Directing duo The Wade Brothers, founders of Kansas City, Mo.-based RW2 Productions, just signed with Sarah Gitersonke, owner/agent of SG+Partners for exclusive Midwest representation. With a roster including 12 live action directors, 11 still photographers, on-staff editors, and a full retouching team with a CG/VFX expert, RW2 Productions maintains a 7,000 sq. ft. studio space equipped with a kitchen, garage door and high ceilings to accommodate multiple set builds. RW2’s body of work includes commercials and content for New Balance, Helly Hanson, Stella Artois, Wendy’s, Starbucks, Doritos and Levi’s. By partnering with SG+Partners, RW2 joins the firm’s growing roster of soup to nuts creative solutions including Strange Loop, Noise Floor, Mode Project, Apartment 8/Bubba’s Chop Shop and the newly signed Adolescent Content….
William (Bill) Nielsen, Jr. has signed with talent agency APA (Agency for the Performing Arts) for representation. A third generation filmmaker, he began his industry apprenticeship with his father working on films such as Lady Blue. In the position of assistant camera, Nielsen, Jr. refined his talents working on films such as The Shawshank Redemption, China Moon, Rocky 5, Rudy, Prelude to a Kiss, Hoffa, and dozens more. With aspirations of operating eventually, he invested in his own Steadicam and began the next chapter in his career. Trained by James Blanford, Nielsen Jr. began operating for feature films and TV shows High Fidelity, The O.C, Prison Break, The Beast, Masters of Sex and others. Dennis Leary and his production company then selected Nielsen as cinematographer for the USA Network show, Sirens. Nielsen continued his relationship with Apostle for Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll, which stared Leary. Nielsen then returned home to Chicago and was invited by Wolf Films to operate on Chicago Fire. During his tenure of four seasons, he served as cinematographer for two of the episodes. When on hiatus from episodic television, he shoots short films, many of which have been recognized by festivals winning best short film. Teaming up with director Mark Schimmel, he was the cinematographer for Kill the Light, which will be screened at The Kansas International Film Festival this October. In addition, Nielsen shot a commercial campaign for The Banfield Foundation….
Rom-Com Mainstay Hugh Grant Shifts To The Dark Side and He’s Never Been Happier
After some difficulties connecting to a Zoom, Hugh Grant eventually opts to just phone instead.
"Sorry about that," he apologizes. "Tech hell." Grant is no lover of technology. Smart phones, for example, he calls the "devil's tinderbox."
"I think they're killing us. I hate them," he says. "I go on long holidays from them, three or four days at at time. Marvelous."
Hell, and our proximity to it, is a not unrelated topic to Grant's new film, "Heretic." In it, two young Mormon missionaries (Chloe East, Sophie Thatcher) come knocking on a door they'll soon regret visiting. They're welcomed in by Mr. Reed (Grant), an initially charming man who tests their faith in theological debate, and then, in much worse things.
After decades in romantic comedies, Grant has spent the last few years playing narcissists, weirdos and murders, often to the greatest acclaim of his career. But in "Heretic," a horror thriller from A24, Grant's turn to the dark side reaches a new extreme. The actor who once charmingly stammered in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and who danced to the Pointer Sisters in "Love Actually" is now doing heinous things to young people in a basement.
"It was a challenge," Grant says. "I think human beings need challenges. It makes your beer taste better in the evening if you've climbed a mountain. He was just so wonderfully (expletive)-up."
"Heretic," which opens in theaters Friday, is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, co-writers of "A Quiet Place." In Grant's hands, Mr. Reed is a divinely good baddie — a scholarly creep whose wry monologues pull from a wide range of references, including, fittingly, Radiohead's "Creep."
In an interview, Grant spoke about these and other facets of his character, his journey... Read More