• Tuesday, Mar. 21, 2023
Editors David Checel, Gabriel Britz join Uppercut
David Checel (l) and Gabriel Blitz
NEW YORK -- 

Editorial, finishing, and VFX studio Uppercut has added David Checel and Gabriel Britz to its roster of editors. They will be based at Uppercut’s Los Angeles office, which launched last year. 

Prior to joining Uppercut, Checel and Britz were at editorial house Stitch.

A lifelong native of Culver City, Calif., Checel discovered his passion for editing while making home movies in high school. Working with VHS decks and a sound mixer, he was amazed by the power of film to evoke emotions by combining specific images and sounds. After graduating from USC’s film school, Checel cut his teeth as an A/V coordinator in an advertising agency. After becoming in-house editor there, he made the transition to FilmCore Editorial, where he assisted Charlie Chubak who encouraged him to edit projects they were working on, and through these opportunities, Checel gained his first set of clients and quickly established himself as a skilled and innovative editor.
 
Checel values working with repeat clients as it offers him an opportunity to build long-lasting relationships based on trust and openness, which foster better collaboration. The ultimate goal is to create a workspace that does not feel like work, but rather a place that sparks creativity and ideas, where “happy accidents” thrive.

Checel said of Uppercut, “Micah [Scarpelli, editor/owner], Lisa [Sadek, NY EP], and the team have perfectly created this incredible space that blends innovation, creativity, and collaboration. I’m honored to be joining the team.”

Growing up in Napa, Calif., Britz wanted to be a filmmaker for as long as he can remember. After developing an interest in editing while making skateboarding videos with his friends, Britz’s initiative was nurtured by his high school teachers, who allowed him to submit video projects instead of writing papers. He then went on to the University Of California San Diego, graduating Magna Cum Laude in film and editing.

One of Britz’s favorite projects this year was a collaboration between Hyundai and Annie Leibovitz. He got an inside look into the legendary photographer’s process while telling compelling stories about real people making a difference in their communities. Britz’s work on the title sequence of Masters of Sex was nominated for an Emmy Award. 

On joining Uppercut, Britz said, “I wanted to be part of something that could reach a broad spectrum of clients in multiple markets. The way that Uppercut runs their business is next-level, and I was inspired from the jump.”

 

  • Tuesday, Mar. 21, 2023
INSTITUTE brings Sean Lyness aboard as exec producer
Sean Lyness
LOS ANGELES -- 

INSTITUTE, the commercial production company founded by Lauren Greenfield, has expanded its leadership team with the addition of Sean Lyness as executive producer. Lyness previously worked with INSTITUTE as a freelance line producer on notable projects including Greenfield’s recent WhatsApp campaign “A New Era of Privacy,” Pamela Adlon’s Thinx campaign “How a New Generation Thinx,” and Karyn Kusama’s “Your Voice” PSA for Planned Parenthood.

Lyness brings a versatile, energetic attitude to any project, with extensive producing experience across documentaries, commercials, and branded content. He worked as a field producer on the Academy Award-nominated feature documentaries Life, Animated and Abacus: Small Enough to Jail, and has collaborated with brands ranging from Nike and Adidas to Intel and Bose. Following INSTITUTE’s recent brand evolution and tighter integration with its sister companies, Lyness will also work closely with INSTITUTE’s documentary division Girl Culture Studios, which produces film and episodic content. Originally from New York City, he is now based in Los Angeles. 

“Sean’s background across advertising, documentary, stills, and entertainment really complements the INSTITUTE approach of telling authentic stories and straddling artistic mediums,” said Tori Palmatier, managing director at INSTITUTE. “Sean played a key role in several of our biggest projects of 2022--including the first-ever commercial shoots for both Pamela and Karyn--so we know and admire his inventive and creative approach to producing every project, and we’re excited to make it official!”

“The world of advertising is influenced so much by culture, often originating from underrepresented communities, but it’s still rare for those communities to have a seat at the table. I deeply believe in the INSTITUTE mission of uplifting underrepresented voices in advertising and actually doing the work of breaking that cycle,” added Lyness. “I’ve had so many positive experiences working with INSTITUTE as a freelancer, when they offered me the EP position it was a no-brainer to come in-house.”

