The Directors Network (TDN), a talent agency for freelance directors and DPs, has signed director/DP Lionel Coleman and DP Daron Keet. Coleman first gained advertising recognition during his tenure as an in-house director at Nike. He specializes in docu storytelling, sports and interviewing. Keet is an award winning cinematographer who moves seamlessly between commercials and features. Additionally, director/DP Kevin Emmons, who specializes in fashion, lifestyle, dialogue and kids, has also returned to TDN….DPs Frankie DeMarco (All is Lost), Mischa Lluch (with assorted commercial credits) and Mark Bliss (also with a spotmaking filmography) have signed with Dattner Dispoto and Associates as have costume designers Meghan Kasperlik (Little Accidents, 99 Homes, assistant costume designer on American Hustle) and Patrick Milani (the feature Forever and commercials) Dattner Dispoto has also booked DP Frank Perl for 2nd unit work on episodes of the Fox Network series Sleepy Hollow….Production designer Scott Murphy has recently completed principal photography on the dystopian future drama pilot The Lottery, written by Timothy Sexton (Children of Men) and directed by Danny Cannon. Murphy is now available for commercials, television and feature films through The Skouras Agency, Santa Monica….Digital media technology company Snell has appointed Burt Young as sales manager for the U.S. Northeast region. Prior to joining Snell, Young was an account executive with Harris Broadcast for New York City and the Northeast. During his six-year tenure at Harris, he also served as South Central regional manager. Before joining Harris, Young was the North American director of sales for Ross Video and also served as product marketing manager for the Broadcast Camera Division of Philips Broadcast….
Utah Leaders and Locals Rally To Keep Sundance Film Festival In The State
With the 2025 Sundance Film Festival underway, Utah leaders, locals and longtime attendees are making a final push — one that could include paying millions of dollars — to keep the world-renowned film festival as its directors consider uprooting.
Thousands of festivalgoers affixed bright yellow stickers to their winter coats that read "Keep Sundance in Utah" in a last-ditch effort to convince festival leadership and state officials to keep it in Park City, its home of 41 years.
Gov. Spencer Cox said previously that Utah would not throw as much money at the festival as other states hoping to lure it away. Now his office is urging the Legislature to carve out $3 million for Sundance in the state budget, weeks before the independent film festival is expected to pick a home for the next decade.
It could retain a small presence in picturesque Park City and center itself in nearby Salt Lake City, or move to another finalist — Cincinnati, Ohio, or Boulder, Colorado — beginning in 2027.
"Sundance is Utah, and Utah is Sundance. You can't really separate those two," Cox said. "This is your home, and we desperately hope it will be your home forever."
Last year's festival generated about $132 million for the state of Utah, according to Sundance's 2024 economic impact report.
Festival Director Eugene Hernandez told reporters last week that they had not made a final decision. An announcement is expected this year by early spring.
Colorado is trying to further sweeten its offer. The state is considering legislation giving up to $34 million in tax incentives to film festivals like Sundance through 2036 — on top of the $1.5 million in funds already approved to lure the Utah festival to its neighboring... Read More