The Directors Network (TDN), a talent agency for commercial freelance directors, directors of photography, and director/DPs, has signed director/DP Aaron Platt and director/photographer Dean Freeman. Independent Spirit Award nominee Platt (for his cinematography on Wild Tigers I Have Known) has made his mark as a director and cinematographer in commercials, music videos, and films for a plethora of artists and brands including Beyonce, Pepsi, Target, Range Rover, H&M, Bloomingdale’s, Mercedes-Benz, and fashion designers Alexander Wang, Diane Von Furstenberg, and Tory Burch. Platt is an alum of SHOOT’s New Directors Showcase, having earned inclusion into its 2009 lineup unveiled at the DGA Theatre in New York. Platt currently moves between Los Angeles, New York City and Seattle. Meanwhile Freeman brings to the TDN roster his expertise in performance-driven filmmaking, and an intimate but energetic style. Freeman’s black-and-white work for Axis Bank with Deepika Padukone and the worldwide campaign for Haagen-Dazs starring Bradley Cooper are both as poetic as they are playful, advancing the celebrity-driven advertising genre. Freeman recently traveled to Cuba to direct an experimental “The Movement for Movement” campaign. In these vibrant shorts, Freeman chronicles Cuban artists and athletes while creating a stirring anthem for action. Freeman splits his time between Barcelona, London, and Los Angeles…..
Design, animation and production studio Laundry has signed independent rep firm Side Hustle for commercial representation on the East Coast. Laundry will work closely with Andrew Michaeloff, partner at Side Hustle, which specializes in marketing and strategy for design-driven studios and niche live-action production offerings. Side Hustle launched in November 2018 as part of the bicoastal Hustle network, founded by Anya Zander and Jake Neske. Launched in 2005 by partners/executive creative directors PJ Richardson and Anthony Liu, Laundry is a Los Angeles- and San Francisco-based design, animation and live-action studio specializing in commercials, film, and digital content. Recent clients include Uber, Honda, AT&T, Facebook, Nike, Airbnb, EA, Instagram, and MTV…..
Production designer Shane Richardson has joined talent agency Innovative Artists for commercial representation. Richardson is a member of the local 800 Union and based in Los Angeles. He has worked with major artists such as Calvin Harris, Sam Smith, and professional athletes including NBA’s Kevin Love and NFL’s Julian Edelman. Richardson has designed cutting edge commercials for brands such as Bose, Samsung, and Adidas….
eTribez, the company behind the cloud-based production management platform called eTribez Production Management, as well as a cloud-based Casting and Audience Engagement solution, has named Laura Grange as its new sales manager for the U.K., France and Italy. Grange will be based in the company’s London office. Working under the guidance of Andrew Jackson, eTribez’ V.P. of Sales for EMEA, Grange will focus her efforts on introducing the benefits of the company’s products to producers and creators of content across the mediums of broadcast, feature film, documentary, streaming, advertising, and promo….
Music Biopics Get Creative At Toronto Film Festival
Many of the expected conventions of music biopics are present in "Piece by Piece," about the producer-turned-pop star Pharrell Williams, and "Better Man," about the British singer Robbie Williams. There's the young artist's urge to break through, fallow creative periods and regrettable chapters of fame-addled excess. But there are a few, little differences. In "Piece by Piece," Pharrell is a Lego. And in "Better Man," Williams is played by a CGI monkey. If the music biopic can sometimes feel a little stale in format, these two movies, both premiering this week at the Toronto International Film Festival, attempt novel remixes. In each film, each Williams recounts his life story as a narrator. But their on-screen selves aren't movie stars who studied to get a part just right, but computer-generated animations living out real superstar fantasies. While neither Williams has much in common as a musician, neither has had a very traditional career. Their films became reflections of their individuality, and, maybe, a way to distinguish themselves in the crowded field of music biopics like "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Rocketman." "This is about being who you are, even if it's not something that can be put in a box," Pharrell said in an interview Tuesday alongside director Morgan Neville. Also next to Pharrell: A two-foot-tall Lego sculpture of himself, which was later in the day brought to the film's premiere and given its own seat in the crowd. The experience watching the crowd-pleasing "Piece by Piece," which Focus Features will release Oct. 11, can be pleasantly discombobulating. A wide spectrum of things you never expected to see in Lego form are animated. Virginia Beach (where Pharrell grew up). An album of Stevie Wonder's "Songs in the Key of Life."... Read More