INSTITUTE is repped by Pop Arts on the West Coast, Samuel Guthrey in the Midwest, and Champion on the East Coast. 

  • Saturday, Mar. 18, 2023
Juliet Tierney joins Ingenuity Studios as exec producer
Juliet Tierney
LOS ANGELES -- 

Ingenuity Studios, one of Streamland Media’s visual effects divisions, has appointed Juliet Tierney as executive producer in the Los Angeles office, with responsibility for business development nationwide.

An expert in animation, visual effects, and large-budget live-action productions, Tierney has worked with leading directors, artists and executives, as well as the Royal Family. Most recently, she was a producer for Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter To Los Angeles starring Billie Eilish for Disney+. Tierney also served as a visual effects producer on the films Mother and I, Tonya, as well as for the series The Orville.

“Juliet’s deep expertise and love for the craft of visual effects, and all that goes into it, is a huge asset to our growing studio,” said David Lebensfeld, founding partner and VFX supervisor at Ingenuity Studios. “She also has a warm and friendly personality which aligns perfectly with our studio culture, and she brings a vast network of entertainment industry connections, making her the ideal fit for this role.”

Originally from the U.K., Tierney lives in Los Angeles and is a member of the British Academy (BAFTA), the Visual Effects Society (VES), and The Recording Academy. She was nominated for a Grammy for Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter To Los Angeles. Over the years, she has won major advertising industry awards including Cannes Lions, D&AD and AICP.  

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Ingenuity Studios also has offices in New York, Vancouver, London, and Atlanta.

 

 

  • Thursday, Mar. 16, 2023
Andres Aparicio joins Beekman Social as creative strategy director
Andres Aparicio
NEW YORK -- 

Social-first digital marketing agency Beekman Social has appointed Andres Aparicio as its creative strategy director. His responsibilities will include helping the agency’s clients uncover trends and surface specific storytelling opportunities that will help them leverage insights and deliver on their goals. Aparicio will report to Jeffrey Tousey, founder and CEO of Beekman Social, and Elena Dussaq Cash, managing director.

With over a decade of experience in the industry, Aparicio most recently served as a sr. creative strategist at Swift where he led the strategy for the Gatorade team, collaborating with client leadership and creative partners to execute multiple workstreams and projects. 

Prior to Swift, he served as a sr. creative strategist at Nowadays, a creative agency based in New York. There, he headed the strategy at the agency startup and was instrumental in launching unconventional campaigns for culture-forward brands in entertainment, sports, music, and fashion. He also re-launched PUMA Basketball’s social strategy after a 20-year hiatus, increasing the engagement rate by 6x on Instagram and 21x on Twitter compared to competitors.

He began his career in the industry as a community manager at R/GA, where he managed fan interaction for six different brands, ensuring their personality and voice came to life in a unique way. He also supported multicultural campaigns with valuable insights and Spanish copy.

Aparicio has been named a Shorty Awards winner for “Best Use Of Instagram Reels,” and a finalist for “Best Use Of User-Generated Content.” He was also a finalist for Travel Photographer of the Year’s TPOTY award. 

  • Wednesday, Mar. 15, 2023
Preymaker adds producers Clairellen Wallin, Mike Pullan
Clairellen Wallin (l) and Mike Pullan
NEW YORK -- 

Creative and technology studio Preymaker has added accomplished producers Clairellen Wallin and Mike Pullan to its production team. Preymaker is known for such work as the award-winning original short film BLUE created in the cloud using Unreal Engine’s real-time technology, and the “Liquidity Maze” VR experience for State Street Global Advisors out of McCann New York.

“Clairellen and Mike bring fantastic experience to our production team at Preymaker, with the creative sensibility to match,” said Angus Kneale, chief creative at Preymaker.“They have far-reaching relationships with clients and artists, and are well-versed with emerging technology making them a perfect fit for the company. Their collective strengths are helping us to grow and strengthen our production team at Preymaker.” 

