. It makes your beer taste better in the evening if you've climbed a mountain. He was just so wonderfully (expletive)-up."
"Heretic," which opens in theaters Friday, is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, co-writers of "A Quiet Place." In Grant's hands, Mr. Reed is a divinely good baddie — a scholarly creep whose wry monologues pull from a wide range of references, including, fittingly, Radiohead's "Creep."
In an interview, Grant spoke about these and other facets of his character, his journey... Read More