Los York, the creative studio under the aegis of founder, CCO and director Seth Epstein, has secured MilkToast, the creative management firm led by Dani Ostrowski, to handle representation on the East Coast….
Artist Management Association (AMA), a trade organization for the commercial photography and fine art industries, has been formed. The AMA’s mission is to advocate for companies that represent and manage photographers, artists, directors, stylists, illustrators and other creative talent that work in the photography and fine arts fields. The association was established following years of discussion among artist representatives and managers across the U.S. Unlike the commercial production industry, this sector of the visual arts industry was left to create individual terms, conditions and standards resulting in inconsistent business practices. With the emergence of new media platforms, the integration of stills and motion, and lack of standards around payment terms, image usage and copyright, it became clear the new trade organization will play an optimal role in advancing the interests of its members, building a solid foundation and promoting expansion of the industry for years to come. With over 50 founding member industry agencies and partners, the AMA established a board of directors, instituting guidelines and launching a website that will serve as a valuable resource for the organization. Members will have access to assets and resources that include a universal bid form, national guidelines for photo production, health and safety guidelines for photo production, a variety of downloadable forms and agreement templates, and more as the organization grows. The AMA is accepting both general membership and non-member industry partner sponsorships for an annual fee. AMA Partners will benefit from high-exposure branding opportunities while also participating in social networking, awards and educational events and visibility to managers and agencies across the U.S. and Europe. The board of directors are established artist managers in the commercial photography and fine art industries, including president Kelly Montez (Apostrophe Reps), VPs Jen Jenkins (Giant Artists) and Howard Berinstein (ATRBUTE), communications director Vanessa Stevens (VS+Company), treasurer Heather Elder (Heather Elder Represents) and directors-at-large Carol LeFlufy (Eye Forward) and Stacy Fischer (Exposure NY)….
DPA Microphones, based in Alleroed, Denmark, has appointed Søren Høgsberg as its EVP of sales and marketing. As a former executive with many of Denmark’s leading corporations, Høgsberg will call on his global experiences to lead DPA in strengthening the coordination of its sales and marketing initiatives. A graduate and post-graduate of the Aarhus School of Business, Høgsberg most recently served as VP of international sales at Demant A/S, a leading international health care company focused on hearing aids, audiological equipment and personal communication. Høgsberg also previously held senior positions at Vestas Wind System A/S and GN Store Nord A/S, which is among the top 20 traded companies in Denmark….
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