Tom Atkin, founding executive director of the Visual Effects Society (VES), has decided to step down at the end of his current contract, which expires on July 31, 2004. Atkin founded VES in ’93 and helped guide its growth to some 900 global members, nine festivals worldwide and an annual awards show….Director Kieran Walsh, formerly of bicoastal/international Chelsea Pictures, is coming aboard bicoastal Anonymous Content….Bicoastal Headquarters has signed director Maggie Zackheim, formerly of bicoastal HKM Productions….Composer Don Davis, whose music filmography includes The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded and the upcoming The Matrix Revolutions, has signed with Groove Addicts, Los Angeles, for commercial representation. He has already wrapped his first ad assignment under the Groove Addicts banner, a three-spot Honda package directed by Rocky Morton of bicoastal/international Morton Jankel Zander for Rubin Postaer and Associates, Santa Monica. Groove Addicts has also signed composer Rob Dougan, creator of additional music on The Matrix and The Matrix Reloaded, for commercials….RubberBand Music, a shop that crosses over recording artists, rock bands, DJs and film and TV composers into alternative media, has been launched in Los Angeles and has partnered with longstanding music/sound design house Primal Scream, Santa Monica, for spot music. Primal Scream will operate within the RubberBand group as the selected music company for RubberBand Commercials. The new relationship has already yielded two just-wrapped jobs: a Ford spot directed by Eric Saarinen of Santa Monica-based Plum Productions, and an SBC Yahoo! campaign helmed by feature filmmaker Robert Altman….Director Stefan Ruzowitzky has inked a deal with Neue Sentimental Film, Frankfurt, for representation in Germany….Flame artist Crawford Reilly, who spent the last eight years in London working for such shops as Glassworks, VTR and Rushes, has joined Vendetta Post, Santa Monica….Matt Ferrell has come aboard San Francisco-based animation studio Wild Brain as CG animation supervisor….Yessian Music has added composer Andy Grush to its roster. He is a multi-instrumentalist who was previously on staff at bicoastal tomandandy. Yessian maintains bases of operation in Farmington Hills, Mich.; Malibu, Calif.; and New York….
Breakout Films and Major Takeaways From This Year’s Sundance Fest
Film wasn't the only thing on people's minds at this year's Sundance Film Festival, which comes to a close Sunday in Park City, Utah ( and online ).
The effects of the wildfires in Southern California loomed large, as did the bittersweet knowledge that this year will be the second to last Sundance based in Park City. Some films offered an escape from reality; others were a pointed reminder of the domestic and international political landscape, from transgender rights to the war in Ukraine.
Here are some of the key takeaways from the 41st edition of the festival.
The effects of the Southern California fires were deeply felt
The wildfires were still burning in parts of Los Angeles when Sundance began last week and reminders of its devastation were everywhere, even on screen. Max Walker-Silverman's "Rebuilding," starring Josh O'Connor as a cowboy who loses his ranch in a wildfire and forms a community with fellow survivors in a FEMA camp, hit close to home for many.
Filmmakers Meena Menon and Paul Gleason lost their home in Altadena where they filmed some of their zombie apocalypse movie "Didn't Die." Sundance artist labs head Michelle Satter lost her Palisades home as well. Satter had an audience of Sundance Institute donors in tears early in the festival while accepting an honor at a fundraising gala.
"It's a deeply devastating time for us and so many others, a moment that calls for all of us coming together to support our bigger community," Satter said. "As a friend recently noted, and I have to listen to this, 'Take a deep breath ... We lost our village, but at the end of the day we are the village.'"
The festival's move to another city dominated conversations
It was a topic... Read More