By Robert Goldrich
Welcome to the Special Spring 2017 Edition of SHOOT’s Directors Series. Our mix of profiles includes: James Mangold who made a superhero film, Logan, that has broken all the conventions of that genre; Niki Caro who directed the soon-to-be-released The Zookeeper’s Wife based on the best-selling book of the same title; and Marc Forster, a feature filmmaker (Monster’s Ball, Finding Neverland) who made his latest Oscars mark during the ceremony telecast with an ambitious Walmart commercial out of Saatchi NY. All three feature helmers have commercialmaking affiliations—Mangold with Aero Film, Caro with Flying Fish in New Zealand, and Forster’s being Tool of North America.
Also in the SHOOT Series lineup of profiles are: Derek Cianfrance of RadicalMedia who recently won the DGA Award for best commercial director of the year; Jim Jenkins of O Positive who reflects on his live Snickers spot on the Super Bowl; Cole Webley of Sanctuary who shares insights into his thought-provoking Super Bowl commercial and online film for 84 Lumber; Reed Morano who’s made a major splash in the ad sector via Pulse Films, indie features with Meadowland, and TV with the upcoming Hulu series The Handmaid’s Tale starring Elizabeth Moss; and Henrik Hansen of RSA who’s branched out beyond his visual, visceral automotive fare with people-based shorts that delve into the work, philosophy and lives of notable artists.
Meanwhile our ensemble of up-and-coming talent consists of two duos and three individual directors. One duo recently scored the Documentary Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival while securing commercialmaking and branded content representation. Then we have a pair of siblings whose spec work landed them representation within the RSA family of companies. Another director helmed and co-created an online branded series that has propelled his ad/filmmaking career. And then we have two solo directors who made the Commercial Directors Diversity Program grade; the CDDP being the joint AICP/DGA initiative promoting inclusiveness for female and minority directors.
Our Festival Circuit coverage provides directorial perspectives on the SXSW and Tribeca film festivals.
And then in our Cinematographers & Cameras Series, we meet three DPs—a two-time Best Cinematography Oscar nominee who lensed Logan for director Mangold; a two-time Emmy nominee who shot Ryan Murphy’s Feud: Bette and Joan for FX; and the eye behind the lauded cinematic documentary The Eagle Huntress, directed by Otto Bell.
So read on and enjoy. As always, we welcome your feedback.
Rom-Com Mainstay Hugh Grant Shifts To The Dark Side and He’s Never Been Happier
After some difficulties connecting to a Zoom, Hugh Grant eventually opts to just phone instead.
"Sorry about that," he apologizes. "Tech hell." Grant is no lover of technology. Smart phones, for example, he calls the "devil's tinderbox."
"I think they're killing us. I hate them," he says. "I go on long holidays from them, three or four days at at time. Marvelous."
Hell, and our proximity to it, is a not unrelated topic to Grant's new film, "Heretic." In it, two young Mormon missionaries (Chloe East, Sophie Thatcher) come knocking on a door they'll soon regret visiting. They're welcomed in by Mr. Reed (Grant), an initially charming man who tests their faith in theological debate, and then, in much worse things.
After decades in romantic comedies, Grant has spent the last few years playing narcissists, weirdos and murders, often to the greatest acclaim of his career. But in "Heretic," a horror thriller from A24, Grant's turn to the dark side reaches a new extreme. The actor who once charmingly stammered in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and who danced to the Pointer Sisters in "Love Actually" is now doing heinous things to young people in a basement.
"It was a challenge," Grant says. "I think human beings need challenges. It makes your beer taste better in the evening if you've climbed a mountain. He was just so wonderfully (expletive)-up."
"Heretic," which opens in theaters Friday, is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, co-writers of "A Quiet Place." In Grant's hands, Mr. Reed is a divinely good baddie — a scholarly creep whose wry monologues pull from a wide range of references, including, fittingly, Radiohead's "Creep."
In an interview, Grant spoke about these and other facets of his character, his journey... Read More