Gwen Stefani always had aspirations to get into the film industry. But she got her first start in Hollywood in a big way by landing a Martin Scorsese movie.
How Gwen Stefani ended up in ‘The Aviator’ Gwen Stefani | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
Stefani got the opportunity she’d always been dreaming of when she was cast in Scorsese’s The Aviator. She joined a cast that included Leonardo DiCaprio, who played eccentric innovator Howard Hughes. But she didn’t do the film on a whim. The singer asserted that doing movies was always something she wanted to explore.
“I’ve been trying out for movies for years,” she once told MTV News. “Because it all comes from the same place, all the creative things inside you, and I’ve wanted to do it for a long time. But when you’re touring and writing and busy, you can’t compete...
How Gwen Stefani ended up in ‘The Aviator’ Gwen Stefani | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
Stefani got the opportunity she’d always been dreaming of when she was cast in Scorsese’s The Aviator. She joined a cast that included Leonardo DiCaprio, who played eccentric innovator Howard Hughes. But she didn’t do the film on a whim. The singer asserted that doing movies was always something she wanted to explore.
“I’ve been trying out for movies for years,” she once told MTV News. “Because it all comes from the same place, all the creative things inside you, and I’ve wanted to do it for a long time. But when you’re touring and writing and busy, you can’t compete...
- 2/16/2024
- by Antonio Stallings
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Fresh off her hit “Padam Padam,” Kylie Minogue has dropped her new single and title track from her upcoming 16th studio album Tension.
Like its predecessor, “Tension” features the electro-pop, ready-to-remix, featuring sexy lyrics from the Australian singer ready for a DJ set at queer bars. “Don’t be shy, boy, I don’t bite/You know where, touch me right, ta-ta/Oh my god, touch me right there.”
Minogue co-wrote the new track with Kamille, Anya Jones, and Jon Green, along with producers Biff Stannard and Duck Blackwell. She...
Like its predecessor, “Tension” features the electro-pop, ready-to-remix, featuring sexy lyrics from the Australian singer ready for a DJ set at queer bars. “Don’t be shy, boy, I don’t bite/You know where, touch me right, ta-ta/Oh my god, touch me right there.”
Minogue co-wrote the new track with Kamille, Anya Jones, and Jon Green, along with producers Biff Stannard and Duck Blackwell. She...
- 8/31/2023
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Prepare to dance.
Kylie Minogue’s latest infectious club-banger, “Padam, Padam“, has been unleashed for the world to enjoy along with a music video.
The glittering Australian dancefloor diva reclaims her electropop throne with the dance-worthy banger, “Padam, Padam.” Produced by Lostboy, the song delivers a captivating blend of catchy hooks and pulsating beats.
Read More: Robbie Williams Says He ‘Messed Up’ Potential Romance With Kylie Minogue
The music video, which was shot in LA and directed by Sophie Muller, sees the pop icon clad in an all-red ensemble as she captivates the camera with choreography alongside a slew of talented dancers.
Minogue is set to unveil her new album, Tension, on September 22. The album is said to be packed with dancefloor-igniting jams and alluring pop cuts. On several tracks, the album also collaborates with Minogue’s long-time producers, Biff Stannard and Duck Blackwell.
Read More: Kylie Minogue Reportedly In...
Kylie Minogue’s latest infectious club-banger, “Padam, Padam“, has been unleashed for the world to enjoy along with a music video.
The glittering Australian dancefloor diva reclaims her electropop throne with the dance-worthy banger, “Padam, Padam.” Produced by Lostboy, the song delivers a captivating blend of catchy hooks and pulsating beats.
Read More: Robbie Williams Says He ‘Messed Up’ Potential Romance With Kylie Minogue
The music video, which was shot in LA and directed by Sophie Muller, sees the pop icon clad in an all-red ensemble as she captivates the camera with choreography alongside a slew of talented dancers.
Minogue is set to unveil her new album, Tension, on September 22. The album is said to be packed with dancefloor-igniting jams and alluring pop cuts. On several tracks, the album also collaborates with Minogue’s long-time producers, Biff Stannard and Duck Blackwell.
Read More: Kylie Minogue Reportedly In...
- 5/18/2023
- by Emerson Pearson
- ET Canada
Fresh off her “New Artist of the Year” win at the American Music Awards, Olivia Rodrigo is teaming up with Dolby Atmos to help fans experience music in a whole new way as well. The singer appears in a new campaign for Dolby, performing a stripped-down version of her latest single, “Traitor,” while revealing intimate details about the songwriting process behind the song.
Rodrigo, who also performed “Traitor” at the AMAs, teamed up with Dolby to showcase the company’s Dolby Atmos technology, which helps deliver music that is more...
Rodrigo, who also performed “Traitor” at the AMAs, teamed up with Dolby to showcase the company’s Dolby Atmos technology, which helps deliver music that is more...
- 11/22/2021
- by Tim Chan
- Rollingstone.com
Selena Gomez fully leaned into Spanish-language pop on Revelación, the lithe, seven-song EP that saw her team up with reggaeton stars like Rauw Alejandro and Myke Towers. She follows a similar, air-light sound on “999,” a new collaboration with Colombian singer-songwriter Camilo.
Gomez’s breathy vocals fit seamlessly with Camilo’s unique tenor that it’s almost hard to tell them apart at certain points in the song. Camilo wrote “999” and produced it alongside Edgar Barrera and A.C. The video, directed by Sophie Muller, plays into the easygoing...
Gomez’s breathy vocals fit seamlessly with Camilo’s unique tenor that it’s almost hard to tell them apart at certain points in the song. Camilo wrote “999” and produced it alongside Edgar Barrera and A.C. The video, directed by Sophie Muller, plays into the easygoing...
- 8/27/2021
- by Julyssa Lopez
- Rollingstone.com
Fresh off the release of their greatest hits compilation, the White Stripes have revealed the full video of their From the Basement performance.
The performance was recorded in November 2005 at London’s Maida Vale Studios, made by Basement co-creator Nigel Godrich and director Sophie Muller. It originally aired on the series’ pilot in 2007, alongside performances by Thom Yorke (later, Radiohead released In Rainbows — From the Basement and The King of Limbs: Live from the Basement).
The duo’s set consists of tracks from 2005’s Get Behind Me Satan, including “Blue Orchid,...
The performance was recorded in November 2005 at London’s Maida Vale Studios, made by Basement co-creator Nigel Godrich and director Sophie Muller. It originally aired on the series’ pilot in 2007, alongside performances by Thom Yorke (later, Radiohead released In Rainbows — From the Basement and The King of Limbs: Live from the Basement).
The duo’s set consists of tracks from 2005’s Get Behind Me Satan, including “Blue Orchid,...
- 2/17/2021
- by Angie Martoccio
- Rollingstone.com
In keeping with the Disco theme of her new album, Kylie Minogue performed “Magic” with some Studio 54 flair on The Late Show Wednesday night.
Performing in front of a colorful, ever-changing backdrop, the pop star largely let the music speak for itself, strutting her stuff on stage alone in a black-and-silver reflective dress. Despite the lack of audience due to social distancing, Minogue made the pre-taped performance feel as close to a dreamy disco romp as possible: “Don’t know if I’m awake or dreaming/There must be...
Performing in front of a colorful, ever-changing backdrop, the pop star largely let the music speak for itself, strutting her stuff on stage alone in a black-and-silver reflective dress. Despite the lack of audience due to social distancing, Minogue made the pre-taped performance feel as close to a dreamy disco romp as possible: “Don’t know if I’m awake or dreaming/There must be...
- 11/12/2020
- by Claire Shaffer
- Rollingstone.com
Kylie Minogue has dropped her new single.
The 52-year-old singer released a new song called ‘Magic’, the second single from her forthcoming album ‘Disco’.
Taking to twitter, Minogue revealed details from the track earlier this week. She also shared the single's artwork; a retro, technicolour-filtered shot of herself.
“I’m so proud of this album,” she tweeted about the upcoming record. “And I can’t wait for you to hear it.”
Yes!!! My brand new album Disco is available to pre-order now! I'm so proud of this album, and I can't wait for you to hear it ✨ #KylieDisco ✨ https://t.co/DG7QnS1mmJ pic.twitter.com/81ZtqvuOjf
— Kylie Minogue (@kylieminogue) July 22, 2020
The glittery music video for ‘Magic’ premiered on Friday, September 25.
'Magic' was reportedly shot at London’s iconic Fabric nightclub and is directed by Kylie Minogue’s frequent collaborator Sophie Muller, who has previously collaborated on videos with Maroon 5, Gwen Stefani,...
The 52-year-old singer released a new song called ‘Magic’, the second single from her forthcoming album ‘Disco’.
Taking to twitter, Minogue revealed details from the track earlier this week. She also shared the single's artwork; a retro, technicolour-filtered shot of herself.
