Industry vet will continue as EP of his boutique studio Big Spoon Industries
Filmworkers has reached an agreement with veteran colorist Craig Leffel to represent him for color correction projects in the Midwest. Leffel will continue to serve as executive producer of Big Spoon Industries, the creative production studio he formed last fall, while handling color correction assignments through Filmworkers.
Leffel has been a colorist in Chicago for more than 20 years. He has worked with all of the city’s top advertising agencies for accounts including Coors Lite, American Family Insurance, Kraft, Coca-Cola, the Illinois Board of Tourism, and the Chicago Blackhawks.
“Craig is a longtime friend and a pillar of the Chicago advertising community,” said Filmworkers president Reid Brody.
Leffel’s background includes a 15-year run as senior colorist at Optimus and three years as director of production of its production arm, ONE at Optimus. He also was a partner in the company. He left Optimus last fall to launch Big Spoon Industries, a collective of directors, artists and designers focused on producing work directly for brands, digital agencies, marketing firms and others.
Leffel said that his agreement with Filmworkers allows him to continue to pursue his passion for production and storytelling, while meeting demand for his skill as a colorist. “It’s a great opportunity,” he observed. “I’ve had a long relationship with Reid, and we share a similar respect for color correction. I like the people at Filmworkers and the support they give to their artists. They are a perfect ally.”
“Color correction, for me, is a very iterative process,” he said. “It’s about interpreting the thinking of the creative team and interpreting what was captured on the set, and turning it into something people want to see on screen. In the best scenario, it goes beyond what anyone hoped or imagined.”
Leffel complements a talent staff at Filmworkers that includes senior colorists Michael Mazur and Fred Keller, and colorists Matt Harger and Jeff Altman.
“Heretic” and “Maria” Set As Red Carpet Premieres At AFI Fest
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Heretic, the psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, and Maria, based on the life of opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, will round out the Red Carpet Premieres section at this year’s AFI Fest. The Heretic Gala Screening will take place on Thursday, October 24, and the Maria Gala Screening will be held on Saturday, October 26. The complete Red Carpet Premieres section includes the world premieres of Music By John Williams, Robert Zemeckis’ Here, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2. All Red Carpet Premieres will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. The full lineup for AFI Fest 2024 will be unveiled on October 1.
“At the heart of AFI Fest is an unwavering dedication to celebrating the best in global cinema--together,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. “We look forward to uniting artists and audiences once again to be inspired by the art form in a powerful sense of community.”
Heretic follows two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (portrayed by Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and produced by Stacey Sher, Beck, Woods, Julia Glausi and Jeanette Volturno. The film will be released nationwide by A24 on November 8.
Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria presents a tumultuous and beautiful depiction of one of the world’s most renowned artists and reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days in Paris, as Callas (Jolie)... Read More