Vanity Fair's 2014 Hollywood Issue Cover, Close Up & Behind The Scenes.

On February 11th, The 20th Hollywood Issue of Vanity Fair hits the newsstands. Photographed by Annie Leibovitz, the magazine celebrates a year of spectacular film with a group of distinguished actors on the cover as it has done annually for the past two decades.

Left half of the full shot:

Right half of the full shot:


This is the most racially diverse cover ever for the annual Hollywood Issue, which includes six actors of color - a nod to both Hollywood's embrace of more racially diverse films and roles as well as to progress for Vanity Fair who has been criticized in the past for being both "too white' and 'too sexist." Of the 19 previous Hollywood Issues, the majority of actors gracing the covers have been white, although occasionally an asian, latino and/or black actor has been featured among the group. But to have six black actors on the cover is a welcome record for Vanity Fair.

The cover as it appears closed and the full fold-out:



The cover, a three-panel foldout, features Oscar nominees Julia Roberts (August: Osage County), Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave), Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club), and Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave), as well as Idris Elba (Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom), George Clooney (Gravity), Michael B. Jordan (Fruitvale Station), Naomie Harris (Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom), Brie Larson (Short Term 12), Chadwick Boseman (42), Margot Robbie (The Wolf of Wall Street), and Léa Seydoux (Blue Is the Warmest Color).

Individual close-ups:








Some still shots from behind the scenes at the photoshoot:




A video of the photoshoot:


The magazine will be on national newsstands on February 11.

Vanity Fair

Celebrity Cavemen. 20 Famous Folks As Neanderthals.

above: Caveman Willem Dafoe

While most sports fans will be busy watching large men grunt as they play the NFL Championship game tomorrow, I thought I'd introduce you to a different sort of Troglodyte today: the celebrity caveman.

The following images are entries by various computer artists from six different Worth1000 Effects contests in which they were asked to combine Celebrities with Neanderthals using Photoshop and/or other effects software.

Gene Hackman:

George Clooney:

Morgan Freeman:

Tommy Lee Jones:

Hugh Laurie:

Snoop Lion:

Kate Winslet:

Nick Nolte:

Al Pacino:

Sean Connery:

Robert deNiro:

Daniel Craig:

Harrison Ford:

Shakira:

Will Smith:

Jake Gyllenhall:

Tobey Maguire:

Sean Penn:

Danny Trejo:


I chose the above twenty images from six different Celebrity Neanderthal Contests from the past three years on Worth1000, the most recent of which ended about 3 weeks ago. My selection was based on the executions or humor quotient. Several entries were poorly executed, some looked like trolls and still others like zombies. I chose what I personally felt were the 20 most entertaining. Please note: these images have been cropped for better visibility and therefore are missing the Worth1000 watermark.

To see all of the original entries in the contests, visit the following links (there does not seem to be a 4th contest despite the numbered names):
Celebrity Neaderthals 1
Celebrity Neaderthals 2
Celebrity Neaderthals 3
Celebrity Neanderthals 5
Celebrity Neaderthals 6
Celebrity Neaderthals 7

About Worth1000
Worth1000 is the top creative contest site in the world. Every day they run lots of creative competitions of all types, including Effects contests (otherwise known as photochop or photoshop contests), photography contests, illustration contests, writing contests and more forms of multimedia.

Newcastle's Mega Huge Super Bowl Ad Campaign For The Mega Huge Super Bowl Ads They Didn't Make.

In a clever twist on being clever, Newcastle Ale (which is owned by Heineken) has launched a Mega Huge anti-Super Bowl Ad campaign mocking the fact that they didn't create a mega Huge Super Bowl ad campaign.  With tongue-in-cheek banners, a website and a series of videos, they manage to make fun of everything related to Super Bowl advertising through the creative process, the focus group research, the teaser/trailer/making of phenomenon, the would-be pitchmen: Anna Kendrick and Keyshawn Johnson and of course, the prohibitive cost.

Here is the full campaign (thus far) followed by the press release:

The banner:


Their Facebook Page cover photo:


Their website home page:


The 9 funny videos below are shown in the order in which they were released:

1,. The Ad Newcastle made to prepare you for the ad they didn't make:


2. Newcastle's Cheap Ad they made for the pricey ad they didn't make:


3. The Teaser for the Trailer for Newcastle's Mega Huge Football Game Ad.
It's so epic, they made a trailer for the trailer:


4. The Official Stock Footage Trailer for the Mega Huge Football Game Ad they didn't make:


5. Newcastle's Mega Huge Football Ad Focus group:


6. Actual focus groups react to the Mega Football Ad they didn't make:


7. Keyshawn Johnson: Behind The Scenes of the Mega Huge Football Ad they almost made:


8. Anna Kendrick: Behind The Scenes of the Mega Huge Football Ad they almost made:


9 IT'S OFFICIAL: Real Focus Groups gave Newcastle's Mega Huge Football Game Ad a Mega Huge Score:


A 10th video is expected soon:


The Press Release:

Newcastle Brown Ale taps Anna Kendrick and Keyshawn Johnson to star in the greatest Big Game ad never made

Actress and singer Anna Kendrick has racked up an impressive string of triumphs: Oscar, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations for her performance in “Up in the Air;” a starring role in the hit film “Pitch Perfect;” and most recently with her 2013 triple-platinum single, “Cups.” But she will never get the chance to play what might have been her greatest role yet: the lead in an epic, Big Game spot for Newcastle Brown Ale.