“I’m so proud of this album,” she tweeted about the upcoming record. “And I can’t wait for you to hear it.”
Yes!!! My brand new album Disco is available to pre-order now! I'm so proud of this album, and I can't wait for you to hear it ✨ #KylieDisco ✨ https://t.co/DG7QnS1mmJ pic.twitter.com/81ZtqvuOjf
— Kylie Minogue (@kylieminogue) July 22, 2020
The glittery music video for ‘Magic’ premiered on Friday, September 25.
'Magic' was reportedly shot at London’s iconic Fabric nightclub and is directed by Kylie Minogue’s frequent collaborator Sophie Muller, who has previously collaborated on videos with Maroon 5, Gwen Stefani,...
- 9/26/2020
- by Omkar Padte
- GlamSham
Kylie Minogue hits the dance floor in her new video for “Magic,” the second single off the singer’s upcoming new album Disco.
The video for “Magic” — directed by Sophie Muller who doubles as the album’s visual director — was filmed at London’s famed Fabric nightclub; while Disco will arrive amid a pandemic, leaving venues like Fabric empty, Minogue wanted “to gave fans a moment of escapism to celebrate on a fantasy dance floor.”
“You got me started / Ain’t nothing on earth can stop it / It’s crazy,...
The video for “Magic” — directed by Sophie Muller who doubles as the album’s visual director — was filmed at London’s famed Fabric nightclub; while Disco will arrive amid a pandemic, leaving venues like Fabric empty, Minogue wanted “to gave fans a moment of escapism to celebrate on a fantasy dance floor.”
“You got me started / Ain’t nothing on earth can stop it / It’s crazy,...
- 9/24/2020
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Six weeks before the release of her Disco, Kylie Minogue brought the new single “Say Something” to The Tonight Show Wednesday.
For the virtual performance — while Jimmy Fallon and the Roots have returned to their studio, guests are still visiting via video — Minogue replicated her sparkly “Say Something” video while utilizing VHS Efx.
Minogue tweeted that the performance captured its authentically Eighties look by filming on “an Eighties BBC news camera,” with the singer also “wearing an Antony Price dress from 1983!”
Disco is Minogue’s 15th album and her first since 2018’s country-inspired,...
For the virtual performance — while Jimmy Fallon and the Roots have returned to their studio, guests are still visiting via video — Minogue replicated her sparkly “Say Something” video while utilizing VHS Efx.
Minogue tweeted that the performance captured its authentically Eighties look by filming on “an Eighties BBC news camera,” with the singer also “wearing an Antony Price dress from 1983!”
Disco is Minogue’s 15th album and her first since 2018’s country-inspired,...
- 9/17/2020
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
In today’s TV news roundup, Netflix revealed the trailer for its drama series “Away,” and OWN announced a post-finale special for “Greenleaf.”
Renewals
Quibi announced that “NighGowns,” the documentary performance series, has been renewed for a second season. The series’ first season follows the personal and artistic lives of Sasha Velour and other drag artists as they prepare their own lip-sync performances, while the numbers in season two will center around a single collective narrative. It will also include an international cast of drag performers. The show will continue with executive producers Velour and Sophie Muller, while members of the season one cast will be creative consultants.
First Looks
Netflix has unveiled the trailer for its new drama, “Away,” set to premiere Sept. 4 on the streaming platform. The show’s plot centers around an international crew’s voyage to Mars, helmed by U.S. astronaut Emma Green (Hilary Swank...
Renewals
Quibi announced that “NighGowns,” the documentary performance series, has been renewed for a second season. The series’ first season follows the personal and artistic lives of Sasha Velour and other drag artists as they prepare their own lip-sync performances, while the numbers in season two will center around a single collective narrative. It will also include an international cast of drag performers. The show will continue with executive producers Velour and Sophie Muller, while members of the season one cast will be creative consultants.
First Looks
Netflix has unveiled the trailer for its new drama, “Away,” set to premiere Sept. 4 on the streaming platform. The show’s plot centers around an international crew’s voyage to Mars, helmed by U.S. astronaut Emma Green (Hilary Swank...
- 8/10/2020
- by Eli Countryman
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Sasha Velour is ready to take us on another journey with the beauty and art drag. Quibi has renewed the critically acclaimed docuseries NightGowns for season 2.
NightGowns debuted in April become one of the most beautiful and engaging series releases on the short-form mobile streaming platform. Produced by the Oscar-nominated team at The Documentary Group, each episode of NightGowns gave us a behind-the-scenes look from the titular drag show. The series takes us on a journey of the personal lives and artistic practices of one performer, culminating in an epic lip-sync number directed by renowned music video director, Sophie Muller, who is set return as an executive producer.
“The NightGowns cast and I are ready to give you more shows!” said Velour in regards to the second season. “This time, building off what we’ve learned, we are dreaming up something even bigger, more global,...
NightGowns debuted in April become one of the most beautiful and engaging series releases on the short-form mobile streaming platform. Produced by the Oscar-nominated team at The Documentary Group, each episode of NightGowns gave us a behind-the-scenes look from the titular drag show. The series takes us on a journey of the personal lives and artistic practices of one performer, culminating in an epic lip-sync number directed by renowned music video director, Sophie Muller, who is set return as an executive producer.
“The NightGowns cast and I are ready to give you more shows!” said Velour in regards to the second season. “This time, building off what we’ve learned, we are dreaming up something even bigger, more global,...
- 8/10/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Two weeks after Kylie Minogue released her new song “Say Something,” the singer has paired the single with a sparkling video directed by Sophie Muller.
Keeping with the Disco theme of her new album and song’s lyrics, the visual finds Minogue and her dancers grooving to “Say Something” in front of an interstellar backdrop, with the pop singer sometimes delivering the track from atop a horse statue.
“We’re a million miles apart/In a thousand ways,” Minogue sings on the upbeat, introspective track. “Baby you can light up the dark/Like a solar-scape.
Keeping with the Disco theme of her new album and song’s lyrics, the visual finds Minogue and her dancers grooving to “Say Something” in front of an interstellar backdrop, with the pop singer sometimes delivering the track from atop a horse statue.
“We’re a million miles apart/In a thousand ways,” Minogue sings on the upbeat, introspective track. “Baby you can light up the dark/Like a solar-scape.
- 8/7/2020
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Kylie Minogue has released the first single from her upcoming album Disco, arriving November 6th.
The song, “Say Something,” is an introspective dance track with lyrics that feel pertinent for our quarantine days: “We’re a million miles apart in a thousand ways…Love is love it never ends, can we all be as one again?” Minogue produced the track with long-time collaborator Biff Stannard.
Disco is Minogue’s 15th album and her first since 2018’s Golden. According to a press release, the visual concepts for the album were created...
The song, “Say Something,” is an introspective dance track with lyrics that feel pertinent for our quarantine days: “We’re a million miles apart in a thousand ways…Love is love it never ends, can we all be as one again?” Minogue produced the track with long-time collaborator Biff Stannard.
Disco is Minogue’s 15th album and her first since 2018’s Golden. According to a press release, the visual concepts for the album were created...
- 7/23/2020
- by Claire Shaffer
- Rollingstone.com
After months of anticipation, mobile-only streaming service Quibi will launch Monday with dozens of titles, all served up in “quick bites” of 10 minutes or less. Among them are eight documentaries, including one from Brent Hodge following small-town corruption allegations and another from producer Lena Waithe about sneaker culture.
Additionally, IndieWire has exclusively learned of new non-fiction efforts in development at Quibi from documentary luminaries Marina Zenovich (“Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired”), Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady (“Jesus Camp”), Morgan Neville (“Twenty Feet From Stardom”), Amy Berg (“Deliver Us From Evil”), and Chris Moukarbel (“Me at the Zoo”).
More from IndieWireQuibi Is the $1.75 Billion Gamble No One Can Predict -- AnalysisStreaming Wars: Quibi Faces Its Ultimate Test, 'Big Little Lies' Starts a Trend, and 'Tiger King' Roars
Quibi also has projects in the pipeline from Jon Kasbe, Joanna Natasegara and Orlando Von Einsiedel, Julie Goldman, and Alex Gibney’s Jigsaw Productions.
Additionally, IndieWire has exclusively learned of new non-fiction efforts in development at Quibi from documentary luminaries Marina Zenovich (“Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired”), Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady (“Jesus Camp”), Morgan Neville (“Twenty Feet From Stardom”), Amy Berg (“Deliver Us From Evil”), and Chris Moukarbel (“Me at the Zoo”).
More from IndieWireQuibi Is the $1.75 Billion Gamble No One Can Predict -- AnalysisStreaming Wars: Quibi Faces Its Ultimate Test, 'Big Little Lies' Starts a Trend, and 'Tiger King' Roars
Quibi also has projects in the pipeline from Jon Kasbe, Joanna Natasegara and Orlando Von Einsiedel, Julie Goldman, and Alex Gibney’s Jigsaw Productions.
