Bob Friedman, whose roles over the years include serving as president of such concerns as New Line Television and AOL interactive marketing, has added another presidency to his resumé–assuming the top slot at Radical Thinking, a division launched by bicoastal/international @radical.media for the conception, creation and distribution of entertainment fare, including TV, film, digital media and branded content across multiple platforms.
Jon Kamen, chairman/CEO of @radical.media, cited the depth and breadth of Friedman’s experience–such as his involvement in MTV’s start-up, his work at AOL and in the traditional media space–as making him ideally suited to help expand @radical’s content initiatives. “The cross pollination of platforms,” said Kamen, “has created an environment where a great idea that understands what people want can have unusually strong resonance–and nobody understands that like Bob. Expanding the existing core of our business, Radical Thinking will provide new solutions for existing clients while generating new short and long-form content that exploits our creative strategic, and production strength and resources.”
Friedman described this as a pivotal time in the emergence of branded entertainment. He believes his new roost’s creative strength, reputation and advertising relationships position it well in the branded content sector spanning varied platforms. In fact, @radical.media has a track record of branching out beyond commercials, with endeavors that have included The Fog Of War, the Oscar-winning documentary (directed by Errol Morris, who has since joined bicoastal/international Moxie Pictures for commercials), and Metallica: Some Kind Of Monster, which won at the 2005 Independent Spirit Awards. On the TV front, @radical teamed with the History Channel to produce the recently Emmy-nominated documentary series, 10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America. Additionally @radical produced The Iconoclasts, a six-part series portraying groundbreaking talents in a wide range of fields; the show was done in conjunction with the Sundance Channel and Grey Goose Entertainment. The most recent branded content project out of @radical is The Gamekillers, an ongoing scripted reality show about dating and the social scene, produced for MTV, agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty and Unilever’s Axe deodorant.
Friedman said Radical Thinking will provide “true 360-degree solutions for our partners,” a reference to not only content but adding to it an integrated marketing dimension. “Our plan,” related Friedman, “is to innovate in content creation as the company has always done with commercial production.”
The End of The “Rust” Criminal Case Against Alec Baldwin May Unlock A Civil Lawsuit
The conclusion of a criminal case against Alec Baldwin in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer clears the way for a related civil lawsuit by relatives of the deceased woman and efforts to depose the actor under oath, attorneys for plaintiffs in the civil suit said Tuesday.
At a news conference in Los Angeles, victims' rights attorney Gloria Allred said that the parents and younger sister of deceased cinematographer Halyna Hutchins were disappointed that prosecutors won't appeal the dismissal of an involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin. The criminal charge against Baldwin was dismissed halfway through trial in July on allegations that police and prosecutors withheld evidence from the defense.
Hutchins died shortly after being wounded during a rehearsal in the movie "Rust" in October 2021 at a film-set ranch on the outskirts of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Baldwin, the lead actor and coproducer, was pointing a pistol at Hutchins when it discharged, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has said he pulled back the hammer — but not the trigger — and the revolver fired.
Allred said Hutchins' relatives are determined to pursue damages and compensation from Baldwin and "Rust" producers in New Mexico civil court, and want Baldwin to answer questions under oath in the proceedings. Hutchins' widower and son previously reached a separate legal settlement.
"With the withdrawal that was made public yesterday, we are now able to proceed with our civil case," Allred said. "Clearly, the rights of Alec Baldwin were protected, but the due process rights of the victims — Halyna Hutchins and her parents and her sister — were violated."
Allred said she's ready to prove that Hutchins had a close relationship... Read More