• Wednesday, Mar. 1, 2017
Geoff Bailey joins Alkemy X as creative director
Geoff Bailey
NEW YORK -- 

Creative content company Alkemy X has added creative director Geoff Bailey to its New York office. This move accents a noteworthy stretch of expansion in which Alkemy X almost doubled its staff and opened a new state-of-the-art production and post facility in New York City. The announcement comes on the heels of Alkemy X making headlines as the exclusive visual effects company on M. Night Shyamalan’s original thriller Split, which was the no. 1 film at the U.S. box office for three consecutive weeks. 

The genesis of the creative relationship between Alkemy X and Bailey formed in 2016 when the two collaborated on a 360° experiential film project for EY (formerly known as Ernst & Young) and brand consultancy BrandPie. Bailey served as the creative director on the project, which was commissioned for EY’s Strategic Growth Forum held in Palm Desert, Calif., last November. The experience was a showcase of Alkemy X’s entire arsenal of visual storytelling expertise, including live-action, VFX, animation, design, and editorial.

“After bringing Geoff on board for the EY project, we immediately recognized the potential for him to be a tenured creative leader at Alkemy X,” said Justin B. Wineburgh, president and CEO of Alkemy X. “The timing of this appointment couldn’t be more perfect with so many key growth initiatives coming to fruition this year. Furthermore, Geoff’s multidisciplinary background and branding expertise, coupled with his incredible work ethic and personality, aligns perfectly with the multitude of talent and high-end production resources that allow us to create exceptional work and continue to exceed our clients’ expectations.”

“I enjoy creating at the convergence of many disciplines and look forward to leveraging my branding knowledge to support Alkemy X’s hybrid creation pipeline — from ideation and strategy, to live-action production, design, and VFX,” remarked Bailey. “Together, I believe we can bring a depth of knowledge and creativity into new and unforeseen spaces. Of course, as a creative director, you can have all the great ideas in the world, but they’ll flat-out fail if you don’t have the right people to execute at a high level — and Alkemy X’s talent pool is far-reaching, including some of the best editors and digital effects artists I’ve ever worked with.”

Most recently, Bailey was a creative director at loyalkaspar, where he creatively led the launch campaign for A&E’s Bates Motel, while garnering numerous PromaxBDA Gold Awards and a Sports Emmy for the rebrand of ESPN’s College Football and Longhorn Network. He also served as creative director/designer on the title sequence for the American launch of A&E’s The Returned, and as creative director/director on a series of launch spots for the debut of Vice Media’s TV channel Viceland. Prior to that, Bailey freelanced for several of New York’s top design firms as a director, designer, and animator. His extensive freelance résumé includes work for HBO, Showtime, Hulu, ABC, Cinemax, HP, Jay-Z, U2, Travel Channel, Comedy Central, CourtTV, Fuse, AMC Networks, and Kiehl’s.

Bailey holds an MFA in Film Production from Columbia University. His films have screened at the Palm Springs International ShortFest, Los Angeles International Short Film Fest, Brooklyn International Film Festival, Nashville International Film Festival, BET/HBO Urbanworld Film Festival, Martha’s Vineyard International Film Festival, and numerous others.

“Geoff’s versatility as a visual storyteller is what makes him such a great creative leader, especially as Alkemy X forays into new opportunities in the realm of VR, branded content, gaming, and more,” concluded Nick Litwinko, Alkemy X SVP and New York managing director. “Not only does he demonstrate the rare combination of focus and imagination that’s necessary to bringing larger conceptual visions to life, but also he’s adept at all the necessary details and technique that goes into each phase of the filmmaking process.”

  • Wednesday, Mar. 1, 2017
Quietman hires Sophie Gold as EP/partner
Sophie Gold
NEW YORK -- 

Sophie Gold has joined Quietman as executive producer and partner. She brings with her directors Brendan Beachman, Justin Coit and visual storyteller Gerald McMorrow.

A native of London, Gold has experience leading teams across multiple territories, with a track record for elevating businesses on both coasts. Most recently, Gold was EP/director of business development at Moondog where she helped to build its production arm and to establish its creative division.