- 4/5/2020
- by Chris Lindahl
- Indiewire
Love is in the air! When it comes to music's cutest couples, many are quick to put Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton high on the list. Between their chemistry on The Voice to their epic collaborations on tracks such as "Go Ahead and Break My Heart," there is plenty to love about these two artists. But earlier this week, the couple got hearts melting once again when they dropped their "Nobody But You" music video. In the final product, fans get a glimpse into their life together thanks to home videos. "Some things u just can't dream up," Gwen shared on Instagram. "The #NobodyButYou video is out now! Got to shoot it w my best friends @BlakeShelton & Sophie Muller....
- 1/22/2020
- E! Online
Selena Gomez has released a behind-the-scenes clip for the “Lose You to Love Me” music video featuring an interview at Delfino Studios in Sylmar, California; it was shot between takes for the video directed by Sophie Muller.
“I actually worked with Sophie on ‘Good for You,'” Gomez says, “and it was funny, because we were talking about how different I was then, as opposed to how I am now…Without giving too much away, I think she just knows where I was, and the journey I walked through. So...
“I actually worked with Sophie on ‘Good for You,'” Gomez says, “and it was funny, because we were talking about how different I was then, as opposed to how I am now…Without giving too much away, I think she just knows where I was, and the journey I walked through. So...
- 11/4/2019
- by Claire Shaffer
- Rollingstone.com
Selena Gomez has dropped her second new single of the week with the more upbeat, club-primed song, “Look at Her Now.” This single follows the self-love ballad, “Lose You to Love Me.”
Co-written by the singer with frequent collaborators Justin Tranter, Julia Michaels and Ian Kirkpatrick, “Look at Her Now” sounds like a Part Two to “Lose You to Love Me.” After recovering from a bad relationship and learning to love herself, Gomez is ready to move on completely. “She knows she’ll find love/Only if she wants it,...
Co-written by the singer with frequent collaborators Justin Tranter, Julia Michaels and Ian Kirkpatrick, “Look at Her Now” sounds like a Part Two to “Lose You to Love Me.” After recovering from a bad relationship and learning to love herself, Gomez is ready to move on completely. “She knows she’ll find love/Only if she wants it,...
- 10/24/2019
- by Brittany Spanos
- Rollingstone.com
Selena Gomez returns with self-love anthem, “Lose You to Love Me.” The singer’s last full-length album was 2015’s Revival.
Gomez reunited with frequent collaborators Justin Tranter and Julia Michaels for the piano ballad, which was also co-written by Swedish production and songwriting duo Mattman & Robin. Finneas, known best for his work with sister Billie Eilish, co-produced the song, which has Gomez reflecting on how her relationship with herself became better following the end of a toxic relationship.
“This song was inspired by many things that have happened in my...
Gomez reunited with frequent collaborators Justin Tranter and Julia Michaels for the piano ballad, which was also co-written by Swedish production and songwriting duo Mattman & Robin. Finneas, known best for his work with sister Billie Eilish, co-produced the song, which has Gomez reflecting on how her relationship with herself became better following the end of a toxic relationship.
“This song was inspired by many things that have happened in my...
- 10/23/2019
- by Brittany Spanos
- Rollingstone.com
Bebe Rexha has dropped a video for her song “You Can’t Stop the Girl,” the female empowerment theme from Disney’s forthcoming “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.”
Directed by Sophie Muller, the music video features scenes of Rexha reimagined as Maleficent and wandering through the film’s fantasy landscape, leading a marathon of women and snippets of the film. The variety of running women highlight body positivity, people with physical disabilities and racial diversity. Over the years Muller has directed videos for Beyoncé, Shakira, the Killers and No Doubt.
The wicked Disney sequel begins several years after the 2014 “Maleficent,” which retold the classic “Sleeping Beauty” from the perspective of the villain. The film follows the strained relationship between Princess Aurora (played by Elle Fanning “The Neon Demon”) and Maleficent (played by Angelina Jolie) amidst Aurora’s upcoming wedding and emerging alliances in the magical realm.
Jolie, Fanning, Sam Riley, Imelda Staunton,...
Directed by Sophie Muller, the music video features scenes of Rexha reimagined as Maleficent and wandering through the film’s fantasy landscape, leading a marathon of women and snippets of the film. The variety of running women highlight body positivity, people with physical disabilities and racial diversity. Over the years Muller has directed videos for Beyoncé, Shakira, the Killers and No Doubt.
The wicked Disney sequel begins several years after the 2014 “Maleficent,” which retold the classic “Sleeping Beauty” from the perspective of the villain. The film follows the strained relationship between Princess Aurora (played by Elle Fanning “The Neon Demon”) and Maleficent (played by Angelina Jolie) amidst Aurora’s upcoming wedding and emerging alliances in the magical realm.
Jolie, Fanning, Sam Riley, Imelda Staunton,...
- 10/16/2019
- by LaTesha Harris
- Variety Film + TV
Bebe Rexha has released the music video for “You Can’t Stop the Girl,” the theme for the upcoming Disney movie Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.
Directed by Sophie Muller, the clip combines the song’s themes of female empowerment with clips from the film and additional scenes of Bebe Rexha wandering through the movie’s fairytale forest landscape — along with soaring images of Los Angeles at sunset.
Rexha will appear in a behind-the-scenes profile of the video on Entertainment Tonight at 7:30 p.m. local time Tuesday, on CBS 2 in Los Angeles and New York.
Directed by Sophie Muller, the clip combines the song’s themes of female empowerment with clips from the film and additional scenes of Bebe Rexha wandering through the movie’s fairytale forest landscape — along with soaring images of Los Angeles at sunset.
Rexha will appear in a behind-the-scenes profile of the video on Entertainment Tonight at 7:30 p.m. local time Tuesday, on CBS 2 in Los Angeles and New York.
- 10/15/2019
- by Claire Shaffer
- Rollingstone.com
Bebe Rexha has released a new anthemic song for Maleficent: Mistress of Evil titled “You Can’t Stop the Girl.”
The song spins the story of Maleficent into a classic girl empowerment anthem (“They’re trying to take our voices/They’re trying to make our choices/So we scream loud, loud, loud”; “You can’t stop the girl from going/You can’t stop the world from knowing/The truth will set you free”) and lets Rexha show off her impressive vocal belt. The music video, directed by Sophie Muller,...
The song spins the story of Maleficent into a classic girl empowerment anthem (“They’re trying to take our voices/They’re trying to make our choices/So we scream loud, loud, loud”; “You can’t stop the girl from going/You can’t stop the world from knowing/The truth will set you free”) and lets Rexha show off her impressive vocal belt. The music video, directed by Sophie Muller,...
- 9/20/2019
- by Claire Shaffer
- Rollingstone.com
Drag queen Sasha Velour is bringing her high-concept, high-fashion act to Quibi. The season 9 winner of the Emmy-winning reality competition RuPaul’s Drag Race will be part of a new series titled Nightgowns on Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman’s highly anticipated short-form digital service which launches April 2020.
In the new series, we will follow Sasha Velour as she turns her brand of visually stunning high art into a full-on stage production — and the biggest drag showcase of her life. Adapted from her wildly popular and critically acclaimed live monthly revue in Brooklyn that first started in 2015, Nightgowns is part performance documentary and part portrait. The eight-episode series will shed light on her wildly creative work with each member of her unique ensemble to craft the lip-sync performances of their wildest dreams.
Each installment draws us to one performer in particular, and reveals their daily life, process, and backstory, culminating...
In the new series, we will follow Sasha Velour as she turns her brand of visually stunning high art into a full-on stage production — and the biggest drag showcase of her life. Adapted from her wildly popular and critically acclaimed live monthly revue in Brooklyn that first started in 2015, Nightgowns is part performance documentary and part portrait. The eight-episode series will shed light on her wildly creative work with each member of her unique ensemble to craft the lip-sync performances of their wildest dreams.
Each installment draws us to one performer in particular, and reveals their daily life, process, and backstory, culminating...
- 7/29/2019
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Blake Shelton heads back to Oklahoma in the cinematic new video for “God’s Country.” The singer and Voice coach released the track March 29th and performed it live on the 54th Acm Awards on April 7th.
Directed by Sophie Muller (Beyoncé, Rihanna, Gwen Stefani), the clip was filmed in and around Tishomingo, Oklahoma, where Shelton makes his primary residence. It’s interspersed with vintage footage of Dust Bowl-era farmers and vicious twisters, highlighting the stark contrast between the natural beauty of the land and its sometimes-unforgiving nature. In other scenes,...
Directed by Sophie Muller (Beyoncé, Rihanna, Gwen Stefani), the clip was filmed in and around Tishomingo, Oklahoma, where Shelton makes his primary residence. It’s interspersed with vintage footage of Dust Bowl-era farmers and vicious twisters, highlighting the stark contrast between the natural beauty of the land and its sometimes-unforgiving nature. In other scenes,...
