Shot! Poster Puts David Bowie’s Official Photographer In The Frame

For decades, British photographer Mick Rock has been one of the best known visual chroniclers of the music scene — and not just because his name could hardly be more a propos.

Rock has photographed everyone from Queen to Lou Reed to Iggy Pop to Pink Floyd founder Syd Barrett to David Bowie, for whom he worked as official photographer back in the ’70s. Now, the “snapper” is himself in the frame thanks to the new, Barnaby Clay-directed documentary, Shot! The Psycho-Spiritual Mantra of Rock, which is released in theaters, and via VOD, Amazon Video, and iTunes,  April 7.

How Mick Rock, Music Photographer, Spends His Sundays

There is no slowing down for the British photographer Mick Rock, who has spent some 50 years capturing images of pop and rock stars like David Bowie, Ellie Goulding, Janelle Monáe and Lou Reed. Between shoots, Mr. Rock, 68, edits his photography books and travels all over the world to attend his exhibition openings. A documentary about his life, “SHOT! The Psycho-Spiritual Mantra of Rock,” will be released on April 7 by Magnolia Pictures. Mr. Rock lives in Livingston, Staten Island, with his wife, Pati, who works in real estate, and their two Maine coon cats, Bellini and Razor. (more…)

There is no slowing down for the British photographer Mick Rock, who has spent some 50 years capturing images of pop and rock stars like David Bowie, Ellie Goulding, Janelle Monáe and Lou Reed. Between shoots, Mr. Rock, 68, edits his photography books and travels all over the world to attend his exhibition openings. A documentary about his life, “SHOT! The Psycho-Spiritual Mantra of Rock,” will be released on April 7 by Magnolia Pictures. Mr. Rock lives in Livingston, Staten Island, with his wife, Pati, who works in real estate, and their two Maine coon cats, Bellini and Razor.

AN EXTRA HOUR I’m usually up by 10. It’s an hour later than usual, but I can do it on a Sunday, and it’s a nice indulgence. Pati wakes up an hour or two before me.

SHAKE IT UP I head downstairs to make a protein shake. I never used to eat breakfast, but Gabrielle Francis, this amazing woman on Grand Street who is a chiropractor, acupuncturist, massage therapist and nutritionist all in one, and who I’ve been seeing for three years, has gotten me into the habit of having this shake first thing in the morning.

MORNING MANTRAS A big benefit of living in Staten Island is the amount of space Pati and I have. This includes a huge bedroom, and I use the floor area in there to do a 75-minute yoga routine. I start with meditation, then stand on my head for about 10 minutes and then go through various postures. I finish with chanting mantras I’ve learned over the last 18 years that I’ve been practicing Kundalini yoga.

CHILL Right after yoga, I take a hot shower, but I always end with a cold rinse which gives me a boost of energy. I wear jeans and either a black T-shirt, denim shirt or black sweater, depending on the weather, and I’m dressed for the day. I head back downstairs and have a cup of coffee.

TURN BLUE Around 2, we get out of the house for a late brunch. Normally, we go to this place called Blue. I haven’t eaten meat for over 40 years. I may get a veggie burger with sweet potato fries, cereal, a salad or an egg white omelet with toast. Pati eats everything, so she may get bacon and eggs or sausage with pancakes and maybe a glass of wine. There’s no wine for me because I don’t drink alcohol.

STROLL AND SHOOT We like going on a long walk when we’re done with brunch and tend to head to Snug Harbor Cultural Center to get our fix. It’s near our house and used to be a home for sailors but now has a beautiful Chinese garden, a theater, a gallery and tons of areas for walking. I like taking pictures during our stroll. Tree shots are a favorite, but I also take snaps of ponds, bridges, plants or anything else that catches my eyes. Sometimes, I’ll take the pictures with my iPhone camera or else I’ll carry my Canon G1 X.

COUCH TIME We’ll watch football when it’s in season and watch movies, too, like black-and-white film noir, documentaries or anything with Humphrey Bogart. Bellini and Razor sit with us while we watch. They like to be petted.

MAN AT WORK I hit work again in the early evening. Rock photography is a big deal compared with when I started, and the art of it is much more appreciated, both from a monetary and artistic perspective. This is good for me, but it means that I rarely get a full day off.

