L.A.-based creative studio Whitelist has changed its name to Florence. The company rebrand is an extension of its ongoing mission to foster an inclusive culture where diverse perspectives are valued. Company founder/EP Jerad Anderson explained, “As makers, we are keenly aware of how the messages that we make resonate in our culture and the responsibility that brings. We need to do our part to address systemic issues within our industry, including examining the language that we use, even when it comes to our own name.” The Florence moniker was chosen to echo another moment of great historical change, the Renaissance. Originating in Florence, Italy, the Renaissance was a time of broad social change, marked by an explosion of creativity. The studio sees today as a moment that holds similar potential. The company’s collaborative style of working has resulted in a variety of successful projects, including Double Sexy for Nowness, Vulture x Made Ready: Chapter 1 with Questlove, and Spirits in the Forest, Depeche Mode’s live concert film documentary directed by Anton Corbijn. The studio has collaborated with agencies such as Anomaly, BBDO, Fallon, and Wieden+Kennedy on work for brands including Disney, Google, Johnson & Johnson, Nike, and Apple….
Reaching out with a new diversity initiative. The “Barking Owl Sessions,” produced by music/sound studio Barking Owl and directed by production company UNIT9, is a new weekly series that broadcasts intimate performances from up-and-coming Black artists on Instagram Live. The goal is to showcase Black artists to brands, agencies, creatives and producers who may want to license their music for commercials. Recent performances include rappers Problem, Jodie Jo and songwriting duo Campfire featuring Sean Eli. Kelly Bayett, Barking Owl’s founder, has prioritized diversity. Her team is 73% POC and LGBTQ+. Now she’s partnered with Michelle Craig, creative partner at UNIT9, to introduce the industry to talented Black artists….
Jennifer Kent On Why Her Feature Directing Debut, “The Babadook,” Continues To Haunt Us
"The Babadook," when it was released 10 years ago, didn't seem to portend a cultural sensation.
It was the first film by a little-known Australian filmmaker, Jennifer Kent. It had that strange name. On opening weekend, it played in two theaters.
But with time, the long shadows of "The Babadook" continued to envelop moviegoers. Its rerelease this weekend in theaters, a decade later, is less of a reminder of a sleeper 2014 indie hit than it is a chance to revisit a horror milestone that continues to cast a dark spell.
Not many small-budget, first-feature films can be fairly said to have shifted cinema but Kent's directorial debut may be one of them. It was at the nexus of that much-debated term "elevated horror." But regardless of that label, it helped kicked off a wave of challenging, filmmaker-driven genre movies like "It Follows," "Get Out" and "Hereditary."
Kent, 55, has watched all of this — and those many "Babadook" memes — unfold over the years with a mix of elation and confusion. Her film was inspired in part by the death of her father, and its horror elements likewise arise out of the suppression of emotions. A single mother (Essie Davis) is struggling with raising her young son (Noah Wiseman) years after the tragic death of her husband. A figure from a pop-up children's book begins to appear. As things grow more intense, his name is drawn out in three chilling syllables — "Bah-Bah-Doooook" — an incantation of unprocessed grief.
Kent recently spoke from her native Australia to reflect on the origins and continuing life of "The Babadook."
Q: Given that you didn't set out to in any way "change" horror, how have you regarded the unique afterlife of "The... Read More