- 4/12/2019
- by Jon Freeman
- Rollingstone.com
Gwen Stefani appeared on The Late Late Show With James Corden with a buoyant performance of her holiday single “You Make It Feel Like Christmas.” Accompanied by a lively band, as well as several glittering Christmas trees, the singer impressed with her powerhouse vocals and energetic onstage moves. The punchy tune took on a party vibe with the rock & roll aesthetic of the rendition.
The single, which features Blake Shelton (who didn’t appear for the live performance), comes off Stefani’s Christmas album of the same name. The album dropped last fall,...
The single, which features Blake Shelton (who didn’t appear for the live performance), comes off Stefani’s Christmas album of the same name. The album dropped last fall,...
- 12/19/2018
- by Emily Zemler
- Rollingstone.com
Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton embrace the holiday spirit in the campy new video for “You Make It Feel Like Christmas.” The track appears on Stefani’s 2017 album of the same name, which was recently reissued with five additional songs.
The Sophie Muller-directed clip finds Stefani and Shelton performing the brassy cut alongside a big band comprised entirely of children, as well as a cadre of young dancers dressed in Santa outfits. The clip also features Shelton and Stefani acting out cheeky holiday scenes, like building snowmen, picking up...
The Sophie Muller-directed clip finds Stefani and Shelton performing the brassy cut alongside a big band comprised entirely of children, as well as a cadre of young dancers dressed in Santa outfits. The clip also features Shelton and Stefani acting out cheeky holiday scenes, like building snowmen, picking up...
- 11/20/2018
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Netflix unveiled its first unscripted music show today. “Westside,” which premieres globally on Nov. 9, is a genre-defining eight-episode series that follows the lives, loves and assorted struggles of nine aspiring artists (including former “American Idol” finalist Pia Toscano) as they pursue ever-elusive success in the modern-day music industry. Eschewing the standard competition-style format, this innovative approach intersperses raw docu-series footage with slick music videos and 20 original songs that emphasize the show’s themes and character story arcs.
The production quality of the series’ cinema-verite approach, along with a gritty, unfiltered look at the reality of struggle for success in Hollywood, makes “Westside” the polar opposite of the sanitized fantasy-like “Cinderella” story approach of a show like “American Idol.”
“Westside” also features original music written by some of today’s top hitmakers, among them Diane Warren, Philip Lawrence, Ryan Tedder, Shane McAnally, Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd, Pat Monahan, Johan Carlsson, Ross Golan,...
The production quality of the series’ cinema-verite approach, along with a gritty, unfiltered look at the reality of struggle for success in Hollywood, makes “Westside” the polar opposite of the sanitized fantasy-like “Cinderella” story approach of a show like “American Idol.”
“Westside” also features original music written by some of today’s top hitmakers, among them Diane Warren, Philip Lawrence, Ryan Tedder, Shane McAnally, Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd, Pat Monahan, Johan Carlsson, Ross Golan,...
- 10/12/2018
- by James Patrick Herman
- Variety Film + TV
Gwen Stefani's divorce from her husband, Gavin Rossdale, was recently finalized, and it seems as though the singer is about to address the split in a major way. Popsugar hears that, according to a casting call, the singer's new music video is set to start shooting next week. It will be directed by Sophie Muller, who has previously worked with Gwen on the music videos for her recent singles "Used to Love You" and "Make Me Like You," and is described as "a very stylized music video / short . . . shot with a very 1950's melodrama sensibility." The production calls for three main characters; Trudy, a stylish mother; Troy, who is described as a good-looking philanderer; and an attractive young woman as Nanny. This would all be pretty innocuous if not for the alliteration of the character names, or reports that Gavin had been carrying on a years-long affair with the couple's nanny,...
- 4/27/2016
- by Brittney Stephens
- Popsugar.com
He crushed it at the Grammy Awards on stage with Tori Kelly earlier this week, and on Friday, James Bay fans were treated to his latest music video for his single "Let It Go." Released on Apple Music and directed by Sophie Muller, the video features the singer "cycling through a myriad of emotions as he sets his sights on something larger than life in a small town," according to a press release. After his performance at the Grammy Awards, the rising star's album Chaos and the Calm rose to the top 10 on the iTunes charts, and #JamesBay trended globally on social platforms.
- 2/20/2016
- by Melody Chiu, @chiumelo
- PEOPLE.com
He crushed it at the Grammy Awards on stage with Tori Kelly earlier this week, and on Friday, James Bay fans were treated to his latest music video for his single "Let It Go." Released on Apple Music and directed by Sophie Muller, the video features the singer "cycling through a myriad of emotions as he sets his sights on something larger than life in a small town," according to a press release. After his performance at the Grammy Awards, the rising star's album Chaos and the Calm rose to the top 10 on the iTunes charts, and #JamesBay trended globally on social platforms.
- 2/20/2016
- by Melody Chiu, @chiumelo
- PEOPLE.com
Music videos often take days to film - but Gwen Stefani only had four minutes to nail this one! During the Grammy Awards broadcast on Monday night, Stefani teamed up with Target to deliver the first live music video ever. The high-energy clip, aired during a commercial break, finds the singer, 46, performing her new single "Make Me Like You" as she goes through impressive wardrobe changes and roller skates with dancers in her multiple glamorous ensembles. Even more striking: Stefani makes her way through various sets in between costume changes. The pressure was on for Stefani to deliver, as the...
- 2/16/2016
- by Nick Maslow, @nickmaslow
- PEOPLE.com
Not a fan of commercials? Gwen Stefani might change your mind about that. The singer will create a live music video for her new single "Make Me Like You" on television during a four-minute commercial break during the 58th Annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 15, People confirms exclusively. Stefani is collaborating with Target to produce the video (directed by Grammy-award winner Sophie Muller) for the song, which is off her upcoming album This Is What the Truth Feels Like, out March 18 (an exclusive Target deluxe edition featuring four bonus tracks is now available for pre-order on Target.com). "Target has an...
- 2/10/2016
- by Melody Chiu, @chiumelo
- PEOPLE.com
This fun-as-heck! music vid, shot by Sophie Muller at New York's InterContinental Hotel, is equal parts "Anna," Rémi Gaillard, and Miami Ink. Also, as an ironic love song, it's pretty meta in a number of ways (are you listening-slash-watching, T-Swift?). Anyway, Rip, hotel rooms. (N.B.: No hotel rooms were actually harmed in the filming of this video. One hopes.)"Perfect" is 1D's second single from Made in the A.M., which is set for a November 13 release. You can pre-order that album here.
- 10/21/2015
- by Sean Fitz-Gerald
- Vulture
I have watched Jennifer for years as she and I participate at the Sundance World Cinema networking event, speaking to international filmmakers whose films are showing at the festival. But it is only now that I have actually heard about all she does:
So what is it you do?
As a manager of writers and directors for over 16 years at Untitled Entertainment (a company I helped launch), I have always been particularly interested in working with voices from around the globe and am drawn to strong, distinctive storytellers with unique points of view. I also act as a producer on a selective basis.
How do you select clients?
My roster of clients really reflects both my personal taste in storytelling and in people; coupled with my instincts about what I think the marketplace will respond to. By that I don’t mean selling a certain genre of content that I think the market will buy (though it is great when that happens), but rather introducing producers, executives, other artists and financiers to writers and/or directors with material that is fearless, exceptionally well executed and provokes an authentic emotional reaction – whatever the genre.
Do you consider yourself a “Hollywood” manager?
I have found that some of the most interesting film and television projects have emerged from the intersection of storytellers from both inside and outside the Hollywood system. I had the unforgettable experience earlier this year of seeing a team of Argentine filmmakers (Armando Bo and Nicolas Giacobone) I signed off of a Spanish language film at Sundance a few years ago, win the Academy Award for best original screenplay as the co-writers of “Birdman." That was a journey I would not have predicted three years ago and yet it is a fantastic recognition that if you bring strong, distinctive storytelling into the world, there will be an audience to appreciate it.
What do you have to do with the film currently hitting the theaters, “Black Souls”?
One of my most recent client signs is a stunningly talented Italian filmmaker named Francesco Munzi whose film “Black Souls” (his third feature) premiered at the most recent Venice and Toronto film festivals. It has always been a personal interest of mine to find an Italian filmmaker to represent as I lived in Italy for a few years and have always been drawn to the culture and speak the language. I was really captivated by the sophistication and gritty realism of Francesco’s filmmaking in “Black Souls." From both a level of craft and storytelling, as well as the intensity of the performances he captured, I felt strongly that he has the ability to speak to an international audience and wanted to help him transition into English language films.
