Creative studio HELO has named Set Free Richardson as its executive creative director. Richardson is a multifaceted creative with over two decades of experience spearheading such work as the NBA Play for Change initiative; Compound, the black-owned creative collective and gallery; and “The Greatest Mixtape Ever,” a just released 30 for 30 documentary with ESPN. Richardson was previously signed to HELO’s directorial roster, and in his new role as ECD, he will expand the studio’s reach across sports, art, fashion, and music industries and further partner with brands and agencies to create impactful and purpose-driven work.
An experienced creative director, culture and art curator, and content director spanning film, commercial, and experiential disciplines, Richardson views the world through an artistic lens and fuses his creative energy with a passion for spurring social change. His recent ESPN documentary, “The Greatest Mixtape Ever,” which he co-directed with Chris Robinson, explores the evolution of basketball and hip hop in a heartfelt homage to the culture-defining pastimes and the AND1 Mixtapes, created by Richardson. At HELO, Richardson recently directed "Chillboards," an eco- and social-conscious experiential campaign for Coors Light via DDB, where Miami neighborhood rooftops were painted white to offer communities more cost-effective methods for cooling their homes. A sought after creative, Richardson has commercial work which also includes clients Adidas, Nike, and EA Sports, as well as a recent Clarks documentary that delves into the history of the Wallabee in NYC–one of the most iconic shoes in the hip hop scene.
To celebrate innovation and creativity, Richardson co-founded Compound Gallery with Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def) in the Bronx, where he grew up. During the pandemic, the gallery space evolved into a prolific virtual platform to elevate cultural voices through brand partnerships, art, and education. The pandemic further spawned Richardson’s Play for Change initiative, a partnership with NBA players, brands, and fans to combat social injustice, racial inequality, and shine a light on human rights issues, culminating in a campaign and spot produced by HELO.
“With all the issues facing our world, creativity has the power to heal everything. As a Black male, it’s an honor and humbling experience for me to join forces with a multicultural company like HELO and fuse our talents together as a force for positive change. With creativity at the core of our partnership, we have the power to change the world. The sky’s the limit,” shared Richardson.
“Free is a visionary artist with his pulse on culture-creation and breakthrough ideas at the epicenter of sports, fashion, and music. We’re eager to deepen our relationship with Free and partner on creative expansion, as we prepare for future development and the next stage of evolution at HELO,” stated Brendan Kiernan, the shop’s co-founder and managing director.
SCHROM x Yacht Club and Be Electric Studios Launch Electric XR for Virtual Production
SCHROM x Yacht Club, a full-service live-action, tabletop, and postproduction company, has teamed with Be Electric Studios, a soundstage, equipment rental, and virtual production company, to launch Electric XR, a virtual production collective.
Industry veteran Thomas Rossano will lead the new venture, which provides advanced virtual production solutions across multiple facilities. He brings over 25 years of experience in live-action, tabletop, postproduction and talent curation to enhance Electric XR’s offerings as a resource for brands and agencies, as well as other production companies in need of virtual production solutions. Additionally Rossano continues to serve as EP at XR New York (XR-NY), a role he’s held since December 2022. SCHROM x Yacht Club originally established XR-NY to help provide XR services for third-party rentals. While XR-NY will continue to function independently for SCHROM X Yacht Club, it now operates under the Electric XR umbrella.
Rossano’s expertise spans producing live-action commercials, branded content, interactive and experiential content. In addition to leading Electric XR, he holds responsibilities at SCHROM x Yacht Club which include driving business development, collaborating with sales reps and expanding the company’s creative talent network. Rossano’s career includes serving as an exec producer at Hungry Man for about 11 years, right from that company’s inception. He then went on to become a partner at Station Film where he also had a lengthy tenure. Later he was a partner at PRISM. Then after the pandemic hit, he became a freelance EP for nearly two years, looking into opportunities in virtual production, which led him to XR NY and now Electric XR. Over the years, he has produced high-profile... Read More