Bicoastal Brickyard VFX has hired Cassie Hulen as executive producer at its Santa Monica shop, where she will team with head of production Diana Young Gomez.
Hulen comes over from Anonymous Content, Culver City, Calif., her roost for the past nine years, where she started as head of production and was then promoted to executive producer. During her Anonymous tenure, Hulen developed strong collaborative relationships with directors and agencies. At Anonymous she worked for such brands as Levi’s and Converse as well as on the Monster.com “Slots” commercial, which went on to earn an AICP Show honor in the Visual Effects category in 2008. “Slots” was directed by Frank Budgen of Gorgeous, London (repped stateside by Anonymous) for BBDO New York, with visual effects produced at a52, Santa Monica.
Prior to Anonymous Content, Hulen spent two years as a visual effects producer at a52. Before that, Hulen was a producer at now defunct Palomar Pictures, where she worked on Budweiser’s “Frogs” with director Gore Verbinski, and the Miller High Life campaign for Wieden + Kennedy with director Melodie McDaniel. Hulen earlier worked with HKM (which spawned the production house Hello & Co., Hollywood) as a bidder and researcher for two years, and before that came up the industry ranks freelancing for various commercial production houses.
Brickyard’s East Coast studio is in Boston. Founded in 1999, the studio has done effects for assorted clients over the years, including Pontiac, Bud Light, T-Mobile, the National Basketball Association, Visa and Sprint.
Peter Jackson Receives Honorary Palme D’Or As Cannes Boasts Star Power Despite Hollywood’s Retreat
The 79th Cannes Film Festival opened on Tuesday with politics, artificial intelligence and the shifting priorities of Hollywood taking center stage at the global film gathering on the French Riviera. The festival launched with a tribute to director Peter Jackson, handing the "Lord of the Rings" filmmaker an honorary Palme d'Or. He was introduced by actor Elijah Wood, who played Frodo Baggins in Jackson's fantasy franchise, one of many notable faces on the Cannes red carpet, including Bong Joon Ho, Joan Collins, Heidi Klum and James Franco. "I've never figured out why I'm getting a Palme d'Or. I'm not a Palme d'Or sorta guy," said the shaggy haired New Zealand filmmaker. Jackson was then serenaded with a rendition of the song "Get Back," a nod to his lauded 2021 documentary about The Beatles. The director sat stage right mouthing the lyrics. Jane Fonda and the Chinese-Singaporean star Gong Li officially opened the festival, with Fonda declaring: "Cinema has always been an act of resistance." It was a fitting observation for a film festival that has already seen politics take center stage. At the introduction of the jury that will decide the Palme d'Or, Cannes' top honor, jury members spoke bluntly about holding a film festival during a time of geopolitical conflict. The Palme d'Or jury weighs politics in film Paul Laverty, the Scottish screenwriter known for his films with director Ken Loach, pointed toward this year's Cannes poster, of "Thelma and Louise," while discussing attending Cannes during what he called "genocide in Gaza." Quoting "King Lear," he said: "Madmen lead the blind." "Cannes has a wonderful poster," said Laverty. "Isn't it fascinating to see some of them like Susan Sarandon, Javier Bardem and Mark Ruffalo... Read More