Mark Pellington of L.A.-based Wondros, is directing the pilot for ABC’s mid-season drama, Red Widow, which also marks his return to TV after last serving as a director and consulting producer on the crime drama Cold Case. Slated to air in early 2013, Red Widow takes audiences deep inside the world of Bay Area organized crime, showing just how far a recently widowed mob wife (Radha Mitchell) will go to protect her family and discover the truth about her husband’s murder.
Pellington’s directorial career spans varied disciplines. His feature films include Henry Poole Is Here, also starring Mitchell, U2 3D, Arlington Road and I Melt With You. He has helmed spots for such brands as Gatorade, McDonald’s and Lowe’s, and music videos for the likes of Pearl Jam, Michael Jackson, U2 and Bruce Springsteen.
Based on the popular Dutch series Penoza, Red Widow springs from a teleplay by Melissa Rosenberg (Dexter and screenwriter of the Twilight franchise), and exec produced by Rosenberg, Howard Klein (The Office), Endemol Studios and Alon Aranya.
FINALISTS NAMED FOR YOUR FILM FESTIVAL
YouTube in partnership with the Venice Film Festival and Scott Free Productions announced the 10 films receiving the highest number of votes from the YouTube community, and becoming the Your Film Festival finalists. These films were watched, shared and voted on by more than 3 million YouTube users after Scott Free narrowed down the initial 15,000 submissions to 50 semi-finalists.
The 10 finalists films are: 88:88 from directors Joey Ciccoline & Sean Wilson (US); Bat Eyes, Damien Power (Australia); Cine Rincao, Fernando Grostein Andrade & Fernanda Fernandes (Brazil); The Drought, Kevin Slack (US); El General, Diego Pino Zamora (Bolivia); The Guilt, David Victori Blaya (Spain); North Atlantic, Bernardo Nascimento (UK); Super.Full., Niam Itani (Lebanon); Scruples, Adrian Powers (Australia); and This Time, Ramy EL-Gabry (Egypt).
The filmmakers behind these films will travel to the Venice Film Festival at the end of August. All 10 films will be screened in a special selection as part of the Venice Fest on Sunday, Sept. 2, and the grand prize winner will be chosen by a jury that includes director Sir Ridley Scott and actor Michael Fassbender. The winner will receive $500,000 to create original online content with Scott Free Productions and Fassbender acting as executive producers.
PEOPLE IN THE NEWS… Mike Hayward has been named creative director at Seattle-based ad and branding firm Copacino+Fujikado as co-founder Jim Copacino assumes the title of executive creative director. Hayward is the creator of many of the agency’s most visible campaigns, including the “Larry Bernandez” commercials for the Seattle Mariners; “Boringly Good” for LifeWise Health Plans and “Two Days In Seattle” for Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau. As exec creative director, Copacino will focus more on brand strategy, business development and agency culture. Furthermore, C+F has hired Andy Corbett, formerly of Goodby, Silverstein & Partners in San Francisco, as sr. writer, and Irene Yung as interactive producer and project manager. She held similar positions at Washington State University and Deutsch New York….West L.A.-based music and sound company Barking Owl has signed composer Brian Canning, who has written various national campaigns, including spots for Nike, Target and Old Spice. He signed with Chrysalis Music in 2009 and is currently a top line writer for artists on the publisher’s roster….
