Production studio Florence has added sportscar, a visual art trio based in Los Angeles, to its roster.
Visual artists and long-time friends Ariel Fish, Lucy Sandler and C Prinz founded the sportscar collective. Fish’s roots are in comedy, Sandler’s in photography and Prinz’s in choreography. Their unique lenses meld to create work that spans a spectrum of emotion. The trio has worked with a range of brands and artists including Hennessy, Billie Eilish, Givenchy, Nike, Kanye West, GQ, and Chloe x Halle. Prioritizing the idea and minimizing the noise, sportscar’s filmmaking is visceral. Always aiming to surface the feeling.
For Nike’s “Discover Your Air,” an energized and effervescent camera is the embodiment of air. As one character magically glides across water, another backflips into a running start as this mixed media anthem bends reality; all while sporting some fresh Nike Airmax. The film launching Billie Eilish’s “Happier than Ever” album destination on Spotify finds the artist unguarded, giving fans a rare glimpse into her intimate artistic process. The piece is part daydream, part introspection as Eilish reflects on the interplay between her work, influences, and the symbiotic relationship she experiences with her fans. In Pope’s music video for “Worth a Million,” which premiered on Vogue, the contrast between the smoothness of the track and the complex subject matter of form is amplified by layers of visual juxtaposition. Shadow vs. light. Structured geometric framings vs. sensuous, flowing clothing. Harsh industrial backgrounds vs. the warmth of the artist’s form. The gives an observant nod to the many nuances of gender identity.
Jerad Anderson, founder/EP of Los Angeles-based Florence, said of sportscar, “Their art-influenced visual style and contrast-rich filmmaking speaks to this moment in time, striking a perfect balance between gravitas and simplicity.”
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