An infusion of filmmaking and executive talent into TWC Films consists of veteran executive producer Mel Gragido along with six directors, three of whom–Jonas Arnby, Hans Moland and Johan Skog–were previously with Gragido at The Joneses. Additionally TWC has signed directors Arni Thor Jonsson, Ken Lambert and Terry Rietta. The company continues to be presided over by partner/managing director Mark Thomas, partner/producer Ralph Winter, partner/director Phil Cooke, and exec producer Jeff Snyder.
Jonsson has more than 300 Icelandic commercials, 80 international spots and assorted music videos to his directing credit, gaining recognition at Cannes, EuroBest, Golden Drum, Epica, the Addy Awards and Young Guns along the way. He recently opened Republik Films, his own production house in Reykjavik, and had been previously repped stateside by Cohn+Company. His spot clients include Smirnoff, Sony, Heineken, Ikea and McDonald’s.
Meanwhile TWC becomes Lambert’s first U.S. commercial roost. He first established himself as a designer, moving into broadcast design and then filmmaking. Among his spots as a director are Vancouver Winter Olympic Games’ “Ice,” KFC’s “Krushers” and Coke’s “Happy Mouths.”
Rietta made his first major splash as a director with the Mill Valley Film Festival’s “First Look,” which was honored in the spec category of the 2004 AICP Show. He also conceived of the project which was done while he was a creative director at Hill Holliday, San Francisco. Rietta later joined the since defunct Villains, then Zoo Film (SHOOT, 4/13/07), and has directed for such clients as American Express, Emerald Nuts, Cartoon Network, Foster Farms, KIA Motors, Charter Communications, ESPN and Walmart, as well as pro-bono work for One.org and the Washington Department of Public Heath. Rietta was writer/director on the anyfilms.net series of branded entertainment shorts for Samsung, and was a writer on two of the five Amazon Theater shorts produced for Amazon.com (Agent Orange helmed by Tony Scott, and The Tooth Fairy directed by Jake Scott).
Relative to the influx of talent, TWC’s Thomas related, “We needed to be pursuing players that were genuinely unique, regardless of genre, so we pursued a course of action that would take us there. I also knew that with what was going on industry wide, this kind of environment historically breeds opportunity, in that great directors would be looking for the right fit. It might seem like we’ve taken on a lot at once, and clearly that’s true, but I strongly believe in the directors that are here. This roster is significant as we’ve ever had, and we’re poised to make great strides.”
The rest of the TWC’s ongoing directorial roster includes Brian Baderman, Trevor Cornish, David Jellison, Alex Ogus, Suthon Petchsuwan and Selby.
Gragido said he was drawn to TWC for the opportunity it offers spanning commercial, TV and films, and the company fit for the directors he was bringing over. “Looking at my guys and Mark’s guys, it really felt like a strong roster,” said Gragido. Among those he brought over for example is helmer Arnby who first established himself in the European ad community with his mix of comedy and visual storytelling. Gragido signed the director for The Joneses during a visit to Copenhagen, breaking him into the stateside market.
Thomas noted that so much is a matter of timing. He and Gragido had discussed teaming for quite awhile but now their coming together felt right and made sense. Similarly Thomas said he had “reached out to Arni [Thor Jonsson] about four years ago, having been a fan of his work. He had been focusing on other parts of the world, but last fall he felt the desire to start working in the U.S. So while it was a long time coming, it was worth the wait. Arni’s recent work is some of his best.”
Apple and Google Face UK Investigation Into Mobile Browser Dominance
Apple and Google aren't giving consumers a genuine choice of mobile web browsers, a British watchdog said Friday in a report that recommends they face an investigation under new U.K. digital rules taking effect next year.
The Competition and Markets Authority took aim at Apple, saying the iPhone maker's tactics hold back innovation by stopping rivals from giving users new features like faster webpage loading. Apple does this by restricting progressive web apps, which don't need to be downloaded from an app store and aren't subject to app store commissions, the report said.
"This technology is not able to fully take off on iOS devices," the watchdog said in a provisional report on its investigation into mobile browsers that it opened after an initial study concluded that Apple and Google effectively have a chokehold on "mobile ecosystems."
The CMA's report also found that Apple and Google manipulate the choices given to mobile phone users to make their own browsers "the clearest or easiest option."
And it said that the a revenue-sharing deal between the two U.S. Big Tech companies "significantly reduces their financial incentives" to compete in mobile browsers on Apple's iOS operating system for iPhones.
Both companies said they will "engage constructively" with the CMA.
Apple said it disagreed with the findings and said it was concerned that the recommendations would undermine user privacy and security.
Google said the openness of its Android mobile operating system "has helped to expand choice, reduce prices and democratize access to smartphones and apps" and that it's "committed to open platforms that empower consumers."
It's the latest move by regulators on both sides of the Atlantic to crack down on the... Read More