Donna Tobin has joined DDB Worldwide as global chief marketing & communications officer. She will oversee all global and North America internal and external corporate communications. Tobin will report directly to DDB Worldwide CEO Marty O’Halloran on all matters of marketing communications, brand management, media relations, corporate social responsibility and internal and cultural communications. Tobin brings to her over 20 years of agency and brand experience in marketing and advertising. Tobin has worked within and led global agencies such as Arnold Worldwide, Grey and VaynerMedia and has extensive experience running global brands and leading marketing, communications, and product development across industries including food and beverage, fashion and toys at companies such as Ocean Spray, Hasbro and WPP’s Kantar. Most recently she was the EVP of marketing, communications, events and partnerships at the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A’s) where she led the organization’s new vision, mission, marketing and communications strategies, and the re-imagination of the 4A’s virtual thought leadership events….
London-headquartered software-defined storage and data management solution provider pixitmedia has added Belinda Merit as its director of sales & marketing. Based in the U.S., Merrit has spent more than two decades driving sales strategies in the digital entertainment arena, helping to introduce a number of groundbreaking workflow solutions. Merritt will anchor pixitmedia’s stateside presence, connecting with U.S.-based partners and customers, providing the media and entertainment community with premium storage solutions….
Melville, NY-headquartered Chyron has hired Nigel Davies as its venues account manager responsible for building and extending relationships with college and professional sports venues across North America….
“Heretic” and “Maria” Set As Red Carpet Premieres At AFI Fest
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Heretic, the psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, and Maria, based on the life of opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, will round out the Red Carpet Premieres section at this year’s AFI Fest. The Heretic Gala Screening will take place on Thursday, October 24, and the Maria Gala Screening will be held on Saturday, October 26. The complete Red Carpet Premieres section includes the world premieres of Music By John Williams, Robert Zemeckis’ Here, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2. All Red Carpet Premieres will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. The full lineup for AFI Fest 2024 will be unveiled on October 1.
“At the heart of AFI Fest is an unwavering dedication to celebrating the best in global cinema--together,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. “We look forward to uniting artists and audiences once again to be inspired by the art form in a powerful sense of community.”
Heretic follows two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (portrayed by Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and produced by Stacey Sher, Beck, Woods, Julia Glausi and Jeanette Volturno. The film will be released nationwide by A24 on November 8.
Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria presents a tumultuous and beautiful depiction of one of the world’s most renowned artists and reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days in Paris, as Callas (Jolie)... Read More