AMPAS, the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, has finally hired a replacement for the last communications director, Leslie Unger, who was released last fall in what Deadline’s Nikky Finke called “housecleaning,” and didn’t do so with any love from Nikke Finke:
My lack of fondness for the arrogant and autocratic pairing of Unger and Robertson predates even their demonstrated poor judgment when they conspired to yank Deadline’s press credential to cover last February’s Academy Awards because I posted exclusive spoilers.
And now that Leslie Unger is out of the way, and before I get to Jasmine Madatian, I can add to that. When I fell and hurt my head at the 2010 Oscar Week, as explained in this video:
What got me were Leslie Unger’s words to me after the accident. She didn’t ask me if I was Ok, or if I needed help, she said “It’s not our fault,” which is funny, because that wasn’t even on my mind. Thankfully, and seemingly in reaction to Leslie, other Academy people stepped forward to see how I was doing.
Please, I just pray that Jasmine Madatian is a lot nicer. Most of the time, Leslie wouldn’t even return a “hello” upon passing – no reason for the actions.
Now to Jasmine Madatian’s background, courtesy of AMPAS:
“Jasmine is a smart, innovative and highly-regarded communications strategist with strong relationships throughout the film and media industry,” said Kounelias. “Her understanding of our mission and enthusiasm for the Academy is what really sets her apart and makes her such a great fit for this position.”
Madatian will oversee all of the Academy’s publicity and corporate communications campaigns, including the Academy Awards®, as well as outreach for the organization’s year-round programming, education, preservation and other key initiatives.
“I’m excited to join the energetic team at the Academy,” said Madatian. “I look forward to sharing its dynamic year-round story – from the Oscars to its public programs to its incredible educational and preservation efforts.”
Currently working on the “Safety Not Guaranteed” campaign for FilmDistrict, Madatian previously served as senior vice president of publicity, promotions and field marketing for Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Group, where she was responsible for developing strategic branding and publicity campaigns for such Academy Award®-winning movies as “Ratatouille,” “WALL-E” and “Up.” Additionally, she spearheaded the campaigns for “Enchanted,” “The Proposal” and “Alice in Wonderland.” While at The Walt Disney Company she was involved in the studio’s launch of the Disneynature label, D23, and the first-ever 3D presentation at Comic-Con.
Prior to joining The Walt Disney Company, Madatian spent eight years as senior vice president of publicity and promotions at Paramount Pictures, where she supervised release and awards campaigns and played an integral role in corporate communications. The diverse range of films she worked on included “Titanic,” “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” “The Hours,” “War of the Worlds,” “Mission: Impossible II,” “Team America: World Police” and “Jackass: The Movie.”
Before working at Paramount, Madatian held executive positions at Twentieth Century Fox, where she worked on campaigns for “The Last of the Mohicans,” “Mrs. Doubtfire” and “Speed.”
Stay tuned.