Read More: 'Black Souls' is a Sobering and Sharply Executed Twist on the Mob Genre
Fortunately Vitagraph picked up “Black Souls” for a U.S. theatrical release and it just started rolling out across the country in April. The reviews so far have been pretty stellar. I am excited to help introduce the entertainment industry to him and his work so we can find the right English-language debut project for him.
How do you define your role in the business?
My role is not limited to representing only film and television writers and directors. I work in every and any medium that my clients want to explore (theater, books, digital content, graphic novels, video games, etc) which is part of the fun of being a manager. It also means I am constantly learning something new, which is partly why I am still challenged by my job so many years into it. For example, taking playwrights and helping them transition into successful film and television writers (two of my clients who started in the theater and continue to work actively in the theater, are seeing great success in every medium right now including current Blacklist scribe David Bar Katz who is writing films for Universal, Fox and Warner Bros and past Blacklist scribe Bess Wohl who has a network pilot in post-production for ABC and features in development for Paramount and Disney).
I am also still excited to discover someone at the very beginning of their career and have recently helped launch a young filmmaker named Steven Caple Jr. who just came out of USC film school last year with some award winning short films. I was introduced to the script for his debut feature along with a teaser he shot for it and knew that he had something to say and the vision and drive to make it happen. A year after first meeting him, we are about to head into pre-production on that feature. I also believe strongly in working with women filmmakers and am fortunate enough to work with exceptional artists like U.K. director Sophie Muller who is an internationally acclaimed music video director and award winning Canadian Ruba Nadda (“Cairo Time”, “October Gale”) who has made four features (a feat for any young filmmaker).
How did you become a manager?
I fell into management almost by accident but it turned out to be a great match for me, allowing me to evolve creatively and professionally in this changing marketplace. It is a role which requires that I utilize skills from almost every job I have ever had (from being a summer camp counselor in high school, to working in finance in NYC, film acquisitions in Italy and studio development and production experience in Hollywood) and I treasure the feeling of true partnership I go into with the artists I represent.
The flexibility and entrepreneurial nature of my role as a manager has also presented exciting producing opportunities. A recent example is the film “Meadowland” which I executive produced and which just had a world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival – written by client Chris Rossi and starring Untitled client Olivia Wilde. I’m heading to Cannes in May with projects that I am championing both for management clients and (in a few instances) as a producer. And of course, keeping my eyes open for exciting new writers and directors.
Jennifer Levine – Bio
Jennifer Levine, Head of Production and Literary Management at Untitled Entertainment (a top Hollywood entertainment management and production company with offices in Los Angeles, New York, and London), divides her time between representing a diverse group of writer, director, producer, and actor clients and shepherding a wide range of entertainment projects as a producer.
Prior to her position at Untitled, a company she helped start over sixteen years ago, Ms. Levine held positions in both feature film development and production, including stints at 20th Century Fox, Disney, and Kopelson Entertainment. In her various capacities, she has worked on dozens of studio and independent films.
Ms. Levine also spent three years based in Milan, Italy acquiring film and television rights for Italian distributor Compagnia Distribuzione Audiovisivi and participating in numerous international film markets and festivals. While in Italy, she also ran her own highly successful special events business and has been profiled in a wide range of Italian publications. Before moving to Italy, Jennifer started her career on Wall Street, working with international investment funds for Chase Manhattan Bank.
Ms. Levine holds an M.F.A. from USC’s Peter Stark Producing Program, where she was also a national finalist for the Sundance Producing Fellowship, winner of the Charles Ferguson Marketing Award, and recipient of the Ray Stark Film Grant. She has an undergraduate degree in literature from Wesleyan University and was born in New York and raised in Los Angeles.
So what is it you do?
As a manager of writers and directors for over 16 years at Untitled Entertainment (a company I helped launch), I have always been particularly interested in working with voices from around the globe and am drawn to strong, distinctive storytellers with unique points of view. I also act as a producer on a selective basis.
How do you select clients?
My roster of clients really reflects both my personal taste in storytelling and in people; coupled with my instincts about what I think the marketplace will respond to. By that I don’t mean selling a certain genre of content that I think the market will buy (though it is great when that happens), but rather introducing producers, executives, other artists and financiers to writers and/or directors with material that is fearless, exceptionally well executed and provokes an authentic emotional reaction – whatever the genre.
Do you consider yourself a “Hollywood” manager?
I have found that some of the most interesting film and television projects have emerged from the intersection of storytellers from both inside and outside the Hollywood system. I had the unforgettable experience earlier this year of seeing a team of Argentine filmmakers (Armando Bo and Nicolas Giacobone) I signed off of a Spanish language film at Sundance a few years ago, win the Academy Award for best original screenplay as the co-writers of “Birdman." That was a journey I would not have predicted three years ago and yet it is a fantastic recognition that if you bring strong, distinctive storytelling into the world, there will be an audience to appreciate it.
What do you have to do with the film currently hitting the theaters, “Black Souls”?
One of my most recent client signs is a stunningly talented Italian filmmaker named Francesco Munzi whose film “Black Souls” (his third feature) premiered at the most recent Venice and Toronto film festivals. It has always been a personal interest of mine to find an Italian filmmaker to represent as I lived in Italy for a few years and have always been drawn to the culture and speak the language. I was really captivated by the sophistication and gritty realism of Francesco’s filmmaking in “Black Souls." From both a level of craft and storytelling, as well as the intensity of the performances he captured, I felt strongly that he has the ability to speak to an international audience and wanted to help him transition into English language films.
Read More: 'Black Souls' is a Sobering and Sharply Executed Twist on the Mob Genre
Fortunately Vitagraph picked up “Black Souls” for a U.S. theatrical release and it just started rolling out across the country in April. The reviews so far have been pretty stellar. I am excited to help introduce the entertainment industry to him and his work so we can find the right English-language debut project for him.
How do you define your role in the business?
My role is not limited to representing only film and television writers and directors. I work in every and any medium that my clients want to explore (theater, books, digital content, graphic novels, video games, etc) which is part of the fun of being a manager. It also means I am constantly learning something new, which is partly why I am still challenged by my job so many years into it. For example, taking playwrights and helping them transition into successful film and television writers (two of my clients who started in the theater and continue to work actively in the theater, are seeing great success in every medium right now including current Blacklist scribe David Bar Katz who is writing films for Universal, Fox and Warner Bros and past Blacklist scribe Bess Wohl who has a network pilot in post-production for ABC and features in development for Paramount and Disney).
I am also still excited to discover someone at the very beginning of their career and have recently helped launch a young filmmaker named Steven Caple Jr. who just came out of USC film school last year with some award winning short films. I was introduced to the script for his debut feature along with a teaser he shot for it and knew that he had something to say and the vision and drive to make it happen. A year after first meeting him, we are about to head into pre-production on that feature. I also believe strongly in working with women filmmakers and am fortunate enough to work with exceptional artists like U.K. director Sophie Muller who is an internationally acclaimed music video director and award winning Canadian Ruba Nadda (“Cairo Time”, “October Gale”) who has made four features (a feat for any young filmmaker).
How did you become a manager?
I fell into management almost by accident but it turned out to be a great match for me, allowing me to evolve creatively and professionally in this changing marketplace. It is a role which requires that I utilize skills from almost every job I have ever had (from being a summer camp counselor in high school, to working in finance in NYC, film acquisitions in Italy and studio development and production experience in Hollywood) and I treasure the feeling of true partnership I go into with the artists I represent.
The flexibility and entrepreneurial nature of my role as a manager has also presented exciting producing opportunities. A recent example is the film “Meadowland” which I executive produced and which just had a world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival – written by client Chris Rossi and starring Untitled client Olivia Wilde. I’m heading to Cannes in May with projects that I am championing both for management clients and (in a few instances) as a producer. And of course, keeping my eyes open for exciting new writers and directors.
Jennifer Levine – Bio
Jennifer Levine, Head of Production and Literary Management at Untitled Entertainment (a top Hollywood entertainment management and production company with offices in Los Angeles, New York, and London), divides her time between representing a diverse group of writer, director, producer, and actor clients and shepherding a wide range of entertainment projects as a producer.
Prior to her position at Untitled, a company she helped start over sixteen years ago, Ms. Levine held positions in both feature film development and production, including stints at 20th Century Fox, Disney, and Kopelson Entertainment. In her various capacities, she has worked on dozens of studio and independent films.
Ms. Levine also spent three years based in Milan, Italy acquiring film and television rights for Italian distributor Compagnia Distribuzione Audiovisivi and participating in numerous international film markets and festivals. While in Italy, she also ran her own highly successful special events business and has been profiled in a wide range of Italian publications. Before moving to Italy, Jennifer started her career on Wall Street, working with international investment funds for Chase Manhattan Bank.
Ms. Levine holds an M.F.A. from USC’s Peter Stark Producing Program, where she was also a national finalist for the Sundance Producing Fellowship, winner of the Charles Ferguson Marketing Award, and recipient of the Ray Stark Film Grant. She has an undergraduate degree in literature from Wesleyan University and was born in New York and raised in Los Angeles.
