Snug, the Santa Monica-based production house recently launched by director Michael Grasso, has signed independent rep Arthur Portnoy to handle the East Coast….Bicoastal Trollback + Company has entered into a relationship with Brent Novick of independent rep firm Novick Inc. for sales on the West Coast….Visual Music, Woodland Hills, Calif., has signed independent rep Jack Lewis of Lewis & Associates to handle the Midwest….Charlie McBrearty and Vanessa McLean of Los Angeles-based independent rep firm Shortlist have taken on the West Coast for director Robert Bryant of bicoastal Order. The rest of Order’s directorial roster continues to be handled out West by indie rep Connie Mellors of Connie Mellors & Company, Toluca Lake, Calif….Red Truck Films, Raleigh, N.C., has signed directors Tracy Helms and Michael Ivey for exclusive representation in the Southeast…..Orlando Management, Sherman Oaks, Calif., has signed DP Ralph Linhardt for exclusive representation. His credits include spots for Clairol, Lexus, Top Flite, X-Box, Panda Express, Fuji Film and Southern California Edison….Production designers Paul Dove and Stephen Sinclair have signed with bicoastal Paradigm for exclusive representation….Wardrobe stylist Kelle Kutsugersa has signed with the Montana Artists Agency, Los Angeles, for spot and feature representation….DP Tim Suhrstedt is now available through Innovative Artists, Santa Monica, for commercials after wrapping principal photography on Little Miss Sunshine with directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (whose spot roost is Bob Industries, Santa Monica)….
Oscar Nominees Gather For Cocktails, Dinner and The Annual Class Picture
Five days before the Academy Awards, nearly every nominee gathered for a cocktail reception, dinner and class picture shoot that served as an Oscars orientation.
The event Tuesday night at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures was a stand-in for the annual Oscars luncheon usually held about a month earlier but scrubbed because of the Southern California wildfires.
With the voting over and winners determined, contenders got chummy and the mood was cheerful. Best actress favorites Mikey Madison and Demi Moore hugged and chatted. So did best actor front-runners Timothรฉe Chalamet and Adrien Brody.
"Everyone say Oscar nominee!" best actress nominee Cynthia Erivo shouted gleefully from the front row of the museum's David Geffen Theater, where the dozens of nominees sat for their group picture.
Clustered in front with Erivo were three best supporting actress nominees: her "Wicked" castmate Ariana Grande, Monica Barbaro of "A Complete Unknown" and Zoe Saldaรฑa of "Emilia Perez" along with Madison, nominated for "Anora." The five women stood in a circle and talked happily together after the photo, and kept the conversation going as they descended the stairs together to dinner.
In the back of the theater, a trio of best actor nominees sat together: Sebastian Stan of "The Apprentice," Colman Domingo of "Sing Sing" and Brody, of "The Brutalist."
After the photo was taken, Academy President Janet Yang gave the orientation presentation, reminding everyone that the 97th Academy Awards will be held Sunday.
She greeted first-time nominees and acknowledged there were also some with more than one.
Denis Villeneuve, director of "Dune: Part 2" and a four-time nominee, raised his hand. Sixteen-time best original song nominee... Read More