On the theatrical feature front, Dattner Dispoto and Associates (DDA) has booked cinematographer Spenser Nottage on Joyful, editor Andrew Dickler on The Dougherty Gang, and costume designer Derica Cole Washington on Zola….DDA has additionally secured a lensing gig on the television series Zeus for cinematographer Mike Berlucchi….
Meanwhile cinematographer Arlene Nelson, also handled by DDA, will see the Amazon series she shot for Adam McKay, This Giant Beast That Is The Global Economy, debut on Feb. 22. And DDA DP Giles Nuttgens, BSC, collaborated with director Michael Winterbottom on The Wedding Guest, slated to hit theaters on March 1…..
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) has appointed Kimberley Gardiner to the newly created role of VP and chief marketing officer. Gardiner will have full responsibility for all marketing communications activities for MMNA in the U.S., including print and digital advertising, creative development and deployment, strategic short- and long-range planning, and integration of global marketing messages for the brand’s critical American market. She will report to Mark Chaffin, chief operating officer for MMNA, and be located in the company’s U. S. headquarters office in Cypress, Calif. Gardiner brings to Mitsubishi nearly 20 years of automotive industry marketing communications experience at Toyota, Scion and Lexus, and most recently with Kia. She has a proven record of delivering focused global digital strategy for the automotive industry, in order to align brands with the evolving purchasing habits of a tech-savvy customer. Since the launch of the Eclipse Cross and Outlander PHEV crossover SUV models, Mitsubishi dealers have seen younger and more affluent customers in their showrooms, and Gardiner’s experience with these customers will be critical in crafting the brand’s marketing messages for the future….
First-Time Feature Directors Make Major Splash At AFI Fest, Generate Oscar Buzz
Two first-time feature directors who are generating Oscar buzz this awards season were front and center this past weekend at AFI Fest in Hollywood. Rachel Morrison, who made history as the first woman nominated for a Best Cinematography Oscar---on the strength of Mudbound in 2018--brought her feature directorial debut, The Fire Inside (Amazon MGM Studios), to the festival on Sunday (10/27), and shared insights into the film during a conversation session immediately following the screening. This came a day after William Goldenberg, an Oscar-winning editor for Argo in 2013, had his initial foray into feature directing, Unstoppable (Amazon MGM Studios), showcased at the AFI proceedings. He too spoke after the screening during a panel discussion. The Fire Inside--which made its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival--tells the story of Claressa “T-Rex” Shields (portrayed by Ryan Destiny), a Black boxer from Flint, Mich., who trained to become the first woman in U.S. history to win an Olympic Gold Medal in the sport. She achieved this feat--with the help of coach Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry)--only to find that her victory at the Summer Games came with relatively little fanfare and no endorsement deals. So much for the hope that the historic accomplishment would be a ticket out of socioeconomic purgatory for Shields and her family. It seemed like yet another setback in a cycle of adversity throughout Shields’ life but she persevered, going on to win her second Gold Medal at the next Olympics and becoming a champion for gender equality and equitable pay for women in sports. Shields has served as a source of inspiration for woman athletes worldwide--as well as to the community of... Read More