It’s too bad Newcastle doesn’t believe in spending millions on a Mega Huge Football Game ad because it would have been amazing. Instead, Kendrick and football legend Keyshawn Johnson are taking center stage in a tongue-in-cheek marketing effort dubbed “If We Made It” that pokes fun at the ridiculous excess, overused schtick and over-the-top antics found in traditional Big Game commercials.

Newcastle may not be making the ad, but fortunately fans will be able to see all the trailers, storyboards, focus groups and behind-the-scenes interviews with Kendrick and Johnson at www.IfWeMadeIt.com. There also will be fresh content posted in real-time on the day of the Big Game.

“We think the formula for creating the most epic Big Game commercial of all time is pretty simple, but when it comes down to it, we’d rather have people drink our beer while watching other companies’ ads,“ said Charles van Es, senior brand director for Newcastle Brown Ale. “And to be honest, we don’t really have the money or permission to advertise on the game either.”

What did the world miss when Newcastle decided to keep its focus on making great beer instead of spending millions on making outlandish ads? Giant robots, beach babes and crazy celebrity cameos – as well as Kendrick starring as Hot Party Girl #1 and Johnson voicing a skateboarding cat.

“It’s a shame Newcastle didn’t have the budget to actually produce and air this ad. I was really looking forward to a huge paycheck for doing no real work at all,” said Anna Kendrick. “Indie cred from award-winning films is great and all, but I can’t buy a new car with indie cred.”

“Newcastle asked me to be in its Big Game ad, and I wish they would’ve made it, because I truly believe it would’ve been the greatest football-related thing I’ve ever done,” said Keyshawn Johnson. “For years, I’ve dreamed of voicing a skateboard-riding cat in a beer commercial, and thanks to Newcastle, I nearly achieved that oddly specific goal.”

Fans can join in on the fun at www.IfWeMadeIt.com or by following Newcastle on Facebook and Twitter, where they’ll find a variety of humorous content related to the astonishing Big Game ad that would have blown the world’s mind – everything except the ad, of course.

The program was created in partnership with Droga5 and is part of Newcastle’s long-running “No Bollocks” campaign, which takes a lighthearted, no-nonsense, honest approach to marketing by shining a light on the silly, stale and sometimes deceptive clichés often found in beer advertising.

www.IfWeMadeIt.com

The Five New Celebrity Disney Dream Portraits by Annie Leibovitz - And A Look Behind The Scenes.

In the past, I had shared all the Disney Dream Portraits (wonderful photographs of celebrities portraying Disney characters by photographer Annie Leibovitz) up through 2011 here.

Meet The 10 Most Heroic and Inspirational Women of 2013.

This year Microsoft / Bing showcased Sara Bareilles' song "Brave" in their Windows marketing campaign which inspired them to take a different approach to the "Year in Review." They sought out women who spoke out, stood up, led, persevered and fought their way through adversity and challenge to come through the other side triumphant and created this one minute video and a special website to honor them.



So, who are these women?:

1. Malala Yousafzai


Malala Yousafzai stood up to educate us all. After surviving an assassination attempt, she arose stronger than ever. In 2013 she addressed the UN, was named one of Time's "100 Most Influential People" and, at 16, became the youngest woman to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.


2. Margaret Thatcher


Margaret Thatcher blazed a trail. Still the only woman prime minister of Great Britain, Thatcher paved the way for women to lead in the highest offices in the world. Known as the "Iron Lady" due to her uncompromising politics and leadership style, she passed away in 2013.


3. Adrianne Haslet-Davis


Adrianne Haslet-Davis vowed to dance again. Despite losing her lower leg in the Boston Marathon bombing, this dance teacher shows amazing courage. She has committed to not only dance again, but to also run in the 2014 Boston marathon on a prosthetic leg.


4. Gabrielle Giffords


Gabrielle Giffords got back up to fight for others. Surviving a gunshot wound to the head, U.S. Representative Giffords returned in 2013 to make an inspirational statement to Congress in the Sandy Hook hearings, and has gone on to use her experience and position as ex-member of the House to fight for improved gun safety regulations.


5. Diana Nyad


Diana Nyad persevered. After four attempts, at age 64, Diana Nyad embodied tenacity by becoming the first person to swim from Havana to Key West unassisted and without a shark cage.


6. Janet Yellen


Janet Yellen shattered the glass ceiling. On October 9th, 2013 President Barack Obama nominated Janet Yellen to be the first woman to be Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve.


7. Antoinette Tuff


Antoinette Tuff said "I love you" to save a school. Rising above panic, Tuff talked down a gunman who had entered Ronald E. McNair Discovery Academy with words of compassion, convincing him to peacefully surrender.


8. Angela Merkel


Angela Merkel had the strength to lead again. Angela Merkel is the first woman to hold the offices of Chancellor and leader of the Christian Democratic Union. In 2013 she led her party to a historic third-term victory in German elections.


9. Edith Windsor


Edith Windsor won a victory for equality. One of Time's "People of the Year," her Supreme Court victory in United States v. Windsor was hailed as a landmark milestone for marriage equality.


10. Deb Cohan


Deb Cohan danced to inspire us all. Facing a double mastectomy, she denied despair, holding a dance party just prior to the operation with the surgical team. The video of the party went viral, giving hope and courage to those fighting cancer.


And of course, lest we forget, all the women who fought to protect this country, its principles and its people:


This courageous group of women have changed the world and shown us all what the human spirit can achieve. Let that inspire you for 2014.

info, images and video courtesy of Bing