Wallin is a noteworthy sr. executive producer. With over 15 years of experience, she has a vast understanding of VFX and production pipelines. She has spent her career working closely with award-winning agencies and directors. Originally from London, Wallin rose up the VFX ranks at The Mill and MPC. She’s led teams on award-winning work with many top directors including MJZ’s Matthijs van Heijningen on Monster.com’s “Opportunity Roars,” and O Positive’s David Shane on The Atlantic x HBO’s “Typecast,” and Jim Jenkins on Bud Light’s “Dilly Dilly” campaign. She worked closely with Droga5 and Wieden+Kennedy New York on the 2019 Super Clio winner “Joust,” for HBO Game of Thrones and Bud Light. In 2021, Wallin led VFX teams on seven Super Bowl spots. At Preymaker, she will ensure directors enjoy strong relationships with the creative team, continue her role as a resource for clients and be a problem solver offering creative solutions to ensure projects run smoothly.  

“I joined Preymaker because it’s important to me that I’m working on top tier VFX work, at a company that puts creative and high standards first,” Wallin said. “I also respect that Preymaker is tech forward. With Angus as the creative leader, I wouldn’t expect anything less. Mel [Melanie Wickham, Preymaker co-founder] and Verity [Grantham, Preymaker co-founder] are the OG’s, my mentors. I learned so much from them over the years and it’s a breath of fresh air to be back by their sides.” 

Pullan has held sr. producer and senior VFX producer roles in Chicago and New York, most recently at LVLY Studios and Leviathan, along with The Mill Chicago. He’s delivered campaigns for Samsung, T-Mobile, Maybelline, Xfinity, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Blue Cross Blue Shield and many other brands. Over the last decade, he’s become versatile producing commercials, experientials and short films, working in AR, VR, Unreal Engine and TouchDesigner, and with teams using Flame and Houdini. On the production team at Preymaker, Pullan describes his role as “managing the day-to-day on current projects, planning for the next one and making sure the last one is in a good place so we can do it all again!”

“I’ve worked with quite a few members of the team at Preymaker previously, so when this opportunity came up, I couldn’t say yes quickly enough!” Pullan said. 

“Clairellen and Mike bring a depth of experience working with a wide breadth of brands, agencies, directors and artists,” said Wickham. “We’ve worked closely together over the years and enjoy a shorthand and trust that allows us to be creative and efficient on productions of all scopes. Having the opportunity to be working together again at Preymaker is very exciting!”

“Both Clairellen and Mike are generous in sharing their knowledge and empowering teams to be resourceful and creatively driven makers,” added Grantham. “They are assets for our clients, able to put the building blocks in place for each project and optimize them to deliver the best creative solutions. Just as important, their collaborative nature and enthusiasm are contagious.”

Both Wallin and Pullan are based in New York, and appreciate the benefits of Preymaker’s 100% cloud-based work model. “Preymaker has some incredibly smart, talented people working all over the globe and the cloud allows everyone to work together effortlessly,” Pullan said. “Frankly, it makes my job easier.”

Wallin added, “Using cloud-based rendering is better for the environment and pushing to use the newest technology or creating pipelines caveated towards specific projects’ needs will always keep us one step ahead.”

Preymaker works in linear content, along with interactive immersive media and Metaverse. Additional content includes commercials, branded entertainment and original short films. Among Preymaker’s recent work, “The Rings of Power: See Where It Take You” promo for Kathryn Bigelow, and Sanofi-Aventis’ “Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing,” featuring a stealthy wolf dressed as a sheep as a metaphor for underestimating the flu.

  • Tuesday, Mar. 14, 2023
Tarik West joins WONGDOODY as SVP, people, for North America 
Tarik West
NEW YORK -- 

WONGDOODY has hired Tarik West as sr. VP, people, for North America, reporting to Michael Chang, general manager of WONGDOODY North America.

This new role has been created to ensure that new people strategies and structures are the right ones to help WONGDOODY expand without losing the culture and values which have made it a success.

As such, West will work to scale the company’s human resources capabilities at all six of its North American studios, located in Seattle, WA, Los Angeles, CA, Houston, TX, Richardson, TX, Providence, RI, and New York, NY, where West is based. He is also responsible for providing leadership and support across all strategic human resources.

