Director Tim Bullock–whose comedy spot “Woman Whisperer” for Carlton MID beer just garnered a D&AD Award nomination–has come aboard bicoastal/international Hungry Man for representation worldwide except for Australia, New Zealand and Asia where he continues to be handled by Prodigy, a production house with shops in Melbourne and Sydney, Australia, as well as in Auckland, N.Z.
The addition of Bullock is one of the benefits Hungry Man gains from hooking up with Prodigy. Per the arrangement, Prodigy will be representing the Hungry Man directorial roster in Australia, New Zealand and Asia (including Japan and China). Prodigy, which started more than 30 years ago, maintains a line-up of a dozen directors (currently Bullock is the only Prodigy helmer being repped by Hungry Man) and operates a longstanding production services business.
Bullock, who’s the first Aussie director at Hungry Man, has built a reputation in comedy storytelling among Australian and New Zealand agencies ever since he moved into the director’s chair in 2004 following a career on the creative side at Saatchi & Saatchi where he spent eight years. Early on his directorial prowess was recognized, perhaps most notably as part of Saatchi & Saatchi’s New Directors Showcase at Cannes in 2003.
Additionally Bullock has written and directed three internationally acclaimed and award-winning short films, including the dark comedy Buried, which earned first prize at Australia’s Tropfest Film Festival and garnered the attention of Prodigy exec director Jonathan Samway, leading eventually to the director joining the company. Recently Bullock co-created and co-wrote the satirical advertising TV series 30 Seconds, produced by Andrew Denton and slated for air during mid-year.
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