JAZZY DINNER Pati will cook for us. There’s some fish for me and maybe chicken or red meat for her. Pasta is sometimes on the menu, and she gets jazzy with vegetables; it could be roasted brussels sprouts or heirloom carrots with ginger.

NIGHTTIME NEWS Sunday evenings are for reading, usually The New York Times. Pati reads the entire paper, and I read the Book Review, Sunday Review, Sports and Arts & Leisure. She heads to bed at 11, and I wander upstairs around midnight. Two decades ago, I used to stay up all night, but, considering I’m in my late 60s, I still think of myself as a night owl.

“Mind Your Meds” Campaign Wins Gold at First Cannes Lions Health Awards

Integrated Campaign Created by Hill Holliday for The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids Wins Only U.S. Gold Lion Award in the Pharma Category.

The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, a nonprofit dedicated to reducing teen substance abuse and supporting families impacted by addiction, and agency Hill Holliday, were honored with a Gold Lion at the first ever Lions Health Awards for the public service campaign “Mind Your Meds.” The campaign was developed by Hill Holliday for the Partnership as part of its Medicine Abuse Project.

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Integrated Campaign Created by Hill Holliday for The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids Wins Only U.S. Gold Lion Award in the Pharma Category.

The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, a nonprofit dedicated to reducing teen substance abuse and supporting families impacted by addiction, and agency Hill Holliday, were honored with a Gold Lion at the first ever Lions Health Awards for the public service campaign "Mind Your Meds." The campaign was developed by Hill Holliday for the Partnership as part of its Medicine Abuse Project.

The "Mind Your Meds" TV spots were directed by actor/director Eric Stoltz and were designed to raise awareness about the issue of teen medicine abuse. The campaign uses haunting imagery to suggest that you might not always know who's taking your medication. The spots portray an adult opening a bathroom cabinet for medication. When the mirrored door closes, the reflection is that of a teenager, the implicit message being, "mind your meds."

"Winning a gold Lion is obviously fantastic, but helping to raise awareness and stop prescription medicine abuse among kids is even better, " said Lance Jensen, Chief Creative Officer at Hill Holliday. "We get up every day hoping our creative work makes a difference for our clients. When the rest of the world notices too, it reminds us why we're in this business."

The win represents more than a creative award. The inaugural Cannes Lions Health Festival addressed the rapidly changing state of health care marketing and highlighted the power of " life-changing creativity" in a growing category, encouraging those in the industry to seek creative satisfaction in doing work that does good.

Teen medicine abuse is a pervasive and devastating problem, with one in four teens admitting to using a prescription drug to get high or change their mood. Most teens who report medicine abuse say they get those medications from their family or friends. The Medicine Abuse Project is a multi-year effort led by the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids and is designed to help combat this public health crisis deemed an "epidemic" by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"To be recognized with a Gold Lion by the prestigious Lions Health Awards is not only an incredible honor, but it is exceptionally timely and important as the devastating problem of medicine abuse is more prevalent and deadly than ever," said Steve Pasierb, President and CEO of The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids. "It has been an honor to work with Hill Holliday on this important initiative that has educated parents about what they can do to prevent the problem that is affecting millions of people and families across the country."

The first ever Cannes Lions Health festival honors the best in creative healthcare communications. The festival took place on June 13 and 14, 2014 at the famous Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France. In the event's inaugural year, 800 people from 50 countries gathered to share, judge and celebrate the life-changing creativity of the world's best healthcare communications. "Mind Your Meds" was the only campaign from the United States to win a Gold Lion at the awards.

Director Eric Stoltz is affiliated with Disorderly Conduct, the Los Angeles-based commercial production company headed by Kate Cohen, Marisa Polvino and Executive Producer Ron Cicero who helped make the "Mind Your Meds" campaign possible. Disorderly Conduct is a division of Straight Up Films, the feature film company co-producing Transcendence with Johnny Depp as well as the Natalie Portman film Jane Got a Gun.

About the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids

The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids is dedicated to reducing teen substance abuse and supporting families impacted by addiction. We develop public education campaigns that drive awareness of teen substance abuse, and lead teen-targeted efforts that inspire young people to make positive decisions to stay healthy and avoid drugs and alcohol. On our website, drugfree.org, and through our toll-free helpline (1-855-DRUGFREE), we provide families with direct support and guidance to help them address teen substance abuse. Finally, we build healthy communities, advocating for great access to adolescent treatment and funding for youth prevention programs. As a national nonprofit, we depend on donations from individuals, corporations, foundations and the public sector and are thankful to SAG-AFTRA and the advertising and media industries for their ongoing generosity.

