Whom You Know: Can Food Inspire Ron Howard & Bryce Dallas Howard's Next Film?

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Can Food Inspire Ron Howard & Bryce Dallas Howard's Next Film?

BRYCE DALLAS HOWARD TAPPED AS DIRECTOR OF CANON’S “PROJECT IMAGIN8ION,” A RON HOWARD PRODUCTION

“Project Imagin8ion” is the First Hollywood Film in History Based on Eight Independently Contributed Photographs, Produced by Freestyle in Collaboration with Canon U.S.A.

Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging, announced today that Bryce Dallas Howard, one of Hollywood’s most versatile and dynamic young talents both on screen and behind the camera, has been invited by Canon and her father Ron Howard to direct his latest film endeavor, “Project Imagin8ion.” The initiative is the first user-generated photo contest to serve as the foundation for a Hollywood short film, which now boasts the A-list team of Bryce Dallas Howard directing and Ron Howard executive producing, in partnership with Francesca Silvestri and Kevin Chinoy of Freestyle, a full-service development and production company.

Launched on May 22nd, “Project Imagin8ion” encourages photographers of all levels to submit photos based on a series of movie themes: Setting, Time, Character, Mood, Relationship, Goal, Obstacle and the Unknown. The contest pulled in over 8,500 photo submissions on the first day alone and aims to foster dialogue between Canon and a community of photography enthusiasts, inspiring everyone to achieve new levels of creativity. Consumers can visit www.youtube.com/imagination to submit photos through June 14th and to vote on the semi-finalists through June 23rd. Throughout the promotion, Ron Howard, Bryce Dallas Howard and Freestyle, with the help of Canon experts and the Project Imagin8ion community, will narrow down the submissions and ultimately select eight winning photos – one from each movie theme category – to become the basis and inspiration for a short film shot with Canon EOS DSLR cameras and lenses.

“It is an honor for me to take part in Canon’s ‘Project Imagin8ion,’ partnering with a brand that is empowering young filmmakers and is at the forefront of technology,” said Bryce Dallas Howard. “It’s an absolutely inspired concept and I’m over the moon to not only direct this film but to work with my father, a true mentor and my personal hero. My hope is that this film will honor the creativity, passion, and artistic integrity that so many people have put into their photographs.”

“I think Bryce is a great choice to helm this film,” said Ron Howard. “She is artistic, compassionate, curious, and loves to think outside the box. There is nothing formulaic about her approach to filmmaking and I believe that she is the perfect director for Canon's creative experiment, given how original it is and how she is part of this digital generation. Bryce has the experience and wherewithal to create a memorable film.”

Script development will not begin until all eight photos are chosen, fostering a new approach to storytelling and filmmaking for the team. Production will take place during the summer and fall, a busy time for the actress/producer who will star on screen this August as “Hilly” in Tate Taylor’s film adaptation of Kathryn Stockett’s “The Help” and as “Rachael” opposite Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the September release of “50/50.” Also in September of this year, Howard’s producerial debut “Restless,” a film directed by Gus Van Sant will be released. The “Project Imagin8tion” short film will premiere later this year in New York City, with the contest winners in town for a red carpet event where they will have the opportunity to meet the famous father-daughter pair. “Project Imagin8ion” will mark the second time Bryce Dallas Howard has worked with Freestyle, the first being the Reel Moments short film program with Glamour magazine.

Grey New York and Alliance, the entertainment and lifestyle marketing division of Grey, are responsible for the campaign and talent negotiations.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. Its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), a top patent holder of technology, ranked fourth overall in the U.S. in 2010†, with global revenues of more than US $45 billion and is listed as number five in the computer industry on Fortune Magazine's World’s Most Admired Companies 2011 list. Canon U.S.A. is committed to the highest levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percent U.S.-based consumer service and support for all of the products it distributes. At Canon, we care because caring is essential to living together in harmony. Founded upon a corporate philosophy of Kyosei – "all people, regardless of race, religion or culture, harmoniously living and working together into the future" – Canon U.S.A. supports a number of social, youth, educational and other programs, including environmental and recycling initiatives. Additional information about these programs can be found at www.usa.canon.com/kyosei. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company's RSS news feed by visitingwww.usa.canon.com/rss.

ABOUT BRYCE HOWARD

Bryce Dallas Howard has quickly become one of Hollywood’s most versatile and dynamic young talents both on screen and behind the camera. The actress will next be seen as the villainous “Hilly” in Tate Taylor’s big screen adaptation of Kathryn Stockett’s bestselling novel ”The Help” this August. In September, Summit’s dark comedy “50/50” hits theaters with Bryce playing the role of “Rachael” opposite Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. She was most recently seen in Clint Eastwood’s “Hereafter” and “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.” Expanding her creative reach beyond acting, Howard produced Gus Van Sant’s “Restless,” which opened Un Certain Regard at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival and is slated for September release. She has also co-written her first feature film screenplay titled “The Originals” which is currently in development. Howard made her 2006 directorial debut with the short film “Orchids.”

ABOUT RON HOWARD

Ronald William "Ron" Howard (born March 1, 1954) is an American actor, director and producer. He came to prominence as a child actor, playing Opie Taylor in the sitcom The Andy Griffith Show for eight years, and later as the teenaged Richie Cunningham in the sitcom “Happy Days” for six years. He made film appearances such as in “American Graffiti” in 1973 and while starring in “Happy Days” he also made “The Shootist” in 1976, as well as making his directorial debut with the 1977 comedy film “Grand Theft Auto.” He left “Happy Days” in 1980 to focus on directing, and has since gone on to direct several films, including the Oscar winning “Cocoon,”“Apollo 13,” “Frost/Nixon,” and “How the Grinch Stole

Christmas.” Ron won the Academy Award for “A Beautiful Mind” as the Director and also producer of the film. In 2003, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts.

ABOUT FREESTYLE

Freestyle is a TV and film production company founded by Francesca Silvestri and Kevin Chinoy. Francesca and Kevin partnered with Glamour Magazine in 2005 to create the Reel Moments program that gives women an opportunity to direct and have produced 20 short films since the program's inception, including giving directorial debuts to Bryce Dallas Howard, Jennifer Aniston, Demi Moore, Courteney Cox, Kate Hudson, Kirsten Dunst, Jessica Biel, Eva Mendes, and Rachel Weisz. They also executive produced MTV's show "Warren The Ape." They are currently executive producing "Project Five" for Lifetime, an anthology of five short films that will play as a two hour event special, for which Jennifer Aniston, Demi Moore, Alicia Keys, Patty Jenkins, and Penelope Spheeris are directing. Freestyle has worked with a diverse and extensive client list of corporations that include Bebe, Bloomingdales, Cartier, Clinique, Details Magazine, Elizabeth Arden, Ford Mercury, Glamour Magazine, Grand Centenario, Hyundia, Klondike, Lycra, Men's Vogue, Nokia, Revlon, Samsung, Starbucks, Suave, Tommy Hilfiger, and W Hotels.

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†Based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent and Trademark Office.

All referenced product names, and other marks, are trademarks of their respective owners.

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