The Association of Music Producers (AMP) premiered the short film The Third Millennium: 2000–Present at “AOL AMP’d UP!. Presented by Platform A,” Advertising Week V’s opening night concert at the Nokia Theatre in New York City on Sept. 22. The soundtrack, composed and produced by AMP-member companies, was performed live by an orchestra while the film, an extraordinary montage of images chronicling recent history, screened. Virtually all of the footage for the film was provided by Thought Equity Motion, and Paul Kelly of Beast, New York, edited the piece.
With a running time of five minutes, The Third Millennium chronicles the historic events of the past eight-plus years–from the triumphant New Years’ celebrations of 2000 to the tragic events of 9/11 to the Mars landing and the recent Olympic Games.
“This film is a great collaborative effort, showcasing many talents,” said Lyle Greenfield, president of the national board of AMP, and founder of Bang Music, who crafted the film’s concept. “It’s a unique example of what AMP member companies and composers are capable of–what we do.”
The original music score was composed in collaboration among Liz Myers (Trivers/Myers); Chris Plansker (Yessian Music); Jeff Slutz (Sugarbox); and Ben Zebelman (Octave Music). Each composer scored a portion of the film, with their combined efforts fluidly melding into one cohesive track. Executive producers for the film’s music were PJ Hanke of Sovereign and Jason Menkes of the newly launched COPILOT.
Menkes, VP of AMP’s New York board, noted, “The creative challenge of this project was to provide a consistent narrative while balancing individual expression through writing freedom. We chose these four composers specifically for their unique viewpoints, yet it was equally essential to present this work as a single living piece.”
The soundtrack to the film supports and gives cohesiveness to the moving images. “It was gratifying–and challenging–to be a part of this project and frankly, pretty extraordinary to view all we have lived through in the past eight years,” said Kelly.
The film tapped into Thought Equity Motion’s inventory for archival footage. “We provided 95 percent of the footage for this film–giving the producers nearly 800 clips to select from,” said Thought Equity Motion CEO/founder Kevin Schaff.
“This is a great example of seeing editorial content typically used only in documentaries or news programs in a fresh, creative light,” continued Schaff. “The end result is both entertaining and thought-provoking.”
Since 2006, AMP and the Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP) have brought their expertise to the planning of Advertising Week’s opening night celebration (which this year featured performances by OutKast’s Big Boi and N*E*R*D), as well as other entertainment events during The Week.
“But The Third Millennium film,” affirmed Greenfield, “is one ‘event’ that has brought together a full ensemble of creative forces in our industry–live action, still photography, editorial, soundtrack composition, sound design, performance, audio post, It rocks!”
Gene Hackman and His Wife Are Found Dead In Their Santa Fe Home; Oscar-Winning Actor Was 95
Gene Hackman, the prolific Oscar-winning actor whose studied portraits ranged from reluctant heroes to conniving villains made him one of the industry's most respected and honored performers, has been found dead along with his wife, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, at their home in Santa Fe, N.M.
Foul play was not suspected, but authorities did not release circumstances of their deaths and said an investigation was ongoing.
Hackman, 95, Arakawa, 63, and their dog were all dead when deputies entered their home to check on their welfare around 1:45 p.m. Wednesday (2/26), Santa Fe County Sheriffโs Office spokesperson Denise Avila said.
Hackman was a frequent and versatile presence on screen from the 1960s until his retirement. His dozens of films included the Academy Award favorites "The French Connection" and "Unforgiven," a breakout performance in "Bonnie and Clyde," a classic bit of farce in "Young Frankenstein," a turn as the comic book villain Lex Luthor in "Superman" and the title character in Wes Anderson's 2001 "The Royal Tenenbaums."
He seemed capable of any kind of role โ whether an uptight buffoon in "Birdcage," a college coach finding redemption in the sentimental favorite "Hoosiers" or a secretive surveillance expert in Francis Ford Coppola's Watergate-era release "The Conversation."
"Gene Hackman a great actor, inspiring and magnificent in his work and complexity," Coppola said on Instagram. "I mourn his loss, and celebrate his existence and contribution."
Although self-effacing and unfashionable, Hackman held special status within Hollywood โ heir to Spencer Tracy as an everyman, actor's actor, curmudgeon and reluctant celebrity. He embodied the ethos of doing his job, doing it very well, and letting... Read More