As part of the reorganization in the wake of the merger between New York ad shops Bozell and Lowe, Andrew Chinich, formerly head of production at Bozell, will replace Nick Felder as executive VP/director of broadcast production at Lowe. Felder, however, will remain at Lowe in a newly created senior role in the production department….Scott Mitchell and Chris Bing have been promoted, respectively, to director and deputy director of creative broadcast production at FCB, Chicago. They succeed senior VP/director of broadcast production Mike Leary, a longtime FCB staffer….Mark Barasch has resigned from Palace Studios-NYC and opened SoundImage at Photomag, a music/audio post shop in the former Photomag space in New York. Joining Barasch—who will hold the title of president—at SoundImage are mixers Bobby Elder, Kenny Fredrickson, P. Dennis Mitchell, Michael Levesque and Jared Seidman, as well as director of operations Lucy DeJesus….New York-based audioEngine has added mixer John Grant, formerly of Photomag, New York….Albert Hughes, half of the Hughes brothers directing duo (From Hell, Dead Presidents, Menace II Society), has signed with @Tate, Santa Monica, for exclusive spot representation. At press time, he was wrapping an @Tate-produced EA Sports campaign for Odiorne Wilde Narraway+Partners, San Francisco. Meanwhile, Allen Hughes is currently directing a pilot for USA Network about a special investigative unit that tracks serial killers. He continues to be affiliated with Oil Factory Films, Hollywood, and will again be available for commercials effective April 8….Executive producer Elvia Gaitan has launched Pistolera Post. The new Santa Monica shop opens with editors Patrick Sheffield and Greg Chamberlain….Editor Chris Jones has joined DownStream digital, Portland, Ore…..After eight years in the New York office of bicoastal Crew Cuts, editor Nicole Futoran has joined Steel Rose Editorial, New York…. Blair Hayes is currently directing a one-hour pilot for producer Jerry Bruckheimer and Warner Bros. Television. The drama is titled Fearless and is based on the series of young adult novels by Francine Pascal. Hayes is scheduled to again be available for spot work beginning April 7 via Area 51 Films, Santa Monica….
Review: Director Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked”
It's the ultimate celebrity redemption tour, two decades in the making. In the annals of pop culture, few characters have undergone an image makeover quite like the Wicked Witch of the West.
Oh, she may have been vengeful and scary in "The Wizard of Oz." But something changed — like, REALLY changed — on the way from the yellow brick road to the Great White Way. Since 2003, crowds have packed nightly into "Wicked" at Broadway's Gershwin Theatre to cheer as the green-skinned, misunderstood Elphaba rises up on her broomstick to belt "Defying Gravity," that enduring girl-power anthem.
How many people have seen "Wicked"? Rudimentary math suggests more than 15 million on Broadway alone. And now we have "Wicked" the movie, director Jon M. Chu's lavish, faithful, impeccably crafted (and nearly three-hour) ode to this origin story of Elphaba and her (eventual) bestie — Glinda, the very good and very blonde. Welcome to Hollywood, ladies.
Before we get to what this movie does well (Those big numbers! Those costumes!), just a couple thornier issues to ponder. Will this "Wicked," powered by a soulful Cynthia Erivo (owner of one of the best singing voices on the planet) and a sprightly, comedic, hair-tossing Ariana Grande, turn even musical theater haters into lovers?
Tricky question. Some people just don't buy into the musical thing, and they should be allowed to live freely amongst us. But if people breaking into song delights rather than flummoxes you, if elaborate dance numbers in village squares and fantastical nightclubs and emerald-hued cities make perfect sense to you, and especially if you already love "Wicked," well then, you will likely love this film. If it feels like they made the best "Wicked" movie money could buy — well, it's... Read More