The Los Angeles District Attorney’s office is investigating the financial records of the Entertainment Industry Development Corp (EIDC), the body that oversees the joint Los Angeles City/ County Film Office. The ongoing audit went public with news that the DA’s office and local law enforcement officials last week raided and seized records from the EIDC’s Hollywood office as well as the private residence of EIDC president Cody Cluff. According to reports in the Los Angeles Times, the EIDC is being scutinized for alleged misappropriation of funds, related to certain entertainment and travel expenses, as well as political contributions. However, no charges had been filed at press time, and the EIDC denies any wrongdoing. An EIDC spokesman contends that the investigation is misguided because the organization doesn’t receive pubic funding—and as a private corporation designed to promote filming in Greater Los Angeles, the EIDC has incurred legitimate, justifiable marketing expenses, which are being wrongly contested by the DA’s office. These include expenditures on entertainment events (i.e., Lakers games, concerts) to court film industry decision-makers about keeping and/or bringing lensing business into Los Angeles….Director Melanie Bridge has signed with bicoastal/international Partizan for commercial representation. She will continue to be repped in Australia and New Zealand by Sweet Shop, Auckland, New Zealand….Nick Felder, formerly a senior producer at Cliff Freeman and Partners, New York, has joined Lowe New York, as executive VP/director of broadcast production….Feature filmmaker Wes Anderson (The Royal Tenenbaums, Rushmore), who helms ads via bicoastal The Industry, has directed three spots in the debut campaign for Ikea from Crispin Porter + Bogusky, Miami. Additionally, Spike Jonze of bicoastal/international Morton Jankel Zander, helmed an ad in the package….Deutsch, New York, and rap/hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons have decided to dissolve dRush, their three-year-old urban marketing agency….Jason Bentley, a DJ at Los Angeles radio station KCRW, and his producer/music supervisor, Mark Burgoyne, have joined Machine Head, Venice, Calif, as music supervisors. Additionally, Bentley will be doing original music out of the shop…..Continuing its winning ways, Gorgeous Enterprises, London, and director Frank Budgen figured heavily in the top awards at the 40th International Advertising Festival of Ireland, held last week in Kinsale, Ireland. The Budgen-helmed "Sofa" for Reebok out of Lowe London, was named the Grand Prix television winner, while the powerful child abuse PSA "Cartoon," for the National Scoiety for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), also helmed by Budgen, was awarded the cinema Grand Prix. Additionally, Gorgeous garned the Palme D’Or for the festival, which is presented by the Institute of Advertising Practicioners in Ireland (IAPI). Budgen is repped stateside by bicoastal Anonymous Content….Mark Barasch has become president of ServiDigital Studios—a New York-headquartered video editing/audio post facility owned by parent company Palace Production Center, South Norwalk, Conn. Barasch is best known as the founder of since closed Barasch Music Sound, which he sold in late ’01 in exchange for an equity interest in Creative Content Artists—a postproduction holding company which recently closed all its operations. (SHOOT 8/23, p. 1). The president’s chair at ServiDigital had most recently been occupied by Michael Shapiro, who despite stepping away from that position several months ago, continues to maintain a relationship with the company on a freelance basis. Coming to Servi with Barasch are sound designer/mixer P. Dennis Mitchell—a colleague from Barasch’s old company— and mixers Bob Elder and Kenny Fredrickson, both most recently with the CCA-shuttered audio post shop East Side Mix….Managing director Karen Gahl-Mills has exited The Rhythm Café, Chicago….
Beyoncé’s Halftime Show Highlighted Netflix’s NFL Debut On Xmas Day
Beyoncé provided more excitement than either game during Netflix's NFL debut on Christmas Day.
Riding into her halftime appearance on a white horse, the 32-time Grammy winner rocked her hometown Houston crowd with a nearly 13-minute performance on Wednesday.
She surprised fans by bringing along Shaboozey to perform "Sweet Honey Buckiin" and Post Malone joined her for "Levii's Jeans."
The action on the field didn't live up to expectations as the NFL showcased four of the AFC's top five teams.
Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce exposed a glitch in Pittsburgh's defense during Kansas City's 29-10 rout in the first game.
The broadcast itself went off just fine, quickly becoming the second-most popular live title on Netflix to date, according to NFL Media.
Lamar Jackson and the Ravens led C.J. Stroud and the Texans to 17-2 at halftime before Beyoncé stole the show.
Mariah Carey opened Wednesday's doubleheader with a taped performance of "All I Want for Christmas is You" and then the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs trounced the Steelers to clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
There were no signs of any major streaming issues during the game after Netflix experienced minor blunders at the start of the pregame show. The broadcast opened with roughly 10 seconds of silence because it appeared studio host Kay Adams' microphone wasn't turned on.
Beyoncé's live performance at NRG Stadium was supposed to be the biggest test for the streaming giant and it seemed to go off without a hitch.
Mahomes threw for 320 yards and three touchdowns and Kelce had eight catches for 84 yards and one score as the Chiefs (15-1) earned a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. The... Read More