Comedy and performance director Peter Carstairs has joined Partizan for representation in the U.S. and internationally. Based in Melbourne, Carstairs has to his credit campaigns for such clients as Ford, Fiat, H&R Block and Holden. He just won a Bronze Clio in the Commercials category for his Doritos “Ultrasound” spot, which immediately became a worldwide sensation when it aired during Super Bowl 50. Carstairs created the ad for the annual Doritos Crash The Super Bowl competition, making him the only person outside of America to reach the final three slots out of nearly 4,500 entries from 28 countries. “Ultrasound” became a viral success, reaching a view-count of over 100-million, and ranking as the most popular, most engaging and most shared commercial of the Big Game.
Additionally, Carstairs has lent his narrative abilities to helm long-form work including the Emmy-winning Australian TV series Nowhere Boys, and his critically acclaimed debut feature film September (starring Mia Wasikowska and Xavier Samuel). September was named an Official Selection at both the Berlin and Toronto Film Festivals and was released theatrically by eOne Films.
Carstairs’ penchant for comedy and visual storytelling strongly complements the humor-centric filmmakers already represented on the Partizan roster. These comedy creators include director Eric Lynne, Djawid Hakimyar, and Tom Noakes. The latter’s Hornbach commercial “Du Lebst” earned three 2016 Clio Awards, including Gold in Commercials.
Lisa Tauscher, managing director of Partizan, said of Carstairs, “Peter brings a unique and versatile talent to Partizan as both a visual and humorous storyteller. We are excited to further his career internationally for commercials, content, and music videos.”
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