Comedy director Tim Hamilton and photographer-turned director Chris Stanford have joined Hey Baby, a recently launched production studio headed by EP/partner Johnny Parker, a veteran film/commercial producer. Hamilton had previously been repped by ACNE while Stanford was handled by Rabbit. They come aboard a Hey Baby roster which includes international directors Johan Tappert, Tobias Bergman, Marcus Lundin, Darren Statman, Henrik Sundgren and Roman Jirnih.
An accomplished writer and director with experience in commercials, short films, television, music videos and feature films, Hamilton has helmed hundreds of spots internationally for clients including Bud Light, AGF, Lexus, Verizon, Levi’s and Toyota. His short film, Truth in Advertising, was an Internet sensation and screened in competition at the Cannes Film Festival. The popularity of the short spiraled into an HBO-commissioned pilot and a follow up piece, The Reel Truth, that was commissioned by Saatchi & Saatchi London for the Cannes Lions. Hamilton’s additional short films include Shrink and The Catsitter, which he wrote and directed; both debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival. His first feature film Mama’s Boy, for Warner Brothers, starred Jon Heder, Diane Keaton, Jeff Daniels, Anna Ferris and Eli Wallach. Prior to this, he directed a comedy series for Steve Martin’s company Martin Stein and NBC, working with such performers as Wanda Sykes, Fred Willard, Steven Wright, Teri Garr and Mary Lynn Raj,
Stanford made his first professional mark in portraiture and photojournalism with a focus on musicians, artists, athletes and celebrities. His work with top celebrities and Fortune 500 companies has been featured in Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, Time and Sports Illustrated. Stanford made a seamless transition into film in 2009, directing commercials and branded content for brands such as Google, Ford, Adidas and Pepsi. Stanford recently earned a Bronze Clio for his TaylorMade Golf spot “The Wait” from agency Zambezi.
Launched earlier this year, Hey Baby has produced spots for clients including Google, Marriott, Hyundai, Kohl’s, Sonos and JetBlue. For the latter, the company turned out a heartwarming Mother’s Day ad, “FlyBabies,” that generated 1.5 million views online.
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