He joins from strategic research consultancy Shapiro+Raj, where he was SVP, head of people. During more than 20 years working in HR for transformative companies, West has applied his skills to brands including Swatch Group, Cartier, Variety and Rolling Stone magazines.

Additionally, West has excelled at helping organizations, including Defy Media and PMC, to navigate the mergers and acquisitions space, particularly when it comes to ensuring the seamless integration of people and, crucially, work cultures to ensure long term success.

West said: “The opportunity to join a team like WONGDOODY that cares so deeply about each and every member is a rare find. It’s what HR professionals dream of.  My vision for the role involves creating a human resources infrastructure that amplifies the current culture, and providing relevant input and analytics that will inform all aspects of the business.  The HR function is a pillar of a high functioning organization.  My goal is to create a world class function to support WONGDOODY in its growth.”

Chang said, “Tarik has carved out a rather unique niche in helping both creative and technical organizations to create world class human resource platforms. He has a standout ability to create a ‘real world’ human resources function that is approachable and transparent, and we look forward to benefiting from his talents at WONGDOODY.”

  • Monday, Mar. 13, 2023
Exec producer Josh Litwhiler joins Love Song
Josh Litwhiler
NEW YORK -- 

Production company Love Song has hired East Coast-based Josh Litwhiler as executive producer. 

Litwhiler’s journey toward production began in a New Jersey video store. He became obsessed with film at a young age and went on to study film production at Boston University. Enthralled by the possibilities of storytelling, he traveled to Europe with a vintage 16mm hand-cranked Bolex to make memories on celluloid. 

The same curiosity and passion that brought Litwhiler to Europe with a film camera led to a 20-year-long career as a producer. He has worked with numerous award-winning agencies, including ALTO, Droga5, Deutsch, Mullen, and Lowe Worldwide. He has collaborated with Hyatt, Stella Artois, and MTV and even handled MILK’s first and only Super Bowl spot.

During the pandemic, Litwhiler wrote, produced, and directed the short film “Bait,” which won Best Horror Short at Indie Short Fest and Venezia Shorts. He initially bonded with Love Song co-founder Daniel Wolfe over a love of ‘70s films, and they have a shared desire to produce authentic stories for commercial brands. 

“The roster Daniel and Kelly [co-founder Bayett] are building at Love Song is full of immensely talented and passionate filmmakers, all with exhilarating, diverse perspectives,” Litwhiler said. “It’s a community, driven to create stories with honesty and bonded by craft. I am excited and honored to support these forward-thinking filmmakers, help them to craft bold, memorable work, and help continue Love Song’s inspiring evolution.”

Bayett said, “With his strong passion for film craft and extensive industry experience, Josh is the perfect person to lead the Love Song team on the East Coast.” 

  • Friday, Mar. 10, 2023
Sibling Rivalry promotes Foldes, Hartstone, Fillie to partners
Lauren Hartstone
NEW YORK & LOS ANGELES -- 

Brand studio and production company Sibling Rivalry has promoted three key people from across the business to partners, joining co-founders Joe Wright and Mikon van Gastel at the company’s leadership table.

Darren Foldes is now partner, managing director on the films side of Sibling Rivalry. On the brand studio side of the business, Lauren Hartstone takes the role of partner, executive creative director and Joanna Fillie becomes partner, managing director.

The appointments create a collective leadership team, driving the company forward with more internal touchpoints for the company and its clients, who include HBO Max, BET, Google, and Audible while extending its reach and responsiveness to new opportunities.

“As the work we do and the places it comes from continues to diversify, we need a greater breadth of background and expertise across the industries we speak to,” said co-founder and CEO van Gastel. “We chose Joanna, Lauren, and Darren because, between them, they bring a mix of loyalty, drive, kindness, and obsessive appreciation of our craft. Having a multi-leadership team will benefit our clients’ evolving needs and strengthen decision making across the business.” 

Hartstone is an Emmy-nominated creative director and graphic designer with over two decades of experience spanning entertainment, tech, and lifestyle industries. Select clients include Apple TV+, HBO Max, B&H, NBC, Google, and FX. Previously, Hartstone was a creative director at Gretel and Imaginary Forces. Her work has been recognized by TDC and Clios, among others. 

