Yes, Virginia, There Is A Filming Incentive For CommercialsThe Martin Agency Partners With Virginia Film Office On Initiative To Attract Spot Production; 2 Pizza Hut Ads Already Shot Under New Program
By Robert Goldrich
May 24, 2013 -- The Martin Agency and the Virginia Film Office announced that they have entered into a partnership, now in its fifth month, designed to bring more commercial production from national advertisers into the Commonwealth of Virginia. Per the arrangement, The Martin Agency gains designated access to $2 million of tax credits under Virginia's filming incentives program for an 18-month period which began back on January 1.

Method Studios Adds Trio of Animation ArtistsErik-Jan de Boer, James Jacobs, Keith Roberts join VFX house
May 20, 2013 -- Method Studios, a Deluxe Entertainment Services Group company, has added three animation artists to its creative team--Erik-Jan de Boer and James Jacobs who join Method's Vancouver office as animation supervisor and creature supervisor, respectively; and animation supervisor Keith Roberts who will work out of the Los Angeles studio.

Director Kathi Prosser Joins Moxie PicturesMay 20, 2013 -- Moxie Pictures has signed director Kathi Prosser for U.S. representation.  She comes over from The Sweet Shop, where she has collaborated regularly with numerous top agencies including BBDO, JWT, Arnold, Saatchi & Saatchi and Y&R. Her body of work ranges from opulent fashion campaigns to provocative PSAs.

Steven Soderbergh Discusses Decision To Step Away From FilmmakingHis "Behind the Candelabra" debuts at Cannes
By Jake Coyle, Entertainment Writer
May 20, 2013 -- Steven Soderbergh has said that "Behind the Candelabra"--— a $23 million HBO movie starring Michael Douglas as the flamboyant pianist and Matt Damon as his lover, Scott Thorson, airing Sunday in the U.S. — will be his last film, at least for now. The 50 year-old's career in film — 26 protean features including "Out of Sight," ''Traffic" and the "Ocean's" franchise — will effectively conclude in Cannes, the same place it was internationally launched.

Yahoo Seeks Youth Demograpic In $1.1 Billion Deal For TumblrBy Michael Liedtke, Technology Writer
May 20, 2013 -- Yahoo is buying online blogging forum Tumblr for $1.1 billion as CEO Marissa Mayer tries to rejuvenate an Internet icon that had fallen behind the times. The deal announced Monday represents Mayer's boldest move yet since she left Google 10 months ago to lead Yahoo's latest comeback attempt.

Reset Signs Director Joseph Kosinski For Spots, Branded ContentMay 20, 2013 -- Joseph Kosinski, director of commercials, films and TV, has joined Reset for worldwide representation in advertising. He thus reunites with long-time colleagues, executive producer/managing director Dave Morrison and filmmaker David Fincher--the three were previously together at Anonymous Content.

Darren Aronofsky, Ted Robbins, Sandy Haddad Launch Spot Production House CHROMISTAMay 19, 2013 -- Academy Award-nominated director Darren Aronofsky has partnered with a pair of spot industry veterans, executive producers Ted Robbins and Sandy Haddad, to open commercial production house CHROMISTA. The company has already embarked on projects with Ogilvy and DDB.

Upfronts More Of a Sketchy Proposition; Calendar, Plans ChangeOld rules don't mean much to broadcasters
By David Bauder, Television Writer
May 19, 2013 -- The most striking thing about the broadcast TV networks announcing their new fall schedules this past week was how little that actually meant. Television schedules seem more like sketches these days. Even the networks admit their prime-time plans for September will be different by January, even more so a few months later.

The Coen Brothers Return To CannesFolk revival "Inside Llewyn Davis" serenades Festival
By Jake Coyle, Entertainment Writer
May 19, 2013 -- The Coen brothers' resurrection of the pre-Dylan folk scene in Greenwich Village serenaded Cannes with its period music and melancholy tale of a self-destructive, feline-toting musician. "Inside Llewyn Davis" was met rapturously at the Cannes Film Festival, where it premiered Sunday night.

Oscar & Emmy-Winning Directors, Next Generation of Filmmakers Front and Center at Upcoming SHOOT Directors/Producers Forum, New Directors ShowcaseForum features directors Joe Berlinger, Henry-Alex Rubin, Bryan Buckley, Cynthia Wade; Showcase roster consists of 35 up-and-coming directors
May 17, 2013 -- SHOOT's New Directors Showcase celebrates its 11th year on the evening of Thursday, May 23, at the DGA Theatre in New York City, highlighted by the introduction of a 2013 roster consisting of 35 up-and-coming directors--27 individual helmers and four duos.
     Several accomplished, lauded directors will be front and center at SHOOT's daytime Directors/Producers Forum, including: Joe Berlinger, a Best Feature Documentary Oscar nominee (Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory) and two-time Emmy winner (with a total of seven career Emmy nominations); Henry-Alex Rubin, also Academy Award-nominated for a feature documentary (Murderball); Cynthia Wade, a Short Subject Documentary Oscar winner (for Freeheld) and again nominated in that same category this year (for Mondays at Racine); Matthew O'Neill, who teamed with Jon Alpert to direct Redemption, nominated for a 2013 Short Subject documentary Academy Award; and Bryan Buckley whose Asad was also a Best Live-Action Short Oscar nominee in 2013.