Los Angeles-headquartered Top Dog Films, a division of bicoastal RSA USA and London-based RSA Films, has signed filmmaker Martin Scorsese for exclusive commercial representation…. At press time, director Tenney Fairchild of bicoastal M-80 Films and his producer, Glenn Rudoloph, were recuperating at Cedars-Sinai Hospital, Los Angeles, after a car accident that occurred last Saturday (8/4). Both are expected to make a full recovery, according to M-80 executive producer Gregg Stern. Fairchild was scheduled to embark on a Hyundai job at the time of the accident; filling in for him on the assignment is director Thom Higgins….Bicoastal production house Here And Now has opened with a directorial roster that includes Keva Rosenfeld, Brian Ades, Nick Quested and Danny Weisberg. The shop also handles director Louis Ng on the East Coast. Here And Now is part of the Stoney Road family of companies….Director Clark Anderson, formerly of Rhythm & Hues, Los Angeles, has joined Ka-Chew!, the recently launched live-action commercial division of Hollywood animation studio Klasky Csupo. Also jumping aboard Ka-Chew! is director Bil White, who shifts over from sister spot animation shop Class-Key Chew-Po Commercials….Itemus, the Toronto-based parent company to the recently shuttered Shooting Gallery Inc., has filed for bankruptcy protection in Canada….Lee Garfinkel is joining D’Arcy as president/chief creative officer, worldwide. Based in New York, he becomes part of a trio serving in the agency’s newly configured office of the president, joining president/CEO John Farrell and president/chief branding officer Susan Gianinno. Garfinkel most recently served as chairman, chief creative officer at Lowe Lintas & Partners…. John Butler, co-founder of Sausalito, Calif., agency Butler Shine & Stern, has been elected president of the board of directors of the One Club for Art and Copy, the New York-headquartered nonprofit group that promotes creativity in advertising….Gary Ward, former executive producer/partner of the recently closed Crash Films, has been named executive producer of Mad River Post/Santa Monica….Thom Sidoti, a well-known line producer, has become executive producer at Copper Media, the West Hollywood-based production house headed by president Mel Gragido….Composer Klaus Badelt has joined Santa Monica-based music and sound design company Primal Scream…. Seattle-headquartered design house Theorem has added designer Ludovic Schorno, and expanded into Southern California with the launch of a studio in Culver City….
DGA Feature Nominees: Audiard, Baker, Berger, Corbet and Mangold
The field of feature nominees for the Directors Guild of America (DGA) Awards spanning two categories is set. Nominated for the DGA honor for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film for 2024 are: Jacques Audiard for Emilia Pérez, Sean Baker for Anora, Edward Berger for Conclave, Brady Corbet for The Brutalist, and James Mangold for A Complete Unknown.
The DGA also revealed the nominees for the Michael Apted Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in First-Time Theatrical Feature Film. The first-time narrative feature directors are: Payal Kapadia for All We Imagine as Light, Megan Park for My Old Ass, RaMell Ross for Nickel Boys, Halfdan Ullman Tondel for Armand, and Sean Wang for Diddy.
“2024 has been a truly extraordinary year for storytelling--and today’s nominees have created audacious and unique films that expand the possibilities of cinematic excellence,” said DGA president Lesli Linka Glatter. “I am thrilled to congratulate all our nominated directors for their brilliant work, which is visionary, inspirational and speaks to the depth of the human experience. To be chosen by one’s peers is the true marker of outstanding directorial achievement and what makes these nominations so very special.”
The winners will be announced at the 77th Annual DGA Awards on Saturday, February 8.
Here’s a fuller rundown of the nominees in both DGA Award categories:
THEATRICAL FEATURE FILM
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film for 2024 (in alphabetical order):
JACQUES AUDIARD
Emilia Pérez
(Netflix)
SEAN... Read More