Kaboom productions, headed by EP/founder Lauren Schwartz, has signed director Carolyn Corben for exclusive U.S. representation. Corben’s body of commercial work spans such clients as Gordon’s Gin, Honda, Skittles, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Swatch, and Head & Shoulders. She has also directed music videos for noted artists including Sir Elton John, George Michael, The Scissor Sisters, Shirley Bassey, and Siouxsie Sioux.
Maintaining offices in San Francisco and L.A., kaboom adds the U.K.-based Corben to a directorial roster that includes Michele Atkins, Brandon Dickerson, Erik Moe, Kent Harvey, Ricki+Annie, Reynir, Gary Shaffer and Doug Werby.
A product of a childhood of creative adventures, from painting to opera singing, Corben attended Goldsmiths College in London where she crafted art using textiles and it was here that an extracurricular film club reinforced her passion for the art of the moving image. Upon graduating, she embarked on a Masters degree at London’s prestigious Royal College of Art where she honed her creative skills further.
Combining these passions, she first defined her creative palette as part of The New Renaissance, a design company she formed with fellow graduate Harvey Betram-Brown. Under their creative direction the company designed window displays, fashion collections, catwalk shows, and costumes for clients such as Harvey Nichols, Moschino, Speedo and Henri Bendel. The duo then focused on creating costumes and sets for TV commercials and music videos, which ultimately led them into directing. They were featured in Saatchi and Saatchi’s New Directors Showcase at Cannes. In 2007 Chen launched a solo career.
Prior to joining kaboom, Corben–whose work is often punctuated with choreographed action, fashion and visual narratives–was handled by at TWC. Earlier she was represented by Crossroads.
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