Jason Musante has joined Havas Worldwide’s New York office as an executive creative director. He comes over from Anomaly where he was the creative director leading the Google Glass global launch. Prior to that, he was Co:Collective’s first senior creative hire, leading the re-launch of USA Today and Google+ as well as being a major contributor to the Microsoft business.
Musante has also held senior digital and innovation roles at BBDO New York and Saatchi NY. While at BBDO, he created one of GE’s first award-winning social initiatives, “The Ecomagination Photo Project,” and worked on everything from FedEx to HBO. At Saatchi, he was part of the team that made the award-winning, funny viral hit “Beware of the Doghouse” for JCPenney. Musante’s creative success started early in his career, with McKinney & Silver’s groundbreaking “Art of the Heist” work for Audi.
“When it comes to moving seamlessly and brilliantly across content, digital, social and experiential, Jason is one of the very best creatives out there, and he has the awards and business successes to prove it. He’s a courageous leader, smart innovator, and a fighter for great work that works. He’s worked for some of the best people at some of the best agencies on some of the very best brands,” said Darren Moran, chief creative officer, Havas Worldwide NY and North America.
Review: Writer-Directors Scott Beck and Bryan Wood’s “Heretic”
"Heretic" opens with an unusual table setter: Two young missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are discussing condoms and why some are labeled as large even though they're all pretty much a standard size. "What else do we believe because of marketing?" one asks the other.
That line will echo through the movie, a stimulating discussion of religion that emerges from a horror movie wrapper. Despite a second-half slide and feeling unbalanced, this is the rare movie that combines lots of squirting blood and elevated discussion of the ancient Egyptian god Horus.
Our two church members — played fiercely by Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East — are wandering around trying to covert souls when they knock on the door of a sweet-looking cottage. Its owner, Mr. Reed, offers a hearty "Good afternoon!" He welcomes them in, brings them drinks and promises a blueberry pie. He's also interested in learning more about the church. So far, so good.
Mr. Reed is, of course, if you've seen the poster, the baddie and he's played by Hugh Grant, who doesn't go the snarling, dead-eyed Hannibal Lecter route in "Heretic." Grant is the slightly bumbling, bashful and self-mocking character we fell in love with in "Four Weddings and a Funeral," but with a smear of menace. He gradually reveals that he actually knows quite a bit about the Mormon religion — and all religions.
"It's good to be religious," he says jauntily and promises his wife will join them soon, a requirement for the church. Homey touches in his home include a framed "Bless This Mess" needlepoint on a wall, but there are also oddities, like his lights are on a timer and there's metal in the walls and ceilings.
Writer-directors Scott Beck and Bryan Wood — who also... Read More