About Hill Holliday

Hill Holliday is proud to be among the top creative marketing agencies in the country, with 950 employees across its network. We work on some of the nation's largest and most respected brands, and our success came by putting people and ideas first. We were founded in 1968 and today we bring unbeatable talent and expertise to every area of modern communications on behalf of industry leaders like Cadillac, Verizon Wireless, Bank of America, Dunkin' Donuts, (RED), John Hancock, Major League Baseball, TJX, Merrell, Capella University, Chili's, Novartis, Great Wolf Resorts and WHOLE WORLD Water. For more about our people, our work, and our culture, please visit http://www.hhcc.com.

Disorderly Conduct’s Eric Stoltz wins Gold Lion for Hill Holliday

Noted actor and television director (Glee, Nashville, Believe) Eric Stoltz has broken into the commercial space: with a Gold Lion. The Mind Your Meds campaign, for Hill Holliday and The Partnership at DrugFree.org‘s Medicine Abuse Project, is Stoltz’s first foray into the spot arena. He signed with production boutique Disorderly Conduct just last year.

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Noted actor and television director (Glee, Nashville, Believe) Eric Stoltz has broken into the commercial space: with a Gold Lion. The Mind Your Meds campaign, for Hill Holliday and The Partnership at DrugFree.org's Medicine Abuse Project, is Stoltz's first foray into the spot arena. He signed with production boutique Disorderly Conduct just last year.

“We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to give back, do what we love with our talented friends at Hill Holliday AND launch Eric’s career in commercials in such a significant way,” said Ron Cicero, EP at Disorderly Conduct.

The spot aims to encourage safeguarding of prescription medication in American homes. One of two spots can be seen here: https://vimeo.com/74317830  AdAge reports his involvement was motivated, in part, by the death of Glee star Cory Monteith last year.

This is the first year for Lions Health at Cannes , the world’s largest healthcare communications awards. Out of 1,400 entries, only 66 were awarded.

Disorderly Conduct, headed by Co-CEOs Kate Cohen and Marisa Polvino, and EP Ron Cicero, is a boutique production company based out of Santa Monica. The shop currently represents directors Brett Foraker, Jan Wentz, Jesse Moss, Daniel Levi, Luis Gerard, and Francesco Calabrese. Sister company Straight Up Films, recently released Wally Pfister's Transcendence, and just wrapped production on Gavin O’Conner’s Jane Got a Gun. 

How To Go ‘Straight Up’ With Production

Founded in 2008 by Marisa Polvino and Kate Cohen, Straight Up Films has productions starring the likes of Johnny Depp and Natalie Portman, and SUF produced “Manos Sucias,” which premiered at the Tribeca Film Fest; the film’s director Josef Wladyka walked away with a best new narrative helmer nod. (more…)

Founded in 2008 by Marisa Polvino and Kate Cohen, Straight Up Films has productions starring the likes of Johnny Depp and Natalie Portman, and SUF produced “Manos Sucias,” which premiered at the Tribeca Film Fest; the film's director Josef Wladyka walked away with a best new narrative helmer nod.

“Manos Sucias” was shot in Colombia. What advice do you have about producing outside of the U.S.?
MP: It is vitally important to acquaint oneself with the local film community whenever you are shooting overseas. They are incredibly helpful in making introductions to the best crew, equipment, and locations available. They also understand and will advise on the local cultures and nuances associated with filming in that territory. There are a multitude of tax advantages around the world, and doing the necessary amount of research while choosing a location can help reduce your negative cost and mitigate risk.

What was the biggest challenge about starting a production company?
MP: Finding the right partner and subsequent team members whose collective vision for the company, taste in material, and future goals are aligned. It’s very difficult to grow and be successful in this business when the people you are working with put their own agendas first. Filmmaking is a very collaborative process, and finding the right people to work with is essential.

What advice do you have for women who want to produce or start their own production companies?
MP: Just go out and do it already, and don’t let anyone stop you. It is a humbling and empowering journey being a woman in this industry today, but that being said, none of us have any excuses. The business of making movies is a difficult world for everyone, not just women. We don’t make a habit of thinking of ourselves as “women in the industry.”

