Producers Kevin Matusow, Carissa Buffel and Kate Bacon have teamed with director Chris Woods (not to be confused with the director of the same name at Alive & Well) to launch L.A.-based production house The Traveling Picture Show Company (TPSC). Matusow is CEO of the company while Marie Soto has come aboard as an exec producer. Woods’ prior roosts include Mirror Films and Momentum. Additionally, TPSC has entered into co-venture agreements with Unit FX and The Noise Deli. Per this arrangement, TPSC can offer advertising agencies and clients packaged services, tapping into the talent and resources at Unit FX (which is housed in the same facility as TPSC) and The Noise Deli (based in London). TPSC, Unit FX and The Noise Deli continue to pursue independent projects as well….Director Floria Sigismondi has joined Black Dog Films, the music video division of RSA Films, for music video representation in both the U.S. and U.K. She continues to be handled for commercials by Believe Media where among her notable credits is Absolut Vodka’s “Blank” for TBWAChiatDay, New York, one of many projects cited in this SHOOT issue’s Agency of the Year coverage. Sigismondi has directed music videos over the years for such artists as The White Stripes, David Bowie, The Cure, Sigur Ros and Bjork….Bicoastal The Famous Group has signed director John X. Carey. Earlier this year, Carey was awarded an ADC Gold Cube from the Art Directors Club for his work on “Voices from the Field” for Designmatters/Project Concern International….Film and spot production company Three (One) O’s co-founder and principal Norry Niven has completed principal photography on his feature film directing debut, Chasing Shakespeare…
FireAid Concert Features Major Music Stars, Shares Stories Of Loss To Raise Money For L.A. Wildfire Relief
Pop stars, first responders, rock stars and those who've lost everything in the devastating LA-area wildfires came together for FireAid, a massive benefit concert Thursday that combined spectacular performances with moving storytelling from survivors and reminders of the destruction.
In a night full of surprises, a reunion of Nirvana — fronted by St. Vincent, Kim Gordon and Joan Jett in the place of the late Kurt Cobain — tops the list. They launched into "Breed," "School" and "Territorial Pissings" respectively, inspired and unexpected choices.
Drummer Dave Grohl's daughter, Violet, then emerged on stage for "All Apologies."
Closer Lady Gaga, after powering through the Oscar-award winning "Shallow" and "Always Remember Us This Way" from "A Star Is Born," played a new song on the piano. "It's just for tonight, it's just for you," she said of the song she wrote with fiancé businessman Michael Polansky. "Time is a healer."
"All I need is time," she sang in the folk-y pop chorus. "To heal my broken wings and then I'll soar."
Green Day kicked off the massive show by launching into "Last Night on Earth" at the Kia Forum and were soon joined by Billie Eilish for the first surprise of the night. The lyrics are surprisingly astute: "If I lose everything in the fire / I'm sending all my love to you."
After their set, Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong hugged actor Billy Crystal, who was there to welcome to the crowd at the Kia Forum.
"Our goal is simple tonight, to spend more money than the Dodgers spent on free agents," he joked. He told the audience U2 offered the first big donation of the night: $1 million dollars.
Crystal said he was wearing the clothes he had on when he evacuated. He lost his home in... Read More