BMG has appointed London-based John Clifford to head its worldwide production music business. BMG Production Music (BMGPM) provides one-stop, pre-cleared and custom production music services to the global broadcast, film/trailer, games and advertising industries. Clifford reports to BMG CFO Maximilian Dressendoerfer who continues to oversee the segment.
A native Australian, Clifford joined BMGPM in 2017 as MD UK and SVP global sales, marketing & repertoire. He has 25 years’ experience in production music, including running the former BMG Zomba in Australia and then later at Universal Production Music where he held the roles of MD UK, head of media rights management for Europe, and previously, GM Australia/NZ.
As MD UK and SVP global sales, marketing & repertoire, Clifford has contributed to the growth of BMGPM, with the integration of UK acquisitions Altitude and Deep East Music, the worldwide relaunch of the BMGPM brand, and the development of business with new clients including Ninja Tune and Red Bull. He succeeds Geert-Willem (“GW”) Koolhof, who has decided to stand down following the completion of BMGPM’s initial build phase. Koolhof joined BMG in 2015 as finance and commercial director of Benelux where he led the business integration of Talpa Music with its subsidiary Music Director, and the investment in and integration of 8ball Music. In 2017, he served as interim executive overseeing the BMG Talpa publishing and recordings businesses and, subsequently, assumed responsibility for the production music segment as SVP International.
Clifford’s appointment means London will succeed Berlin the worldwide headquarters of BMG Production Music. Together with catalog recordings, master licensing and sub-publishing, it brings to four the number of BMG’s global hubs now based in the UK capital.
“Heretic” and “Maria” Set As Red Carpet Premieres At AFI Fest
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Heretic, the psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, and Maria, based on the life of opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, will round out the Red Carpet Premieres section at this year’s AFI Fest. The Heretic Gala Screening will take place on Thursday, October 24, and the Maria Gala Screening will be held on Saturday, October 26. The complete Red Carpet Premieres section includes the world premieres of Music By John Williams, Robert Zemeckis’ Here, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2. All Red Carpet Premieres will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. The full lineup for AFI Fest 2024 will be unveiled on October 1.
“At the heart of AFI Fest is an unwavering dedication to celebrating the best in global cinema--together,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. “We look forward to uniting artists and audiences once again to be inspired by the art form in a powerful sense of community.”
Heretic follows two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (portrayed by Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and produced by Stacey Sher, Beck, Woods, Julia Glausi and Jeanette Volturno. The film will be released nationwide by A24 on November 8.
Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria presents a tumultuous and beautiful depiction of one of the world’s most renowned artists and reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days in Paris, as Callas (Jolie)... Read More