London-based production house Rogue has added director Scott Lyon to its roster for U.K. representation spanning commercials, branded content and music videos. Lyon first made his mark in music videos, working with Kasbian, Franz Ferdinand, Block Party, Mark Ronson and Roby, among others, while winning Best Director distinction at UKMVA predecessor The CADs in 2006. Lyon transitioned into commercials in 2008 and his VW spot “Better Every Day” earned a Lion in Cannes that year. This was closely followed by a win at the Saatchi & Saatchi New Directors Showcase and his multi-screen car collage spot “Everything” winning multiple Clio Awards as well as silver at the 2010 BTA Awards. This signaled the start of Lyon’s long-time relationship with Honda that most recently yielded last year’s dashboard POV supercut “Forever Determined.” Lyon has since directed films for brands including Amazon, Adidas, Audi, Nissan, PlayStation, HSBC, HP, Puma, and Lurpak (whose “Weave Your Magic” spot won a Silver Film Lion at the 2013 Cannes Lions). Also a highly regarded fashion photographer and graduate of Central St Martin’s College of Art and Design, Lyon won the Vogue Young Photography Award in his first year of graduation, quickly becoming a favorite with cutting-edge cultural platforms including i-D, The Face, Arena, Dazed & Confused, Glamour, Jalouse, and Vogue….
Alkemy X’s Creative Studio has added EYEPIE to its roster for U.S. commercial representation. EYEPIE, which maintains a studio in the heart of Hudson Valley, NY–is a wife-and-husband duo consisting of Laney Coletti-Saracino and David Saracino who offer accessible, high-quality agency services that seamlessly blend artistic vision with technical expertise. Laney, co-founder and product leader, combines her expertise in psychology, product, technology, and design to create impactful and meaningful experiences. Her track record includes spearheading products for organizations such as Spotify, Refinery29, The UN, and NASA. David, co-founder and creative director, comes from a rich background as a business owner and freelance artist. His artistic acumen has earned him collaborations with clients such as Comedy Central, Google and Meta….
Havas has acquired a majority stake in PR Pundit, a PR consultancy firm in India. This strategic move marks the debut of Havas Red, a Havas global PR network, into the Indian market. On closing, the firm will be rebranded PR Pundit Havas Red. The 25-year-old PR Pundit has expertise in brand positioning and corporate communications, and maintains a team of 160 PR practitioners across its three offices in Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi NCR. PR Pundit has been an affiliate of Havas in India for some time. This acquisition cements the association and enhances Havas’ capabilities to extend public relations services in India as part of its creative, media and healthcare offerings. In parallel, Havas Red’s continued international expansion adds important new expertise and geographic reach to the network’s global clients. The entry in the Indian market is the network’s second addition in 2023, following the opening of Havas Red South Africa earlier in the year….
Jennifer Kent On Why Her Feature Directing Debut, “The Babadook,” Continues To Haunt Us
"The Babadook," when it was released 10 years ago, didn't seem to portend a cultural sensation.
It was the first film by a little-known Australian filmmaker, Jennifer Kent. It had that strange name. On opening weekend, it played in two theaters.
But with time, the long shadows of "The Babadook" continued to envelop moviegoers. Its rerelease this weekend in theaters, a decade later, is less of a reminder of a sleeper 2014 indie hit than it is a chance to revisit a horror milestone that continues to cast a dark spell.
Not many small-budget, first-feature films can be fairly said to have shifted cinema but Kent's directorial debut may be one of them. It was at the nexus of that much-debated term "elevated horror." But regardless of that label, it helped kicked off a wave of challenging, filmmaker-driven genre movies like "It Follows," "Get Out" and "Hereditary."
Kent, 55, has watched all of this — and those many "Babadook" memes — unfold over the years with a mix of elation and confusion. Her film was inspired in part by the death of her father, and its horror elements likewise arise out of the suppression of emotions. A single mother (Essie Davis) is struggling with raising her young son (Noah Wiseman) years after the tragic death of her husband. A figure from a pop-up children's book begins to appear. As things grow more intense, his name is drawn out in three chilling syllables — "Bah-Bah-Doooook" — an incantation of unprocessed grief.
Kent recently spoke from her native Australia to reflect on the origins and continuing life of "The Babadook."
Q: Given that you didn't set out to in any way "change" horror, how have you regarded the unique afterlife of "The... Read More