Quietman EP/partner Carey Gattyan said, “With the current climate of our industry, everybody has to throw their hat into the ring and be aggressive and strong. I am consistently impressed by Sophie’s incredible work ethic and how she puts her own brand out there. I know Sophie’s strength in marketing and branding will raise Quietman’s profile even further.”

Gold related, “I so admire the vision that Carey Gattyan and [Quietman founder/creative director] Johnnie Semerad have for the company, which comes to life in the high caliber of production work and polish that they always deliver.”

Founded in 1996 as a high-end VFX company, Quietman has evolved into a creatively integrated shop that covers the gamut of production and postproduction services. With the same core group of creative and production executives overseeing all disciplines, the Quietman team is able to craft content at all stages: from concept and design, high-end production, to editorial and finishing.

Recently Quietman tackled the rebranding of Pepsi Zero Sugar for broadcast and social platforms, producing the spots from start to finish. Quietman also handled the VFX and 3D animation leading up to Lady Gaga’s Super Bowl performance sponsored by Pepsi, along with creating new social content for Lays and handling the entirety of Matcha Love’s first-ever campaign. Meanwhile Gold recently produced several commercials for Nissan’s partnership with the Star Wars franchise in support of the film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

  • Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017
Zambezi hires Gavin Lester as its 1st chief creative officer
Gavin Lester
LOS ANGELES -- 

Independent creative agency Zambezi has brought Gavin Lester on board as its first chief creative officer. He also has been named an equity partner in the agency. His career has spanned 20 years and two continents, having worked in London, New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles, for agencies such as 180LA, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, BBH London and NYC. Over the years he has had a hand in high-profile campaigns for Sprint, Levi’s, Lexus, Sony, Netflix and Google, among others.  He has won assorted awards including Cannes Gold Lions, Andys, Addys, D&AD and Clios.
 
Lester comes to Zambezi following a long spell of freelance work at 72andSunny and previously was EVP, executive creative director at Deutsch L.A. where he led creative for Sprint.
 
Lester’s hire is a reflection of Zambezi’s rapid expansion following a streak of new business wins over the past two years, including Cox Communications, Hubert’s, Stance and Las Vegas Sands Corp. Recently, Lester worked with the Zambezi team in a freelance capacity on the agency’s “Come As You Are” campaign for Las Vegas Sands Corp’s Venetian Resort. He will take charge of a growing creative department that counts two other recent hires, creative director Dan Maxwell and associate creative director Annie Johnston, as well as key internal promotions--Ben George and Nick Rodgers to creative directors and Chris Rutkowski to associate creative director.

  • Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017
Ben Hibon named head creative director at Luma
Ben Hibon
SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- 

Creative studio Luma, known for its visual effects work, has hired Ben Hibon to serve as head creative director.
 
A career as an artist and animation director has taken Hibon from television commercials to branded content to video game creation for clients like Disney, Microsoft, Sony, and Riot Games. He has lent his design skills to feature films such as Snow White and the Huntsman and The Last Witch Hunter. Most notably he was at the helm of the Academy Award-nominated The Tale of Three Brothers animated sequence from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1.
 
VFX house Luma is expanding into the realm of original content. Luma’s Santa Monica and Melbourne studios will continue their exclusive service model while developing partnerships that enable the company to be active in creative as well. Hibon will be working with the heads of Luma’s animated and live action content, and new content and media arms, helping to shape and guide the new branches toward varied forms of storytelling.
 
Founded by Payam Shohadai, Luma Pictures debuted in 2002 with visual effects for Charlie’s Angels and has gone on to contribute visual effects for such films as Deadpool, Captain America: Civil War, and Doctor Strange. 

  • Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017
Michael Gregory upped to VFX creative director at MPC LA
Michael Gregory
LOS ANGELES -- 

MPC Los Angeles has promoted Michael Gregory to VFX creative director. He will work alongside VFX creative director Rob Hodgson to lead creative for the studio’s advertising VFX division.
 
Gregory joined the L.A. studio in March as head of 2D from MPC London, where for 13 years he was a sought after VFX supervisor and lead artist. His most recent work via MPC LA includes commercials for Nike, Samsung, State Farm and Atari | The Witcher, as well as the latest music video from the Rolling Stones—“Ride ‘Em On Down,” with directors Mark Romanek, Adam Berg, Wayne McClammy, Johnny Hardstaff and François Rousselet.