What can actors do to make your job easier?
KC: We’ve been so fortunate to work with some of the most capable and professional actors out there. I don’t know if anyone can make the job easy, but they certainly make it rewarding with their incredible talent and dedication to bringing the characters we love to life.

What types of projects do you hope to add to your résumé? Actors you’d love to work on a production with?
MP: Our selection process is extremely filmmaker and story driven, as well as curating commercial projects that reach across several media platforms. We have taken chances with first-time film directors, like Wally Pfister on “Transcendence,” but are also working with more seasoned filmmakers. We would love to work with Steve McQueen, Wes Anderson, David O. Russell, Benh Zeitlin, David Lynch, Tarantino (of course), PTA, Spike Jonze. We would also love to work with more female directors: Sofia Coppola, Kathryn Bigelow, Dee Rees.

We have worked with some fantastic actors. In the future, it would be amazing to work with Rebecca Hall again, as well Cate Blanchett, who also wants to direct. Other actors on our dream list are diverse as well, but some actors that come to mind who continually amaze us with their talent would be Michael Fassbender, Christoph Waltz, Sean Penn, Marion Cotillard, Helen Mirren, Elizabeth Olsen, Kate Winslet, Rooney Mara, Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba… There is a world of talent out there, our list could go on!

What do you have on deck for future projects?
KC: I would love to find a smart psychological thriller to add to our slate, but I’m open to almost all genres. We don’t like limiting ourselves and potentially missing out on something truly amazing.

‘Transcendence’ Producers Nab Rights to Sci-Fi Novel ‘Thirteen’ (Exclusive)

Kenny Golde is adapting the film, which is being produced by Straight-Up Films’ Kate Cohen and Marisa Polvino along with Vinson Films’ Tripp Vinson.

Transcendence producers Kate Cohen and Marisa Polvinoare heading back to the future.

The Straight-Up Films duo, who developed and produced the Johnny Depp vehicle, have acquired the rights to the futuristic noir thriller Thirteen.

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Kenny Golde is adapting the film, which is being produced by Straight-Up Films' Kate Cohen and Marisa Polvino along with Vinson Films' Tripp Vinson.

Transcendence producers Kate Cohen and Marisa Polvinoare heading back to the future.

The Straight-Up Films duo, who developed and produced the Johnny Depp vehicle, have acquired the rights to the futuristic noir thriller Thirteen.

Written by Richard K. Morgan, the novel was first published 2008 and won the prestigious Arthur C. Clarke Award for science fiction literature. Morgan previously won the Philip K. Dick Award for distinguished science fiction writing.

Kenny Golde will write the screenplay. He most recently adapted Isaac Asimov’s sci-fi thriller End of Eternity for New Regency and is the writer of Forsaken, which is set up with Hyde Park and Parkes/MacDonald with Jean-Luc Herbulot attached to direct. Golde also penned the indie World War II film Walking With the Enemy, which is currently in theaters.

Cohen and Polvino are producing Thirteen alongside Tripp Vinson through his Vinson Films. Vinson brought the novel to Cohen and Polvino. Lisa Zambri will executive produce.

Cohen also wrote and produced the Nick Stahl/Alicia Witt drama Away From Here, which Polvino executive produced. Polvino previously produced The Education of Charlie Banks and Brooklyn Rules.

Vinson has several projects in varying stages of production including Solace, starring Colin FarrellAnthony Hopkins and Abbie Cornish in post-production; the Dwayne Johnson actioner San Andreas, which is currently filming; and is beginning production this week on the thriller Eloise, featuring the directorial debut of Oscar-winning visual effects supervisor Robert Legato (TitanicHugo). On the television side, Vinson executive produces the hit CBS series Intelligence.

Golde is repped by APA, manager Jon Karas and attorney Darren Trattner.

Morgan was handled by Alan Nevins of Renaissance Literary & Talent.

Film Vets Launch Production Studio Disorderly Conduct

Today the principals at Straight Up, Films – the studio behind the upcoming Johnny Depp Warner Bros. flick “Transcendence” – formally launched their production studio/commercial division.

Operating under the Disorderly Conduct moniker, the new division will be run by Straight Up producers Kate CohenMarisa Polvino, and Ron Cicero.

From the release, the principals started the studio to “…collaborate with leading advertising agencies and entertainment brands to create commercial content”, directed by ad/entertainment vets who the D|C team spent the last year recruiting.

