UnderWonder Content has added photographer and director Thom Kerr to its talent roster. After attaining a Bachelor of Fine Arts, specializing in writing and directing, Kerr freelanced as a stylist, set designer and writer for numerous publications, collaborating with an eclectic set of photographers and directors while developing his own direction. Officially stepping behind the camera a few years later, he developed a successful photographic career. His folio has attracted an international audience with advertising and magazine commissions worldwide. Given his experience working across all aspects of imagery, Kerr is often asked to consult with brands, personalities and publications on the creative direction of each assignment. He then began translating his stylistic imagery into eye-catching visuals for artists including Christina Aguilera, Doja Cat, Bebe Rexha and Jason Derulo. Kerr’s filmography includes music videos for such performers as Iggy Azalea, Alice Chater, Kim Petras, Brooke Candy and Holiday Sidewinder. Kerr’s signing comes on the heels of UnderWonder bringing directors Troy Roscoe and Jensen Noen into the company fold….
Animation/VFX house Tippett Studio has promoted head of production Gary Mundell to chief operating officer. Recent Tippett projects include season 2 of both The Mandalorian on Disney+ and Locke and Key on Netflix, as well as Marvel Studio’s Falcon and the Winter Soldier….
International production services company The Roots, under the aegis of founder/executive producer Ariel Leon Isacovitch, has firmly established its office in Mexico over the past year. Launched in the throes of a pandemic, the office–headed by The Roots’ production service EP/partner in Mexico, Alejandro Rossi–has remained fully operational the entire time, persevering and building momentum with recent projects including collaborations with Honey Bunches of Oats and Audible. This is the fourth office for The Roots, the other bases of operation being in Chile, Uruguay and Argentina….
First-Time Feature Directors Make Major Splash At AFI Fest, Generate Oscar Buzz
Two first-time feature directors who are generating Oscar buzz this awards season were front and center this past weekend at AFI Fest in Hollywood. Rachel Morrison, who made history as the first woman nominated for a Best Cinematography Oscar---on the strength of Mudbound in 2018--brought her feature directorial debut, The Fire Inside (Amazon MGM Studios), to the festival on Sunday (10/27), and shared insights into the film during a conversation session immediately following the screening. This came a day after William Goldenberg, an Oscar-winning editor for Argo in 2013, had his initial foray into feature directing, Unstoppable (Amazon MGM Studios), showcased at the AFI proceedings. He too spoke after the screening during a panel discussion. The Fire Inside--which made its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival--tells the story of Claressa “T-Rex” Shields (portrayed by Ryan Destiny), a Black boxer from Flint, Mich., who trained to become the first woman in U.S. history to win an Olympic Gold Medal in the sport. She achieved this feat--with the help of coach Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry)--only to find that her victory at the Summer Games came with relatively little fanfare and no endorsement deals. So much for the hope that the historic accomplishment would be a ticket out of socioeconomic purgatory for Shields and her family. It seemed like yet another setback in a cycle of adversity throughout Shields’ life but she persevered, going on to win her second Gold Medal at the next Olympics and becoming a champion for gender equality and equitable pay for women in sports. Shields has served as a source of inspiration for woman athletes worldwide--as well as to the community of... Read More