Gregory’s work has been honored with a VES Award for Outstanding Animated Commercial for Cadbury “Spots v Stripes” and a D&AD Pencil and British Arrow for Channel 4’s “Street Summer” campaign, for which he helped develop an innovative new filming technique.

He now teams with Hodgson whose credits span films such as Inception, X-Men: First Class, American Beauty and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and commercials for Visa, BMW, Apple, Guinness, Nike, DirecTV and GE.
 
“Michael is a proven leader and one of MPC’s most talented and accomplished artists,” said Justin Brukman, managing director, MPC U.S. “We’re pleased to recognize his efforts over the past 14 years with the pivotal leadership role of VFX creative director. Working with Rob Hodgson in a formidable partnership, Michael will lead MPC’s talented team of artists, giving them the freedom to excel in craft and storytelling, while collaborating with our clients on innovative and effective content. We look forward to the road ahead which will see the release of some the studio’s most exciting work to date.”
 
“I’m fortunate to have learned the art of visual effects and come into my own as an artist amongst the wonderful craft of the UK ad industry,” said Gregory. “The move to the U.S. earlier this year enabled me to begin the next chapter of my career in the renowned American ad market, tapping into endless opportunity with continued support from MPC. I enjoy building and working within successful teams, and look forward to being part of the studio’s growth and continued success in Los Angeles.”

MPC maintains facilities in London, L.A., New York, Vancouver, Montreal, Bangalore, Amsterdam, Shanghai and Paris.

  • Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017
Tim Avery promoted to editor at Northern Lights
Tim Avery
NEW YORK -- 

Northern Lights has promoted Tim Avery from assistant editor to editor. Avery joined the NY-based entertainment agency in 2013, working under the mentorship of in-house talent on a variety of promos, commercials and co-branded content. As an editor, his storytelling skills can be seen in spots and promos for such clients as Walmart, E!, Oxiclean, AMC, Mercedes and Animal Planet. Avery brings a collaborative approach to each of his projects, honing in on the brand message while adding his own personal style to elevate the storytelling arc and visuals of every piece.

Avery has embraced Northern Lights’ agency offerings, working closely with sr. creative director Keith Kopnicki on network promo and co-branded projects concepted and executed in-house. They recently collaborated on spots for E! and The Voice in conjunction with Fashion Week as well as a series of one minute content pieces for Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl. 

  • Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017
JAMM adds Flame artist Mark Holden
Mark Holden
SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- 

Visual effects boutique JAMM has brought on board veteran Flame artist Mark Holden. He brings more than 20 years of experience in postproduction in London, followed by the last six years in Los Angeles at MPC LA. As a creative finishing artist working with agencies on both sides of the Atlantic, he has touched a significant range of projects spanning the worlds of retail, automotive, food and beauty.
 
Holden dove right in with JAMM for Space 150’s Buffalo Wild Wings’ Super Bowl pre-game spot starring Brett Favre and, directed by the Snorri Brothers. 
 
Holden is known not only for his visual prowess, but also for turning projects around under tight deadlines and offering his clients as many solutions as possible to amplify the postproduction process. This has earned him work with agencies such as Fallon, Mother, Saatchi & Saatchi, Leo Burnett, 180, TBWA/Chiat/Day, Goodby Silverstein & Partners, Deutsch, David & Goliath, and Team One. Further, he has worked with brands from all verticals including Lexus, Activision, Adidas, Chevy, GEICO, Grammys, Kia, Lyft, Pepsi, Southwest Airlines, StubHub, McDonald’s, Kellogg’s, Stella Artois, Silk, Heineken, and OLAY.

  • Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017
Susan McGuirl joins board of Behind the Scenes Foundation
Susan McGuirl
NEW YORK -- 

Susan McGuirl, the head of North America Entertainment, Entertainment Division, Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty, has accepted an invitation to join the Behind the Scenes Foundation's board of directors. McGuirl has been in the insurance industry for over 25 years holding various leadership positions in both claims and underwriting. Allianz Entertainment is the largest entertainment insurance writer in the U.S. focusing on providing specialized insurance solutions for the entertainment industry.  Prior to joining Allianz, she was the COO of Travelers Entertainment. McGuirl is a strong advocate for safety, encouraging collaboration between entertainment experts and the insurance community and was instrumental in developing the partnership between Allianz and the Event Safety Alliance.

Upon accepting the appointment, McGuirl commented, “I am honored to serve on the Behind the Scenes board of directors. BTS’ dedication to the entertainment industry is important and necessary in serving those who need our help and support.”

Rick Rudolph, the chair of the Behind the Scenes Foundation, said, “We are extremely honored to have Susan join us in our work. Her desire to support entertainment technology professionals in need is a natural extension of her longstanding commitment to making our industry a safer place. We look forward to breadth of experience and new ideas she will bring to the Board.”

The Behind the Scenes charity provides entertainment technology professionals who are seriously ill or injured with grants that may be used for basic living and medical expenses. For more information about Behind the Scenes, to donate, or to apply for a grant, click here.

  • Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017
LatinWorks fortifies leadership team
Christy Kranik (l) and Leo Olper.
AUSTIN, Texas -- 

LatinWorks, part of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC), has hired Leo Olper to serve as SVP and managing director. A former executive at Leo Burnett, and co-founder of Havas’ Totality multicultural practice, Olper will be based in New York and will be responsible for bringing best in class account stewardship to a large portion of LatinWorks’ client portfolio. He will also anchor and help fuel the agency’s growing presence in the Northeast.

In addition, Christy Kranik becomes the agency’s first partner and chief client officer. Kranik has been a key player in the agency’s leadership ranks for well over a decade. During this time the shop grew to become a leading creative and strategic organization in the multicultural industry.

“Leo’s arrival adds a new and welcomed dimension to our team” said Kranik, who in her new role will work closely with Olper to evolve strategic client service.

“I’m excited to join an agency with the creative track record of LatinWorks” said Olper. “I look forward to this new chapter of my professional life and to the opportunity to work with Christy and the rest of this outstanding group of talented people,” he added.

In an effort to accelerate the agency’s evolution and better meet client needs, the agency also announced several other moves among its executive ranks, including the appointment of Marc Wilson to VP, strategic planning; Scott Radigk to CFO; Michelle Aldrich to VP, financial operations; and the return of Luis Guido, a former director in the agency’s experiential and shopper marketing group, to the position of VP, experiential marketing. 

“These leadership appointments, and the elevation of Christy’s position to agency partner, are intended to not only recognize the individual contributions each has made to our agency, but also to help accelerate our transformation to a world-class organization that is able to adapt to changing client needs, in what has become a very dynamic marketing universe,” said Manny Flores, CEO and co-founder.

  • Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017
Zulu Alpha Kilo hires Marcelo Mariano as associate creative director
Marcelo Mariano
TORONTO -- 

Zulu Alpha Kilo in Toronto has just brought on The Martin Agency’s award-winning digital talent Marcelo Mariano as associate creative director. At The Martin Agency, Mariano worked on notable projects such as "DeleteToFeed" for Land O’Lakes and Oreo Colorfilled. The Oreo project was highlighted in specialized media and awards as one of the most creative projects in e-commerce and pack customization. 
 
“Mariano bring a wealth of innovative digital thinking which further strengthens an already strong group of thinkers,” said Zak Mroueh, CCO and founder of Zulu Alpha Kilo.
 
Mariano started his career in Brazil, working at agency DM9DDB. Mariano’s work has been awarded by Cannes, One Show, Webby Awards, and the FWA. In 2008, he won a Gold Lion in the Young Lions Cyber Competition at the Cannes Festival.  At Zulu, Mariano will partner with Zulu CD Jon Webber.
 
“I’m really proud to be part of an agency with such a strong creative DNA and culture. I’ve always loved Canada and Zulu is an agency I’ve admired for a long time,” said Mariano.
 
The hire comes on the heels of Zulu winning its first U.S. AOR assignment for New York-based Wink, the DIY smart home platform with over 2.3 million devices connected.

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