- 5/5/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
I have watched Jennifer for years as she and I participate at the Sundance World Cinema networking event, speaking to international filmmakers whose films are showing at the festival. But it is only now that I have actually heard about all she does:
So what is it you do?
As a manager of writers and directors for over 16 years at Untitled Entertainment (a company I helped launch), I have always been particularly interested in working with voices from around the globe and am drawn to strong, distinctive storytellers with unique points of view. I also act as a producer on a selective basis.
How do you select clients?
My roster of clients really reflects both my personal taste in storytelling and in people; coupled with my instincts about what I think the marketplace will respond to. By that I don’t mean selling a certain genre of content that I think the market will buy (though it is great when that happens), but rather introducing producers, executives, other artists and financiers to writers and/or directors with material that is fearless, exceptionally well executed and provokes an authentic emotional reaction – whatever the genre.
Do you consider yourself a “Hollywood” manager?
I have found that some of the most interesting film and television projects have emerged from the intersection of storytellers from both inside and outside the Hollywood system. I had the unforgettable experience earlier this year of seeing a team of Argentine filmmakers (Armando Bo and Nicolas Giacobone) I signed off of a Spanish language film at Sundance a few years ago, win the Academy Award for best original screenplay as the co-writers of “Birdman." That was a journey I would not have predicted three years ago and yet it is a fantastic recognition that if you bring strong, distinctive storytelling into the world, there will be an audience to appreciate it.
What do you have to do with the film currently hitting the theaters, “Black Souls”?
One of my most recent client signs is a stunningly talented Italian filmmaker named Francesco Munzi whose film “Black Souls” (his third feature) premiered at the most recent Venice and Toronto film festivals. It has always been a personal interest of mine to find an Italian filmmaker to represent as I lived in Italy for a few years and have always been drawn to the culture and speak the language. I was really captivated by the sophistication and gritty realism of Francesco’s filmmaking in “Black Souls." From both a level of craft and storytelling, as well as the intensity of the performances he captured, I felt strongly that he has the ability to speak to an international audience and wanted to help him transition into English language films.
Read More: 'Black Souls' is a Sobering and Sharply Executed Twist on the Mob Genre
Fortunately Vitagraph picked up “Black Souls” for a U.S. theatrical release and it just started rolling out across the country in April. The reviews so far have been pretty stellar. I am excited to help introduce the entertainment industry to him and his work so we can find the right English-language debut project for him.
How do you define your role in the business?
My role is not limited to representing only film and television writers and directors. I work in every and any medium that my clients want to explore (theater, books, digital content, graphic novels, video games, etc) which is part of the fun of being a manager. It also means I am constantly learning something new, which is partly why I am still challenged by my job so many years into it. For example, taking playwrights and helping them transition into successful film and television writers (two of my clients who started in the theater and continue to work actively in the theater, are seeing great success in every medium right now including current Blacklist scribe David Bar Katz who is writing films for Universal, Fox and Warner Bros and past Blacklist scribe Bess Wohl who has a network pilot in post-production for ABC and features in development for Paramount and Disney).
I am also still excited to discover someone at the very beginning of their career and have recently helped launch a young filmmaker named Steven Caple Jr. who just came out of USC film school last year with some award winning short films. I was introduced to the script for his debut feature along with a teaser he shot for it and knew that he had something to say and the vision and drive to make it happen. A year after first meeting him, we are about to head into pre-production on that feature. I also believe strongly in working with women filmmakers and am fortunate enough to work with exceptional artists like U.K. director Sophie Muller who is an internationally acclaimed music video director and award winning Canadian Ruba Nadda (“Cairo Time”, “October Gale”) who has made four features (a feat for any young filmmaker).
How did you become a manager?
I fell into management almost by accident but it turned out to be a great match for me, allowing me to evolve creatively and professionally in this changing marketplace. It is a role which requires that I utilize skills from almost every job I have ever had (from being a summer camp counselor in high school, to working in finance in NYC, film acquisitions in Italy and studio development and production experience in Hollywood) and I treasure the feeling of true partnership I go into with the artists I represent.
The flexibility and entrepreneurial nature of my role as a manager has also presented exciting producing opportunities. A recent example is the film “Meadowland” which I executive produced and which just had a world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival – written by client Chris Rossi and starring Untitled client Olivia Wilde. I’m heading to Cannes in May with projects that I am championing both for management clients and (in a few instances) as a producer. And of course, keeping my eyes open for exciting new writers and directors.
Jennifer Levine – Bio
Jennifer Levine, Head of Production and Literary Management at Untitled Entertainment (a top Hollywood entertainment management and production company with offices in Los Angeles, New York, and London), divides her time between representing a diverse group of writer, director, producer, and actor clients and shepherding a wide range of entertainment projects as a producer.
Prior to her position at Untitled, a company she helped start over sixteen years ago, Ms. Levine held positions in both feature film development and production, including stints at 20th Century Fox, Disney, and Kopelson Entertainment. In her various capacities, she has worked on dozens of studio and independent films.
Ms. Levine also spent three years based in Milan, Italy acquiring film and television rights for Italian distributor Compagnia Distribuzione Audiovisivi and participating in numerous international film markets and festivals. While in Italy, she also ran her own highly successful special events business and has been profiled in a wide range of Italian publications. Before moving to Italy, Jennifer started her career on Wall Street, working with international investment funds for Chase Manhattan Bank.
Ms. Levine holds an M.F.A. from USC’s Peter Stark Producing Program, where she was also a national finalist for the Sundance Producing Fellowship, winner of the Charles Ferguson Marketing Award, and recipient of the Ray Stark Film Grant. She has an undergraduate degree in literature from Wesleyan University and was born in New York and raised in Los Angeles.
So what is it you do?
As a manager of writers and directors for over 16 years at Untitled Entertainment (a company I helped launch), I have always been particularly interested in working with voices from around the globe and am drawn to strong, distinctive storytellers with unique points of view. I also act as a producer on a selective basis.
How do you select clients?
My roster of clients really reflects both my personal taste in storytelling and in people; coupled with my instincts about what I think the marketplace will respond to. By that I don’t mean selling a certain genre of content that I think the market will buy (though it is great when that happens), but rather introducing producers, executives, other artists and financiers to writers and/or directors with material that is fearless, exceptionally well executed and provokes an authentic emotional reaction – whatever the genre.
Do you consider yourself a “Hollywood” manager?
I have found that some of the most interesting film and television projects have emerged from the intersection of storytellers from both inside and outside the Hollywood system. I had the unforgettable experience earlier this year of seeing a team of Argentine filmmakers (Armando Bo and Nicolas Giacobone) I signed off of a Spanish language film at Sundance a few years ago, win the Academy Award for best original screenplay as the co-writers of “Birdman." That was a journey I would not have predicted three years ago and yet it is a fantastic recognition that if you bring strong, distinctive storytelling into the world, there will be an audience to appreciate it.
What do you have to do with the film currently hitting the theaters, “Black Souls”?
One of my most recent client signs is a stunningly talented Italian filmmaker named Francesco Munzi whose film “Black Souls” (his third feature) premiered at the most recent Venice and Toronto film festivals. It has always been a personal interest of mine to find an Italian filmmaker to represent as I lived in Italy for a few years and have always been drawn to the culture and speak the language. I was really captivated by the sophistication and gritty realism of Francesco’s filmmaking in “Black Souls." From both a level of craft and storytelling, as well as the intensity of the performances he captured, I felt strongly that he has the ability to speak to an international audience and wanted to help him transition into English language films.
Read More: 'Black Souls' is a Sobering and Sharply Executed Twist on the Mob Genre
Fortunately Vitagraph picked up “Black Souls” for a U.S. theatrical release and it just started rolling out across the country in April. The reviews so far have been pretty stellar. I am excited to help introduce the entertainment industry to him and his work so we can find the right English-language debut project for him.
How do you define your role in the business?
My role is not limited to representing only film and television writers and directors. I work in every and any medium that my clients want to explore (theater, books, digital content, graphic novels, video games, etc) which is part of the fun of being a manager. It also means I am constantly learning something new, which is partly why I am still challenged by my job so many years into it. For example, taking playwrights and helping them transition into successful film and television writers (two of my clients who started in the theater and continue to work actively in the theater, are seeing great success in every medium right now including current Blacklist scribe David Bar Katz who is writing films for Universal, Fox and Warner Bros and past Blacklist scribe Bess Wohl who has a network pilot in post-production for ABC and features in development for Paramount and Disney).
