Director Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, which also earned him an Oscar nomination for best original screenplay; The Devil’s Backbone; Hellboy) has teamed with his long-time cinematographer Guillermo Navarro (a best cinematography Oscar winner for Pan’s Labyrinth) and two mainstays at Motion Theory–director Mathew Cullen and executive producer Javier Jimenez–to form Mirada, a creative workshop spanning multiple disciplines. The new venture is a sister shop to Motion Theory, with each able to tap into the other’s resources.
Mirada’s resources include design, animation, post, visual effects, an art department, a soundstage to facilitate traditional and virtual productions, and a full camera shop–all housed in a 25,000-square-foot studio in Marina del Rey, Calif. All four partners will be working out of Mirada, developing and overseeing original works, driving Mirada’s nimble approach to digital production, and guiding the larger creative agenda of the company. The partners see Mirada as a collaborative space where they and other filmmakers can work with artists to create and produce projects that span digital production and content for film, television, advertising, interactive and other media.
Motion Theory is now the commercial production company arm, and the directing core of the entire operation, nurturing strong visual filmmakers across multiple disciplines–and when needed, they can turn to Mirada’s artists and designers to help develop and realize their projects. Mirada is also going to be an incubator to develop up-and-coming storytelling talent, which has long been del Toro’s passion.
“We are creating a storytelling engine in the form of a company–an imaginarium, where we are free to explore the practical possibilities of transmedia without compartmentalizing our artistic process,” said del Toro. “Mirada will be an adaptive entity, constantly in transformation. We see a different model that looks beyond what the market is doing right now to where it will be in 10 years.”
Cullen related, “We’re taking a multidisciplinary approach, bringing design and cinematography to the forefront. Del Toro and Navarro have such a unique creative perspective–you see it in films like Pan’s Labyrinth, The Devil’s Backbone and Hellboy. They embrace those great timeless narrative traditions, and Mirada will be building on that history.”
Del Toro is an accomplished director, producer, screenwriter, novelist and designer. Cullen and Jimenez have directed and produced through Motion Theory more than 300 projects together, earning multiple Grammy, Emmy and MTV awards. Navarro has shot more than 30 films.
Mirada’s management team includes: industry veterans Grady Hall (who remains a director on the Motion Theory roster) as executive creative director; John Fragomeni who serves as head of visual effects; Patrick Nugent, general manager; and Mark Allen Kurtz, executive producer.
Motion Theory continues under the aegis of co-founders Cullen and Jimenez. The Motion Theory directorial lineup includes Cullen, Hall, Jesus de Francisco, Mark Kudsi, Christopher Leone, Chris Riehl, and the recently signed collective Syyn Labs.
Nominees Unveiled For Cinema Audio Society’s 61st Annual Awards
The Cinema Audio Society has unveiled its nominees in seven categories for the 61st Annual CAS Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing 2024.
The 61st CAS Awards will be held on Saturday, February 22, at the Beverly Hilton.
Nominated in the live action motion picture category were the audio teams behind A Complete Unknown, Deadpool & Wolverine, Dune: Part Two, Gladiator II and Wicked.
Animated motion picture nominees were the sound ensembles behind Inside Out 2, Moana 2, Mufasa: The Lion King, The Wild Robot and Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.
As previously announced, multi-award-winning sound mixer Tod A. Maitland CAS (A Complete Unknown, West Side Story, Joker), will be honored with the CAS Career Achievement Award. In addition, visionary filmmaker Denis Villeneuve (Dune: Part Two, Blade Runner 2049, Arrival) will receive the Cinema Audio Society’s Filmmaker Award.
The CAS Award nominees highlight the outstanding contributions of sound mixers, recognizing excellence in the specialized craft of sound mixing for both film and television. Each year, accomplished CAS members—who possess extensive expertise in the art and science of sound—carefully review hundreds of projects to ensure the nominees truly reflect excellence in sound mixing in Motion Picture and Television entertainment.
“2024 was a year of remarkable achievements in the sound community, with exceptional talent on display across every category,” said CAS president Peter Kurland. “The innovation and artistry of these sound mixers continue to elevate the craft, and the upcoming awards will be a celebration of the outstanding contributions made this year. Congratulations to... Read More