The Directors Network (TDN), a boutique, bicoastal talent agency for freelance directors and cinematographers, has signed Los Angeles-based director Michael Shapiro. After directing for television with credits on CSI and Soldier of Fortune, Shapiro continued his success with the short film Jihad, winning at the Tribeca Film Festival. With degrees in both business and film, plus off-Broadway directing experience, Shapiro is a versatile talent ready to tackle a wide variety of projects and styles. Using home video-like techniques to capture the precious moments of everyday life, his heartwarming, authentic style has landed him clients such as Nike, Google, YouTube, Jeep, Starbucks, AT&T, Bank of America, Gap Kids and JCPenney….
First Artists Management (FAM)–an international talent agency representing composers, music supervisors, and music editors for film, television, and video games–has expanded with the hiring of Zoe Hart as agent in its European office based in London, the promotion of Hailey Flame to agent as part of its Los Angeles team, and the strengthening of its talent roster with a number of new signings providing a full music department. Hart joins from Faber Music where she worked as a film/TV composer manager and led its sync department for the published roster. In her role as agent at FAM, Hart joins U.K. and European operations head, Hamish Duff, along with new composer signings Aaron May & David Ridley (Boiling Point), Jon Opstad (Trainwreck: Woodstock ‘99), Madison Willing (Paula Rego, Secrets & Stories) and Rutger Hoedemaekers (Trapped); music supervisor Sarah Giles (The Favourite), and music editor Clare Batterton (Top Boy). During her time at FAM, Flame has championed its roster of up-and-coming composer clients and has been instrumental in their career development. Now serving as an agent, she works alongside Alexander Vangelos in the L.A. office….
Review: Director-Writer Megan Park’s “My Old Ass”
They say tripping on psychedelic mushrooms triggers hallucinations, anxiety, paranoia and nervousness. In the case of Elliott, an 18-year-old restless Canadian, they prompt a visitor.
"Dude, I'm you," says the guest, as she nonchalantly burns a 'smores on a campfire next to a very high and stunned Elliott. "Well, I'm a 39-year-old you. What's up?"
What's up, indeed: Director-writer Megan Park has crafted a wistful coming-of-age tale using this comedic device for "My Old Ass" and the results are uneven even though she nails the landing.
After the older Elliott proves who she is — they share a particular scar, childhood memories and a smaller left boob — the time-travel advice begins: Be nice to your brothers and mom, and stay away from a guy named Chad.
"Can we hug?" asks the older Elliott. They do. "This is so weird," says the younger Elliott, who then makes things even weirder when she asks for a kiss — to know what it's like kissing yourself. The older Elliott soon puts her number into the younger's phone under the name "My Old Ass." Then they keep in touch, long after the effects of the 'shrooms have gone.
Part of the movie's problem that can't be ignored is that the two Elliotts look nothing alike. Maisy Stella plays the coltish young version and a wry Aubrey Plaza the older. Both turn in fine performances but the visuals are slowly grating.
The arrival of the older Elliott coincides with her younger self counting down the days until she can flee from her small town of 300 in the Muskoka Lakes region to college in Toronto, where "my life is about to start." She's sick of life on a cranberry farm.
Park's scenes and dialogue are unrushed and honest as Elliott takes her older self's advice and tries to repair... Read More