I am also still excited to discover someone at the very beginning of their career and have recently helped launch a young filmmaker named Steven Caple Jr. who just came out of USC film school last year with some award winning short films. I was introduced to the script for his debut feature along with a teaser he shot for it and knew that he had something to say and the vision and drive to make it happen. A year after first meeting him, we are about to head into pre-production on that feature. I also believe strongly in working with women filmmakers and am fortunate enough to work with exceptional artists like U.K. director Sophie Muller who is an internationally acclaimed music video director and award winning Canadian Ruba Nadda (“Cairo Time”, “October Gale”) who has made four features (a feat for any young filmmaker).
How did you become a manager?
I fell into management almost by accident but it turned out to be a great match for me, allowing me to evolve creatively and professionally in this changing marketplace. It is a role which requires that I utilize skills from almost every job I have ever had (from being a summer camp counselor in high school, to working in finance in NYC, film acquisitions in Italy and studio development and production experience in Hollywood) and I treasure the feeling of true partnership I go into with the artists I represent.
The flexibility and entrepreneurial nature of my role as a manager has also presented exciting producing opportunities. A recent example is the film “Meadowland” which I executive produced and which just had a world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival – written by client Chris Rossi and starring Untitled client Olivia Wilde. I’m heading to Cannes in May with projects that I am championing both for management clients and (in a few instances) as a producer. And of course, keeping my eyes open for exciting new writers and directors.
Jennifer Levine – Bio
Jennifer Levine, Head of Production and Literary Management at Untitled Entertainment (a top Hollywood entertainment management and production company with offices in Los Angeles, New York, and London), divides her time between representing a diverse group of writer, director, producer, and actor clients and shepherding a wide range of entertainment projects as a producer.
Prior to her position at Untitled, a company she helped start over sixteen years ago, Ms. Levine held positions in both feature film development and production, including stints at 20th Century Fox, Disney, and Kopelson Entertainment. In her various capacities, she has worked on dozens of studio and independent films.
Ms. Levine also spent three years based in Milan, Italy acquiring film and television rights for Italian distributor Compagnia Distribuzione Audiovisivi and participating in numerous international film markets and festivals. While in Italy, she also ran her own highly successful special events business and has been profiled in a wide range of Italian publications. Before moving to Italy, Jennifer started her career on Wall Street, working with international investment funds for Chase Manhattan Bank.
Ms. Levine holds an M.F.A. from USC’s Peter Stark Producing Program, where she was also a national finalist for the Sundance Producing Fellowship, winner of the Charles Ferguson Marketing Award, and recipient of the Ray Stark Film Grant. She has an undergraduate degree in literature from Wesleyan University and was born in New York and raised in Los Angeles.
- 5/4/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Gwen Stefani's solo comeback is a total surprise to Gwen Stefani. In fact, so many things in the past year of the superstar's life have been unexpected. The baby, her infant son Apollo; The Voice, the TV singing competition show that she credits with changing her life; and the return to an individual music career, something she publicly said she was done pursuing - end stop - back in 2010. "I didn't know I was going to be doing another record. I always thought those two [solo] records would be back in the day," Gwen told us as we caught up by phone just a few short hours before she surprised crowds at Friday night's Jingle Ball in La, taking the stage with her longtime collaborator and Voice cohost Pharrell Williams. Gwen credited the multihyphenate producer and artist - whose Zenned-out, positive vibe Gwen described as "Yoda meets Oprah" - with...
- 12/7/2014
- by Lindsay-Miller
- Popsugar.com
Don’t be fooled. At first glance, Lana Del Rey’s video for her slinky, retro new single, “West Coast,” looks like it’s the same video as the audio video that came out three weeks ago. To be sure, it opens with Del Rey frolicking on a Santa Monica beach with her boy toy, but then around the 1:30 mark, it takes a darker, creepier turn. It turns out that while she’s playing with her her tattoo love boy, she belongs to another man, a much older sugar daddy. In glamorous footage that recalls vintage movies of the past, we see Del Rey in the back seat of a chauffeured car with a man who is clearly keeping her in a style to which she has become accustomed. He touches her, but she’s thinking of her beach baby, and he knows it. The video, directed by Chris Sweeney and Sophie Muller,...
- 5/7/2014
- by Melinda Newman
- Hitfix
What a sweet moment on stage! For the final night of the U.S. leg of his Paradise Valley tour, John Mayer brought out girlfriend Katy Perry onstage to perform their duet "Who You Love" together at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. It was a long day for the couple: Early Tuesday, Dec. 17, Perry, 29, joined Mayer, 37, on Good Morning America to debut the music video for the same song in Times Square. In the Sophie Muller-directed video, the pair, along with other real-life couples, were [...]...
- 12/18/2013
- Us Weekly
They make a killer duo on the street and in the studio, and Katy Perry and John Mayer showed up at “Good Morning America” on Tuesday (December 17) to take care of some media duties.
The “No Such Thing” crooner and his “I Kissed a Girl” gal were in the house to premiere their new music video for Mayer’s latest single “Who You Love.”
Directed by Sophie Muller, the clip features John and Katy singing their duet with interspersed scenes of different couples riding a mechanical bull.
Perry previously told press, "[John]'s just a fantastic partner. I've been a fan of his for such a long time. He's got a brilliant, brilliant mind. It's a rad, mature relationship."
Check out John Mayer featuring Katy Perry in “Who You Love” on Good Morning America!
The “No Such Thing” crooner and his “I Kissed a Girl” gal were in the house to premiere their new music video for Mayer’s latest single “Who You Love.”
Directed by Sophie Muller, the clip features John and Katy singing their duet with interspersed scenes of different couples riding a mechanical bull.
Perry previously told press, "[John]'s just a fantastic partner. I've been a fan of his for such a long time. He's got a brilliant, brilliant mind. It's a rad, mature relationship."
Check out John Mayer featuring Katy Perry in “Who You Love” on Good Morning America!
- 12/17/2013
- GossipCenter
John Mayer, Katy Perry - and a mechanical bull? The couple were joined by an unexpected costar in the music video for their duet, "Who You Love," the third single off of Mayer's Paradise Valley album. Premiering Tuesday on Good Morning America, the Sophie Muller-helmed video features Mayer, Perry and other duos riding a mechanical bull before shooting off confetti cannons. "We set the casting call up for real couples. It's just so authentic - they were having a great time," Mayer, 36, says. "There's nothing scripted in that video except putting the bull in the middle of the desert.
- 12/17/2013
- by Sarah Michaud
- PEOPLE.com
Browse all the sections of the 57th London Film Festival (Oct 9-20) including the galas, competition titles and individual sections.
Alphabetical list of titles by section including feature premiere status
Wp = Wp
Ep = European Premiere
IP = International Premiere
UK = UK Premiere
Gala’s
Opening Night
Captain Phillips, Paul Greengrass (Us) Ep
Closing Night
Saving Mr Banks, John Lee Hancock (Us/UK) Ep
Philomena, Stephen Frears (UK) UK12 Years A Slave, Steve Mcqueen (UK) EPGravity, Alfonso Cuaron (Us) UKInside Llewyn Davis, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen (Us) UKLabor Day, Jason Reitman (Us) EPThe Invisible Woman, Ralph Fiennes (UK), EPThe Epic Of Everest, John Noel (UK) WPBlue Is The Warmest Colour, Abdellatif Kechiche (France) UKNight Moves, Kelly Reichardt (Us) UKStranger By The Lake, Alain Guiraudie (France) UKDon Jon, Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Us) UKMystery Road, Ivan Sen (Australia) UKOnly Lovers Left Alive, Jim Jarmusch (Us) UKNebraska, Alexander Payne (Us) UKWe Are The Best!, Lukas Moodysson (Sweden) EPFoosball 3D, Juan Jose Campanella (Argentina...
Alphabetical list of titles by section including feature premiere status
Wp = Wp
Ep = European Premiere
IP = International Premiere
UK = UK Premiere
Gala’s
Opening Night
Captain Phillips, Paul Greengrass (Us) Ep
Closing Night
Saving Mr Banks, John Lee Hancock (Us/UK) Ep
Philomena, Stephen Frears (UK) UK12 Years A Slave, Steve Mcqueen (UK) EPGravity, Alfonso Cuaron (Us) UKInside Llewyn Davis, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen (Us) UKLabor Day, Jason Reitman (Us) EPThe Invisible Woman, Ralph Fiennes (UK), EPThe Epic Of Everest, John Noel (UK) WPBlue Is The Warmest Colour, Abdellatif Kechiche (France) UKNight Moves, Kelly Reichardt (Us) UKStranger By The Lake, Alain Guiraudie (France) UKDon Jon, Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Us) UKMystery Road, Ivan Sen (Australia) UKOnly Lovers Left Alive, Jim Jarmusch (Us) UKNebraska, Alexander Payne (Us) UKWe Are The Best!, Lukas Moodysson (Sweden) EPFoosball 3D, Juan Jose Campanella (Argentina...
- 9/4/2013
- ScreenDaily
She’s an endless source of fabulous musical magic, and Lana Del Rey's latest single “Young & Beautiful” has a brand new video to go with it.
