Director Jim Hosking has come aboard Biscuit Filmworks, Los Angeles, for U.S. spot representation. He was formerly repped stateside by bicoastal Partizan; however the helmer continues to be handled in the U.K by Partizan’s London office. Hosking estimates that his commmercialmaking work is pretty much equally divided between agencies on both sides of the Atlantic. For example, he has helmed such high-profile American assignments as the Partizan-produced Emerald Nuts work that debuted during the Super Bowl for Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, San Francisco. This Emerald fare is also airing during the ongoing Winter Olympics coverage. Hosking’s latest U.K. endeavors include spots for 118 118 Telephone Directories via WCRS, London, and John Smith’s Beer out of TBWA, London. The director’s credits also include work that in a sense spans the U.S. and the U.K., such as a match.com ad that ran in Britain but was conceived by a creative ensemble at Hanft Raboy and Partners, New York. The common bond among the Emerald, 118, match.com and John Smith’s assignments is that they all deploy humor, an ad genre in which Hosking has built his directorial reputation. He wants to continue in that vein, noting at the same time that he felt Biscuit is positioned to also diversify him into other areas, including visually driven projects. “I’ve seen what Biscuit has done to build [director] Tim Godsall’s career, who I’ve been up against at times,” said Hosking. “The company, with Shawn [executive producer Tessaro], is smart and creative in terms of opening up opportunities for directors.” Hosking also cited his longstanding admiration for director Noam Murro’s work, and Biscuit’s boutique size and feel as factors drawing him to his new stateside roost. AGENCY PEDIGREE Hosking’s industry roots are planted in agency creative soil. He started out as a copywriter at HHCL and then moved over to Mother, both in London. After establishing himself as an agency artisan, Hosking went to MTV’s on-air promotions department in New York, where he got the chance to not only continue to exercise his creative chops but also direct projects. He decided to focus full-time on directing, returning to London where he joined Partizan at the end of 2000. The following year he was named one of SHOOT‘s up-and-coming directors on the strength of comedy commercials for the likes of BT Cellnet for London agency AMV, and Citroen automobiles via Euro RSCG, Paris.
Actor Steve Guttenberg Returns To L.A. Neighborhood Now Charred By Devastating Wildfire
Steve Guttenberg awoke Thursday morning to a grim reality: The treacherous wildfire that tore through the Pacific Palisades had left his once-lush neighborhood charred and unrecognizable.
With homes smoldered, streets emptied and friends scattered by evacuation orders, Guttenberg counted himself among the fortunate. His property was miraculously spared. But the actor-producer still struggled to reconcile his relief with the haunting sight of his ravaged, once lavish community.
"Just this morning, I woke up and I was really conscious of my mental state and my mental health, because the last three days, I've seen so much tragedy," said Guttenberg, pacing through the ruins of his neighborhood. He said his home has electricity but no running water.
Guttenberg thanked God that his block was safe, but he said about 20 homes were burned "pretty bad" in his 80-home community after wind-whipped fires tore across Los Angeles, destroying homes, clogging roadways as tens of thousands fled as the fires burned uncontained Wednesday. He said the fires are the worst he's ever seen in his 66-years.
The wildfires have burned the homes of several celebrities including Billy Crystal, Carey Elwes and Paris Hilton.
Guttenberg said he never expected all of this to happen.
"It's like when someone dies suddenly," he said. "It's like when someone gets hit by a car. You never expect that to happen. That's how shocking it was."
During Guttenberg's stroll, it was an eerie scene with scorched palm trees, homes reduced to ash and rubble, and the daytime skies casted an ominous twilight over the devastation.
"I've seen people scared, people in wheelchairs, mothers and fathers trying to find their kids, people having anxiety and panic... Read More