•JAPANESE AGENCY PRODUCER STARTS CREATIVE COLLECTIVE> Veteran Japanese agency producer Yasuyuki Kubota has joined forces with international directing talent to start a new Tokyo-based creative collective called Control. Kubota, who has worked in the production departments at Hakuhodo and Ogilvy, Japan, likened Control to multi-disciplinary collective Tomato and said the focus will be to produce motion picture content "without any barriers". Directors involved in the project are Daniel Lavin, Gisli Snaer and Yasu. "I am reluctant to call it a production," he said in a statement. "So, for now, I am calling it a factory."

•STRAIGHT 8 HITS LONDON> Organizers of the annual straight 8 Super 8 film festival have announced dates for their hometown screening in London as part of the Rushes Soho Shorts Festival on July 27 to 29. Twenty films will screen for the first time in addition to the eight films that premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May. For full details and to watch a trailer, visit straight8.net.

Director/DP Albert Kodagolian and EP Chris Crawford have launched a new production company in Los Angeles called Bueno Films. Pete Figel will head up the company's branded content division.

Bicoastal RSA Films has signed directing duo Ludwig + Preston (Ross Ludwig and Shawn Preston) for exclusive representation in the US.

Austin-based agency GSD&M Idea City has hired Karen Jacobs as the head of its broadcast production department.

Bicoastal Mekanism has added directors David Horowitz, Malcolm Murray and Michael Langan to its roster.

Portland-based Bent Image Lab has signed veteran animator and director Ken Lidster.

LA-based creative studio DUCK has added agency:collective (a.k.a. directors Michael Jakab and Elisabeth Prescott) to its roster.

New York-based design and VFX boutique Mantra Design has hired Casey Steele as executive producer.

Watertown, MA-based agency Allen & Gerritsen has hired Srividya Sridharan as contributions analyst for the company's Digital Incubator; web developer Courtney Trudeau; Christina Capone as director of business development and Nate Moulter as brand promotion associate.

Chicago/Wilton, CT-based data analytics, CRM and behavioral marketing agency Euro RSCG Discovery has hired Jatinder Singh as managing director.