Ntropic’s Lee, Ashley compile international database of women colorists for Free The Bid website
Free The Bid, the groundbreaking diversity initiative, is expanding its footprint to include a colorist category among its representation of women directors, DPs, and editors. The move, done with the support of creative studio Ntropic, expands its mission to promote equal opportunities for women across the full production pipeline. Since its inception, the non-profit Free The Bid has transformed the sourcing of creative talent–beginning with the simple pledge that agencies and brands insist on at least one bid from a woman director on every triple-bid advertising job.
“Free The Bid was born in September of 2016, founded by director Alma Har’el to address the systemic bias that has prevented women directors from finding equal opportunity in advertising,” said Emma Reeves, executive director of Free The Bid. “After less than two years, Free The Bid’s global database has expanded to include listings for women editors, DOP collectives, and now colorists, alongside the profiles of 700-plus women directors all around the world.”
Helena Lee, executive producer at Ntropic, was inspired with the idea of adding a colorist category after seeing the profoundly positive impact of Free The Bid on the advertising community in New York. Lee noted, “Free The Bid has transformed the bidding process with an ever-growing number of agencies and brands asking for female creative talent on every job. Color has always been an integral part of production, so it’s only natural for colorists to be included as a part of the package. We’re glad to be at the forefront of showcasing the incredible female talent in this category.”
In support of the expansion, Lee and Ntropic colorist Ayumi Ashley compiled an international list of women colorists, which recently launched on the Free The Bid website. Ashley, who started her career by successfully co-founding her own finishing facility in San Francisco, shared, “By including colorists alongside directors and editors, Free The Bid is raising visibility for what has traditionally been a very behind-the-scenes role. That feels like an exciting development for all colorists. I’m happy to have helped create this directory for those wanting to bring more women into their creative process, and hopefully inspire a future generation of colorists.“
Reeves added, “With the launch of our database of women colorists, we are thrilled to continue the natural expansion of our mission, advocating for women in all roles across the production pipeline. We want to extend a huge thank you to Helena and Ayumi at Ntropic and all of the other company representatives who have been instrumental in making this project into a reality. At this rate, anyone who’s not checking our site on a daily basis is really missing out–watch this space!”
Review: Writer-Director Coralie Fargeat’s “The Substance”
In its first two hours, "The Substance" is a well-made, entertaining movie. Writer-director Coralie Fargeat treats audiences to a heavy dose of biting social commentary on ageism and sexism in Hollywood, with a spoonful of sugar- and sparkle-doused body horror.
But the film's deliciously unhinged, blood-soaked and inevitably polarizing third act is what makes it unforgettable.
What begins as a dread-inducing but still relatively palatable sci-fi flick spirals deeper into absurdism and violence, eventually erupting — quite literally — into a full-blown monster movie. Let the viewer decide who the monster is.
Fargeat — who won best screenplay at this year's Cannes Film Festival — has been vocal about her reverence for "The Fly" director David Cronenberg, and fans of the godfather of body horror will see his unmistakable influence. But "The Substance" is also wholly unique and benefits from Fargeat's perspective, which, according to the French filmmaker, has involved extensive grappling with her own relationship to her body and society's scrutiny.
"The Substance" tells the story of Elisabeth Sparkle, a famed aerobics instructor with a televised show, played by a powerfully vulnerable Demi Moore. Sparkle is fired on her 50th birthday by a ruthless executive — a perfectly cast Dennis Quaid, who nails sleazy and gross.
Feeling rejected by a town that once loved her and despairing over her bygone star power, Sparkle learns from a handsome young nurse about a black-market drug that promises to create a "younger, more beautiful, more perfect" version of its user. Though she initially tosses the phone number in the trash, she soon fishes it out in a desperate panic and places an order.
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