That lineup’s collective portfolio includes work for Panasonic, Lexus, Playstation, Axe, DirecTV and more, as well as episodes of “Glee”, “House” and other shows. These directors have created spots for Weiden & KennedyTeamOne180Y&R and JWT.

Polvino says the launch makes sense because “Feature film directors are coming to the space from all arenas” and “Commercial directors in particular are directing material that’s incredibly cinematic” – like the D|C/Global Hue Jeep spot after the jump.

Watch: Log On To ‘Transcendence’ With 2 Viral Videos, Featurette And A Hard Drive Of New Pics

We’re just a few weeks out from its release date and the marketing roll-out for “Transcendence,” Wally Pfister’s directorial debut, is just kicking into high gear. Warner Bros. has released a pair of viral videos to hook you in the struggle of mankind versus an omniscient technological consciousness.

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We’re just a few weeks out from its release date and the marketing roll-out for “Transcendence,” Wally Pfister’s directorial debut, is just kicking into high gear. Warner Bros. has released a pair of viral videos to hook you in the struggle of mankind versus an omniscient technological consciousness.

First up, a pair of videos from the viral marketing campaign centered on the guerilla group led by Kate Mara in the film, R.I.F.T. (or Revolutionary Independence From Technology). Johnny Depp, with some help from Rebecca Hall and Paul Bettany, is on the cusp of creating the singularity, an AI so advanced that it’s beyond anything the world has ever seen and has the potential to alter human history forever. Naturally, R.I.F.T. fears what awaits mankind on the other side of the technological singularity and uses various tactics -- including violence -- to stop the relentless forward march of technology and science. These two videos -- both hovering around the twenty-second mark -- take on the zeal of propaganda that’s decidedly from the anti-A.I. view, especially with the appearance of a banner reading: “Humans Are Born, Not Programmed.” Is the group just a band of luddite terrorists or are they really the last line of defense against our own self-inflicted doom?

The studio has also released a short featurette that runs over two minutes with some short interviews with Hall, Pfister and Morgan Freeman as well as some more footage from the film. Check out the featurette, the two viral ads and a batch of new stills from the film below. “Transcendence” takes over a theater near you on April 17th.

Take My Bro, Please: ‘Someone Marry Barry,’ a Gross-Out Rom-Com

For a gross-out movie, “Someone Marry Barry” has a respectable number of genuinely funny moments. Over all, it’s still kind of crass and lowbrow, showing a particular obsession with flatulence, but there’s a good-heartedness to it that somehow overrides your gut instinct to stop watching.

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For a gross-out movie, “Someone Marry Barry” has a respectable number of genuinely funny moments. Over all, it’s still kind of crass and lowbrow, showing a particular obsession with flatulence, but there’s a good-heartedness to it that somehow overrides your gut instinct to stop watching.

Tyler Labine is Barry, a lunk who lacks the social filters most of us have and is thus constantly embarrassing his three best friends (Thomas Middleditch, Hayes MacArthur and Damon Wayans Jr.). They decide that the best way to solve this persistent problem is to find a wife for Barry, so that he can become her problem.

That leads to some matchmaking scenes, including a speed-dating sequence, that look borrowed from a zillion other movies of this ilk. But things perk up once Barry meets Melanie (Lucy Punch), a female version of himself in terms of inappropriateness.

Mr. Labine and Ms. Punch find a workable comic chemistry, and the script by Rob Pearlstein (who also directed) gives Barry’s buddies some amusing bits as well. There’s nothing sophisticated or groundbreaking here, but the movie is a moderately good entry in the bro-grows-up genre.

Johnny Depp’s ‘Transcendence’ Gets New Trailer

Warner Bros. has released the a second official trailer for Johnny Depp’s sci-fier “Transcendence,” two months before its April 17 opening.

Depp portrays a researcher who is uploaded into a computer in the near future after being shot by an anti-technology terrorist group RIFT — Revolutionary Independence From Technology. “My mind has been set free,” Depp explains.

Paul Bettany, Rebecca Hall and Morgan Freeman also star, with Wally Pfister helming and Alcon producing and financing in association with DMG Entertainment. Producers are Broderick Johnson, Andrew Kosove, Kate Cohen, Marisa Polvino, Annie Marter, David Valdes and Aaron Ryder.

The experiment apparently goes wrong as an ultra-serious Freeman intones, “If we don’t stop him, it will be the end of mankind as we know it.”

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