Feature film (Laurel Canyon, High Art) and episodic TV (Push Nevada) director Lisa Cholodenko has signed with Palomar Pictures, Los Angeles, for representation in all areas, including commercials….Fearless Music, under the aegis of owner/composer Jamie Lamm, has gone bicoastal. The longstanding New York company has opened a Los Angeles office. Signed for the newly christened Fearless Music West are recording industry vets, composers/producers/musicians….Bob Kulick and Billy Sherwood….Sound designer Taso Ekonomou has joined Ultra Sound—the audio division of New York-headquartered The Napoleon Group….Editor Erin Norstrom has joined Venice, Calif.-based The Big House. She most recently cut the documentary I am Trying to Break Your Heart, featuring rock band Wilco. Previously, she edited in-house for agency Ground Zero, Marina del Rey, Calif…. U.K.-headquartered Cintel International, known for such fare as its C-Reality telecine line, has purchased key assets and intellectual property rights of another U.K.-based telecine manufacturer, Innovation TK (ITK). Stuart Hunt, who’s been responsible for much of the technology to come out of ITK in recent years, joins Cintel as technical director. He will work closely with Cintel’s R&D team and plans to ensure the continuity and support of ITK’s Millennium and Millennium Lite telecines, as well as its Y-Front, Twigi and Scan’dal machines….Michael Cook, formerly co-owner of The Film Business, Sydney, has been named CEO/exec producer of Filmgraphics, the Sydney house launched in 1964 by director David Denneen. As a spot helmer, Denneen is repped stateside by bicoastal Anonymous Content….Director/cinematographer Carolyn Chen—whose spot roost is bicoastal/international Believe Media, received the Kodak Vision Award during last week’s Women In Film Crystal & Lucy Awards 2002 in Los Angeles. The Vision Award recognizes outstanding achievement in cinematography and directing as well as Chen’s collaboration with and assistance to women in the entertainment industry……Director Marcus Nispel is again available for spots at bicoastal/international Morton Jankel Zander after principal photography was wrapped on his feature directorial debut, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. New Line Cinema is slated to release the film on Oct. 31……
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