The “Video Games” vixen looks gorgeous in the new clip, complete with a full orchestra and all kinds of art deco trappings.
After all, “Young and Beautiful” is the official theme song for the just-released Leonardo DiCaprio flick “The Great Gatsby.”
Lana worked with director Chris Sweeney and photographer Sophie Muller for the video, posted below for your viewing pleasure!
The “Video Games” vixen looks gorgeous in the new clip, complete with a full orchestra and all kinds of art deco trappings.
After all, “Young and Beautiful” is the official theme song for the just-released Leonardo DiCaprio flick “The Great Gatsby.”
Lana worked with director Chris Sweeney and photographer Sophie Muller for the video, posted below for your viewing pleasure!
- 5/10/2013
- GossipCenter
Judging from the early reviews, you're better off sitting through Lana Del Rey's new "Young & Beautiful" music video than Baz Luhrmann's big budget mess of an adaptation of The Great Gatsby in which the song appears. Directed by Chris Sweeney and Sophie Muller, the clip finds Del Rey hanging out with a full orchestra, looking as blankly uncaffeinated as ever under her favorite Instagram filter.
Follow Lana Del Rey on Ology for all the latest news, reviews, leaks, rumors, videos, tour dates, features, fan events and more
Check it out below:
Both The Great Gatsby and its Jay-z produced soundtrack are out now. Thoughts? Drop a line in the comments below!
Vote for your favorite '80s and '90s alternative bands in our second-annual Battle Of The Fans all this month on Ology!
Follow Brett Warner on Ology and on Twitter: @Erasurehead + @OlogyMusic...
Follow Lana Del Rey on Ology for all the latest news, reviews, leaks, rumors, videos, tour dates, features, fan events and more
Check it out below:
Both The Great Gatsby and its Jay-z produced soundtrack are out now. Thoughts? Drop a line in the comments below!
Vote for your favorite '80s and '90s alternative bands in our second-annual Battle Of The Fans all this month on Ology!
Follow Brett Warner on Ology and on Twitter: @Erasurehead + @OlogyMusic...
- 5/10/2013
- by Brett Warner
- Filmology
Stripping down for a steamy shoot, Rihanna takes a hot bath in her new video for "Stay," released on Monday (February 11).
The second single off her album Unapologetic features Mikky Ekko and was directed by Sophie Muller.
In the simple video, the 24-year-old singer relaxes in the tub while contemplating and showing off her tattoos, rings, and sexy curves.
On Sunday, Rihanna thanked her fans after a big night at the Grammys, tweeting, " That lucky #7 again! Thank you Navy, and congratulations! We got our 7th Grammy and Im so happy! Your support is everything to me."
Check out the music video for "Stay" below.
The second single off her album Unapologetic features Mikky Ekko and was directed by Sophie Muller.
In the simple video, the 24-year-old singer relaxes in the tub while contemplating and showing off her tattoos, rings, and sexy curves.
On Sunday, Rihanna thanked her fans after a big night at the Grammys, tweeting, " That lucky #7 again! Thank you Navy, and congratulations! We got our 7th Grammy and Im so happy! Your support is everything to me."
Check out the music video for "Stay" below.
- 2/12/2013
- GossipCenter
Stripping down for a steamy shoot, Rihanna takes a hot bath in her new video for "Stay," released on Monday (February 11).
The second single off her album Unapologetic features Mikky Ekko and was directed by Sophie Muller.
In the simple video, the 24-year-old singer relaxes in the tub while contemplating and showing off her tattoos, rings, and sexy curves.
On Sunday, Rihanna thanked her fans after a big night at the Grammys, tweeting, " That lucky #7 again! Thank you Navy, and congratulations! We got our 7th Grammy and Im so happy! Your support is everything to me."
Check out the music video for "Stay" below.
The second single off her album Unapologetic features Mikky Ekko and was directed by Sophie Muller.
In the simple video, the 24-year-old singer relaxes in the tub while contemplating and showing off her tattoos, rings, and sexy curves.
On Sunday, Rihanna thanked her fans after a big night at the Grammys, tweeting, " That lucky #7 again! Thank you Navy, and congratulations! We got our 7th Grammy and Im so happy! Your support is everything to me."
Check out the music video for "Stay" below.
- 2/12/2013
- GossipCenter
Filmed at the U.N. General Assembly in New York earlier this month, Beyonce's "I Was Here" music video, which was unveiled on Saturday, mixes performance footage from a unique Bey day with striking images of global volunteer efforts. Standing front and center in a sparkling white gown, Beyonce performs the inspirational "4" cut to screaming fans on World Humanitarian Day, as a giant screen behind her displays globe-reaching graphics that morph into pictures of humanitarian triumph. Directed by Kenzo Digital and Sophie Muller, the music video ends with the question "What Will You Do?" and offers a web
read more...
read more...
- 8/19/2012
- by Jason Lipshutz, Billboard
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Songstress Beyoncé took time off from tending to daughter Blue Ivy to lend her voice to better the world in a video for World Humanitarian Day. The 30-year-old singer performed "I Was Here" in front of a live audience at the United Nations General Assembly Hall in New York, stunning in a white gown and sleek up-do. Beyoncé is donating the video, which was produced by Scott Robinson and codirected by Kenzo Digital and Sophie Muller, as part of the global campaign that seeks to make social media history by sharing 1 billion messages of hope on August 19th to celebrate World Humanitarian Day. The campaign celebrates humanitarian work and...
- 8/19/2012
- E! Online
“Settle Down,” No Doubt fans! Yes, we know you’re stoked about the just released new music video for the band’s lead single off Push and Shove. We know you’re stoked about it because, well, we are too.
The clip, directed by longtime No Doubt collaborator Sophie Muller, is colorful and visually as bombastic as the song is sonically. It perfectly complements Diplo’s swaggerfied track, which pays homage to the band’s work on Rock Steady. In a sea of quirky images, there’s one moment in the clip that stands as the video’s key scene thanks to the heart at the core of it.
What fans will love seeing most is the moment when all four No Doubt members step out of their trucks and share in an embrace (00:42). It all happens as the Bollywood-inspired intro of the song transitions from strings to thumping drums,...
The clip, directed by longtime No Doubt collaborator Sophie Muller, is colorful and visually as bombastic as the song is sonically. It perfectly complements Diplo’s swaggerfied track, which pays homage to the band’s work on Rock Steady. In a sea of quirky images, there’s one moment in the clip that stands as the video’s key scene thanks to the heart at the core of it.
What fans will love seeing most is the moment when all four No Doubt members step out of their trucks and share in an embrace (00:42). It all happens as the Bollywood-inspired intro of the song transitions from strings to thumping drums,...
- 7/17/2012
- by Jocelyn Vena
- MTV Newsroom
Here are a few things we realized after watching No Doubt's newly released video for their pop-ska single "Settle Down": We really want to party with No Doubt, frontwoman Gwen Stefani hasn't aged in over a decade and driving a big-rig looks hella fun.
But the dancehall trucker party is much more symbolic than it looks. "They're driving to meet after having had their separate lives over the last 10 years," director Sophie Muller told Rolling Stone.
The reunion that happens a minute and a half in is particularly memorable, as Stefani, Tom Dumont, Tony Kanal and Adrian Young -- together with their touring trumpeter Stephen Bradley and trombonist Gabrial McNair -- are happily reunited. It's a heartwarming moment that will make even the toughest rockers get a little verklempt.
"Settle Down," which premiered Monday morning, has a slight reggae feel -- harking back to the band's SoCal roots --...
But the dancehall trucker party is much more symbolic than it looks. "They're driving to meet after having had their separate lives over the last 10 years," director Sophie Muller told Rolling Stone.
The reunion that happens a minute and a half in is particularly memorable, as Stefani, Tom Dumont, Tony Kanal and Adrian Young -- together with their touring trumpeter Stephen Bradley and trombonist Gabrial McNair -- are happily reunited. It's a heartwarming moment that will make even the toughest rockers get a little verklempt.
"Settle Down," which premiered Monday morning, has a slight reggae feel -- harking back to the band's SoCal roots --...
- 7/17/2012
- by The Huffington Post
- Huffington Post
No Doubt have released the music video for their comeback single 'Settle Down'. The track, which premiered in full yesterday (July 16), is the lead single from the band's highly-anticipated sixth studio album Push and Shove, their first release in over ten years. The video was directed by friend of the band Sophie Muller, who previously worked on the promos for breakthrough hit 'Don't Speak' and 'Simple Kind of Life'. The clip for 'Settle Down' sees No Doubt riding trucks to their reunion. "The idea is they are all driving to meet after having had their separate lives over the last 10 years," Muller told Rolling Stone. Asked what (more)...
- 7/17/2012
- by By Colin Daniels
- Digital Spy
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.