Visual effects, animation and stereo conversion company DNEG is bolstering its global client services team with the promotion of Lee Berger to executive VP. He will head up DNEG in Los Angeles.
Having spent the last few years as DNEG’s SVP of production in L.A., Berger has been working closely with film studio and production clients in Hollywood, as well as with DNEG’s global creative supervisory team. The L.A. studio provides filmmakers, directors and studio clients in Hollywood with a gateway to DNEG’s award-winning capabilities across the globe.
In his new role, Berger will lead the L.A. team while continuing to oversee projects and helping to steer the company’s global delivery capabilities. As part of the senior management team, he will also explore opportunities in intellectual property, film and TV investment, in addition to other media business development initiatives.
Berger has a wealth of visual effects experience, having previously held senior leadership positions at Rhythm & Hues (R&H) and Blue Sky/VIFX. While at R&H, he worked on the Oscar and BAFTA-winning films The Golden Compass and Life of Pi, as well as the Academy Award-nominated The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, among many other productions.
DNEG CEO Namit Malhotra described the promotion as a “coming of age” for the company’s L.A. studio. “Lee’s promotion amplifies our commitment to our clients across North America. As the requirements of our clients’ projects become ever more complex, we need a team in L.A. that has the experience to advise, add value and draft in the best resources from around our global network to deliver a superior level of service and delivery.”
Apple’s “Fuzzy Feelings” Wins Primetime Commercial Emmy Award
Apple’s “Fuzzy Feelings” won the primetime commercial Emmy this evening (9/7) during the first of two Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremonies being held this weekend in the Peacock Theater at LA Live. The yuletide film out of TBWAMedia Arts Lab was directed by Lucia Aniello via Hungry Man in tandem with stop-motion animator Anna Mantzaris of Passion Pictures.
“Fuzzy Feelings” introduces us to an office worker by day and stop-motion artist by night. As an employee, she works for a boss whom she’s grown to hate. So at night, her stop-motion creations put him in dire straits. The young woman makes her stop-motion fare by deploying the iPhone 15 Pro camera and a MacBook Air with M2 to edit it. However, when the woman's day job takes a turn and she starts to see her boss in another light, so too do her stop-motion endeavors as we see the value of working towards a kinder world, and what better time to start than during the holiday season?
Director Aniello is no stranger to the Emmy proceedings. As creator of the HBO Max series Hacks, she has won two Emmys (writing and directing) as well as a DGA Award. This year she is nominated for three more Emmys on the strength of Hacks--Outstanding Comedy Series as well as writing and directing for a comedy series.
This marks the second straight year that an Apple film has won the coveted primetime commercial Emmy. Back in January 2024, Apple’s “The Greatest,” directed by Kim Gehrig of Somesuch, came away with the Emmy.
This time around, “Fuzzy Feelings” topped a field of nominated commercials consisting of: Apple’s “Album Cover” from Apple’s in-house creatives and directed by David Shane of O Positive; Uber One | Uber Eats’ “Best Friends,” also... Read More