This month marks the fourth annual stateside Fireflies cycling ride, benefiting City of Hope hospital’s leukemia and lymphoma treatment and research for a cure. Over the past several years, the advertising professionals-led cycling enthusiasts have raised over $200,000 for charity. On Friday, Sept. 23, Fireflies commence their six-day, 550-mile ride from Goodby, Silverstein & Partners’ San Francisco office travelling down the California coast to The Mill’s Los Angeles office.
The Association of Independent Commercial Producers will mark the event at the AICP Show & Next Awards in San Francisco on Sept. 20 at The Autodesk Gallery. Riders will be on hand to provide information, answer any questions about Fireflies and to accept donations on behalf of City of Hope. Additionally, the evening will feature a signature Fireflies cocktail from Double Cross Vodka.
“The Fireflies Ride is emblematic of the great good so many in our industry dedicate themselves to,” said Matt Miller, president/CEO of AICP. “It’s really gratifying to see so many riders from different sectors of the advertising community come together for such an amazing cause, and to see so many of our member companies supporting their efforts. We’re thrilled that the AICP Show & Next Awards can provide a platform for awareness of the ride and the City of Hope.”
The Fireflies Friday morning send-off from Goodby Silverstein & Partners will include loyal supporters from the San Francisco advertising community. “Breakfast in our parking lot was never as fun as last year’s Fireflies send-off, and we are delighted to provide the launch pad (and bagels) again this year,” said Rich Silverstein, Goodby Silverstein co-founder and avid cyclist. “The Fireflies are an inspiring mix of ad industry competitors who ride together for a wonderful cause, and we are honored to do our part.”
“I am blown away by the support the advertising and production community has shown towards the ride,” added Bryan Farhy, executive producer, Believe Media. “All those who have supported us should be very very proud. If you know of someone who has had, or is battling leukemia or lymphoma, you know what this all means.”
In addition to the aforementioned (Goodby, The Mill, AICP, Believe Media), Fireflies has a long list of generous supporters including 180, Alive & Well, Deutsch L.A., Prettybird, RSA Films, Union and Zoic Studios, as well as cycling gear and accessories company Rapha.
The Fireflies stateside ride is a companion event to the original Fireflies ride of Europe. It began in 2001 with a ride from Geneva to Cannes over the French Alps. Generously supported by RSA Films and VFX company The Mill, the Fireflies Europe ride has raised nearly $2 million to benefit the Leuka Charity which raises funds for Hammersmith Hospital.
To donate, please visit: www.fireflieswest.com
Writers of “Conclave,” “Say Nothing” Win Scripter Awards
The authors and screenwriters behind the film โConclaveโ and the series โSay Nothingโ won the 37th-annual USC Libraries Scripter Awards during a black-tie ceremony at USCโs Town and Gown ballroom on Saturday evening (2/22).
The Scripter Awards recognize the yearโs most accomplished adaptations of the written word for the screen, including both feature-length films and episodic series.
Novelist Robert Harris and screenwriter Peter Straughan took home the award for โConclave.โ
In accepting the award, Straughan said, โAdaptation is a really strange process, youโre very much the servant of two masters. In a way itโs an act of betrayal of one master for the other.โ He joked that โYou start off with a book that you love, you read it again and again, and then you end up throwing it over your shoulder,โ crediting author Robert Harris for being โso kind, so generous, so open throughout.โ
In the episodic series category, Joshua Zetumer and Patrick Radden Keefe won for the episode โThe People in the Dirtโ from the limited series โSay Nothing,โ which Zetumer adapted from Keefeโs nonfiction book about the Troubles in Ireland.
Zetumer referenced this yearโs extraordinary group of Scripter finalists, saying โprojects like these reminded me of why I wanted to become a writer when I was sitting in USCโs Leavey Library dreaming of becoming a screenwriter. If you fell in love with movies, or fell in love with TV, chances are you fell in love with something dangerous.โ
Special guest for the evening, actress and producer Jennifer Beals, shared her thoughts on the impact of libraries. โIf ever you are at a loss wondering if there is good in the world,โ she said, โyou have only to go to a... Read More