City Films, a Hollywood shop under the aegis of co-founders Sheila Tighe and Josie Leonard, has added director James Wahlberg to its lineup. Wahlberg, the director of Nickelodeon's TV series The Fresh Beat Band, joins David Denneen, Derek McKane, Phil Meatchem, Kelly Hommon and Sandy Smolan on City's directorial roster. Wahlberg has recently helmed projects in South Africa, South America, Vancouver, Toronto and Mexico City, as well as numerous productions in the Los Angeles area. He has just wrapped his first projects with City Films, shooting two, 30-second live action spots for Playskool in Vancouver, and also shooting two spots for Heritage Milk….San Francisco ad agency DOJO has upped Chris Masse to the new position of creative director, reporting to partners/executive creative directors Mauro Alencar and Geoff Edwards. Masse has the distinction of being the first employee at the two-year-old shop. Masse has created award-winning campaigns for DOJO clients LG, Activision's Call of Duty franchise, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon, Logitech, Ultimate Ears and AT&T….
Utah Leaders and Locals Rally To Keep Sundance Film Festival In The State
With the 2025 Sundance Film Festival underway, Utah leaders, locals and longtime attendees are making a final push — one that could include paying millions of dollars — to keep the world-renowned film festival as its directors consider uprooting.
Thousands of festivalgoers affixed bright yellow stickers to their winter coats that read "Keep Sundance in Utah" in a last-ditch effort to convince festival leadership and state officials to keep it in Park City, its home of 41 years.
Gov. Spencer Cox said previously that Utah would not throw as much money at the festival as other states hoping to lure it away. Now his office is urging the Legislature to carve out $3 million for Sundance in the state budget, weeks before the independent film festival is expected to pick a home for the next decade.
It could retain a small presence in picturesque Park City and center itself in nearby Salt Lake City, or move to another finalist — Cincinnati, Ohio, or Boulder, Colorado — beginning in 2027.
"Sundance is Utah, and Utah is Sundance. You can't really separate those two," Cox said. "This is your home, and we desperately hope it will be your home forever."
Last year's festival generated about $132 million for the state of Utah, according to Sundance's 2024 economic impact report.
Festival Director Eugene Hernandez told reporters last week that they had not made a final decision. An announcement is expected this year by early spring.
Colorado is trying to further sweeten its offer. The state is considering legislation giving up to $34 million in tax incentives to film festivals like Sundance through 2036 — on top of the $1.5 million in funds already approved to lure the Utah festival to its neighboring... Read More