Corey Berg has been named executive producer for Pulse Films USA, the stateside operation of the London-based cross media production company. He will work from Pulse Films partner Caviar’s L.A. office collaborating with NY-based Cedric Gairard, Pulse’s U.S. managing director. Berg will initially focus on developing commercial production opportunities for Pulse’s growing roster of directors, including: Mike Piscitelli, Dave Ma, The Young Replicants, David Lewandowski and Kahlil Joseph, and will seek stateside opportunities for Pulse’s UK-based directors, which includes: Thirtytwo, Ben Newman, DARYL, Anthony Dickenson and Fred & Nick. Berg spent most of the past decade producing hundreds of commercials as a freelance line producer for Smuggler, Hungry Man, Partizan and Station Film….The Artery VFX and Harbor Picture Company have formed an artist-driven alliance for post production in NYC. The Artery’s CG artists will team with Harbor’s production and post expertise to span expertise and services ranging from creative direction to production, editorial, high-end VFX, commercial color correction, feature film DI and the full spectrum of deliverables for features, spots, web, installations and music videos. The Artery VFX is headed by partner/creative director/VFX supervisor Vico Sharabani and partner/exec producer Yfat Neev. Harbor is under the aegis of founder/president Zak Tucker…..New York-based visual effects and design studio Carbon has added Chris Noellert as creative director/lead Flame artist and VFX supervisor to its newly opened Los Angeles office, where they have just completed a multi-spot package for the recently launched Windows 8 campaign for Microsoft with Crispin, Porter + Bogusky. Noellert joins Carbon LA from Motion Theory/Mirada…
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