Foldes served as executive producer of Emmy award winner “You Can’t Stop Us” for Nike in 2021. He also worked on the 2020 Emmy-nominated “Bounce” for Apple. His work has also won a Cannes Grand Prix, the Black Cube at the Art Directors Club, multiple One Show Gold Pencils, Clios, D&AD awards, British Arrows, and Webbys. Foldes got his start working for Academy Award-winning (Platoon) producer Arnold Kopelson and went on to produce two films for MGM.  

As managing director of Sibling Rivalry, Fillie oversees the operations and sales of the bicoastal agency. Her expertise in production, branding, and strategy--spanning 20+ years in the business, ensures the team is well-equipped to deliver successful outcomes for entertainment, tech, and luxury brands like Apple, NBC, and BVLGARI. With over 20+ years in the business, Her early background at Lee Hunt Associates, Imaginary Forces, and AVSO/Offspring has provided the skills to bring together creative directors, strategists, designers, animators, and producers to produce award-winning content and brands. Her work has been recognized by Clios, and The One Show.

“Lauren, Darren, and Joanna bring an incredible wealth of knowledge in their respective areas of expertise,” said Sibling Rivalry co-founder and chief creative officer Wright. “As the landscape around us continues to change, we fully trust them to help us chart the course for ourselves and our clients.

“We also believe having a co-leadership team fosters a more inclusive culture, signaling that we value every Sibling’s voice and that we strive to promote from within.” 

  • Friday, Mar. 10, 2023
Laundry hires EP Rivvers, promotes Malone to head of production
Emily Rivvers
LOS ANGELES -- 

Production company and animation studio Laundry Design, LLC--under the aegis of CEO/managing director James Sweigert--has hired Emily Rivvers as an executive producer and promoted Pip Malone to head of production for all Laundry Studios.

With a proven track record as an EP in the commercial and postproduction industry, Rivvers brings experience and expertise in the area of business development and account management. Based out of Laundry’s new San Francisco office, Rivvers will be responsible for sales, client relations, bidding, scheduling, and oversight of creative producers throughout production and delivery. 

An internationally accomplished production executive, Malone is now responsible for overseeing the entire Laundry ecosystem as well as continuing to manage aspects of the company’s internal production from recruiting, staffing, production management, workflow, systems and procedures. Malone joined Laundry in 2021 from Method Studios, where she served as an award winning sr. producer for more than 10 years. 

  • Friday, Mar. 10, 2023
Exec producer Eric McCasline joins ArtClass
Eric McCasline
LOS ANGELES -- 

Production and post studio ArtClass has added executive producer Eric McCasline to its team. 

“Eric is a powerhouse addition to ArtClass--fusing artistry and extensive knowledge of the ins and outs of the entertainment and advertising industries,” said Geno Imbriale, ArtClass’ managing partner. “One of the cornerstones of ArtClass is a dedication to bringing together different backgrounds and perspectives, from emerging talent to experienced leadership. It’s what makes it a creative playground that is supported by experts who also dream big.”

“Having long run in the same circles as founders Geno and Vince [Peone], it is an honor to join what they have passionately built with Rebecca Niles and Corwin Carroll,” said McCasline. The opportunity to bring my past production and post production experience to a place that does it all so well makes this an exciting partnership.”

McCasline previously ran the West Coast offices of Final Cut, where he was responsible for business development while executive producing for an A-list editorial roster. There, he spearheaded the company’s efforts to add full service creative options to its repertoire with the launch of Significant Others. Drawing on his multi-dimensional background, McCasline strengthened existing partnerships, and maximized production and post capabilities for leading brands including Apple and Acura.

Prior to his work and strategizing for Final Cut, McCasline assisted in the launch of design collective Wolf & Crow, where he oversaw collaborations with such brands as Nike and Jeep. During his tenure there, Wolf & Crow became known for bridging the gap between advertising and artistry, with creative highlights such as Bjork’s celebrated “Black Lake” installation for MoMA.

As a strong arts and design professional, McCasline is known for his ability to envision creative solutions including innovations in VR and AI. McCasline previously ​​consulted for Waymark, an AI video creator tool, where he brought extensive business insight to this emerging field. 

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