Bicoastal integrated production studio Humble and sister postproduction company Postal have secured indie firm Shortlist Mgmt, headed up by Charlie McBrearty and Vanessa McLean, for commercial representation on the West Coast.
Venice, Calif.-based talent management firm Bueno will represent MPC’s Los Angeles studio to agencies and directly to brands for commercial work on the West Coast. Bueno partners Millie Munro and Bryan Shrednick will work with MPC managing director US Justin Brukman and executive producers Elexis Stearn, Meghan Lang, Karen Anderson, Mike Wigart and Tim Dillon to showcase the studio’s diversified capabilities and talent in VFX, VR, design, content production/direction, color and finishing. Among MPC LA’s most recent projects are commercials for State Farm, Halos, Lyft and Southwest Airlines, and such VR experiences as Kygo’s “Carry Me,” One Republic’s “Kids” and The Nature Conservancy’s “This Is Our Future.”
The Traveling Picture Show Company (TPSC) has connected with indie firm DeVine Reps–headed by owners/partners Lisa Gimenez and Sara Barnthouse–for representation to corporate and advertising entities on the West Coast. Gimenez and Barnthouse both have 20+ years of industry experience. DeVine Reps also offers the acumen of associate Steven Cook, who joined DeVine in late 2015. DeVine Reps joins current TPSC reps Asprodites Reps (in the Southwest), MoButler (Midwest), and Lew&Co (East Coast), in leading a sales push for a directorial roster which includes Paul Riccio, Julian Pugsley, Chris Woods, Gus Black, PR Brown, Paul Street, Todd Heyman, Austin Smithard and Justin Shipley….
Review: Writer-Directors Scott Beck and Bryan Wood’s “Heretic”
"Heretic" opens with an unusual table setter: Two young missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are discussing condoms and why some are labeled as large even though they're all pretty much a standard size. "What else do we believe because of marketing?" one asks the other.
That line will echo through the movie, a stimulating discussion of religion that emerges from a horror movie wrapper. Despite a second-half slide and feeling unbalanced, this is the rare movie that combines lots of squirting blood and elevated discussion of the ancient Egyptian god Horus.
Our two church members — played fiercely by Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East — are wandering around trying to covert souls when they knock on the door of a sweet-looking cottage. Its owner, Mr. Reed, offers a hearty "Good afternoon!" He welcomes them in, brings them drinks and promises a blueberry pie. He's also interested in learning more about the church. So far, so good.
Mr. Reed is, of course, if you've seen the poster, the baddie and he's played by Hugh Grant, who doesn't go the snarling, dead-eyed Hannibal Lecter route in "Heretic." Grant is the slightly bumbling, bashful and self-mocking character we fell in love with in "Four Weddings and a Funeral," but with a smear of menace. He gradually reveals that he actually knows quite a bit about the Mormon religion — and all religions.
"It's good to be religious," he says jauntily and promises his wife will join them soon, a requirement for the church. Homey touches in his home include a framed "Bless This Mess" needlepoint on a wall, but there are also oddities, like his lights are on a timer and there's metal in the walls and ceilings.
Writer-directors Scott Beck and Bryan Wood — who also... Read More