Los Angeles-based production company Keeper has expanded its sales representation in the U.S. Leading the West Coast is Alyson Griffith of AG Reps (formerly known as The Gossip Company). Gay Guthrey and Rowley Samuel of Samuel Guthrey will take on the Midwest territory. And Jolie Miller of Simpatico will head sales on the East Coast. Griffith began her career on the agency side at The Richards Group, and was the head of sales at Texas Story. Additional clients on her current AG Reps roster include Imaginary Forces, Slash-Dynamic and Breed Music. Beyond Keeper, Samuel Guthrey’s roster includes PRETTYBIRD, MJZ, The Mill, Greenpoint Pictures, Girl Culture Films, Pulse Films, and Golden LA. Simpatico’s roster also includes brother, Bunker, Society, Dress Code, harvest, JOJX, Cut + Run, and The Reserve…..
Utah Scientific, which specializes in routing switchers, master control switchers and related control software, has promoted Randy Rose from customer service manager to director of sales engineering. Succeeding Rose as customer service manager is John Bell who’s been upped from customer support manager. Rose began his career at Utah Scientific in 1988. Bell has been with the company for 14 years….
Elation Professional, which designs and manufactures a range of lighting and video products, has named ULA Group has exclusive distributor of its products in Australia and New Zealand. Established in 1991, ULA Group provides leading entertainment, architectural and LED digital lighting solutions to an extensive portfolio of clients across the region. Elation Professional is based in California with a European office in The Netherlands. Cuono (Con) Biviano is managing director of ULA Group. Eric Loader is Elation’s director of sales and marketing….
BOXX Technologies, known for high-performance computer workstations, rendering systems, and servers, has appointed Antonio Julio as VP of sales. As BOXX continues to expand into new markets, including data science, Julio is responsible for all direct and indirect global sales functions and entrusted to grow strategic customer accounts and partner relationships which align with core BOXX business goals. Prior to his new position at BOXX, Julio served in such roles as sales manager at Prologica Computers and as executive director of enterprise solutions and center of competence for Dell Inc….
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