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.
Apple and Google Face UK Investigation Into Mobile Browser Dominance
Apple and Google aren't giving consumers a genuine choice of mobile web browsers, a British watchdog said Friday in a report that recommends they face an investigation under new U.K. digital rules taking effect next year.
The Competition and Markets Authority took aim at Apple, saying the iPhone maker's tactics hold back innovation by stopping rivals from giving users new features like faster webpage loading. Apple does this by restricting progressive web apps, which don't need to be downloaded from an app store and aren't subject to app store commissions, the report said.
"This technology is not able to fully take off on iOS devices," the watchdog said in a provisional report on its investigation into mobile browsers that it opened after an initial study concluded that Apple and Google effectively have a chokehold on "mobile ecosystems."
The CMA's report also found that Apple and Google manipulate the choices given to mobile phone users to make their own browsers "the clearest or easiest option."
And it said that the a revenue-sharing deal between the two U.S. Big Tech companies "significantly reduces their financial incentives" to compete in mobile browsers on Apple's iOS operating system for iPhones.
Both companies said they will "engage constructively" with the CMA.
Apple said it disagreed with the findings and said it was concerned that the recommendations would undermine user privacy and security.
Google said the openness of its Android mobile operating system "has helped to expand choice, reduce prices and democratize access to smartphones and apps" and that it's "committed to open platforms that empower consumers."
It's the latest move by regulators on both sides of the Atlantic to crack down on the... Read More