• Thursday, Sep. 29, 2016
Kyle Acquistapace named president of Supermoon
Kyle Acquistapace
SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- 

Creative agency Supermoon has tapped a former partner of Deutsch LA, Kyle Acquistapace, to serve as its new president.
 
Acquistapace will handle day-to-day operations and business development at Supermoon. A 16-year veteran of Deutsch LA, most recently as partner and director of media and data strategy, Acquistapace played a crucial role in guiding Deutsch LA’s growth and culture. Supermoon’s founder, Amir Haque, will take the role of CEO.
 
Acquistapace joins three Deutsch LA veterans, who were founding partners at Supermoon: executive creative director David DeRoma, director of strategy Jill Burgeson, and group account director Nicole Rowett.
 
Supermoon’s clients include Ancestry, Custom Ink, and Campbell’s Fresh/Bolthouse Farms. The agency has also completed two new spots for The Honest Company, the health and lifestyle brand cofounded by Jessica Alba.

  • Thursday, Sep. 29, 2016
Rebecca Wray joins Durable Goods as EP
Rebecca Wray
VENICE, Calif. -- 

Production company Durable Goods, headed by founder/partner Hani Selim, has hired Rebecca Wray as executive producer. Wray has nearly two decades worth of experience in the advertising and entertainment industries and brings a passion for cultivating and evolving creative talent to her role at Durable Goods.
 
Wray’s background includes serving as a producer for a number of commercial production and post shops in Los Angeles. She eventually landed at Digital Kitchen where she was a producer for three years. Next, she  spent seven years as executive producer for atSwim and Milk and Honey Films, growing their international directorial roster and expanding her global production expertise with an eight-month stint in Prague.

  • Wednesday, Sep. 28, 2016
Nikki Roma joins Edit 1 as sr. producer 
Nikki Roma
NEW YORK -- 

Edit 1, a pre-vis boutique led by company president Michael Zimbard, has added Nikki Roma as its sr. producer. In that role, Roma will showcase her varied skillset in both business development, as well as a producer helping clients work through the process of animatics, pre-visualization and both test and broadcast commercials.

Joining Edit 1 marks a reunion between Roma and EP Michael Donovan, who hired Roma to her first postproduction job in 2011 as sales associate for post house Nice Shoes.

At Edit 1, Roma has been working with agencies BBDO, Grey, Publicis and most recently Arnold NY, and Zimbard notes that her understanding of the nuances of production has enabled her to get up to speed quickly and make an immediate impact on these projects.

  • Wednesday, Sep. 28, 2016
Cut+Run promotes Bazadona to editor, Jobin to head of production
Adam Bazadona
NEW YORK -- 

Cut+Run NY has promoted Adam Bazadona to editor and Ellese Jobin to head of production.

Adam Bazadona started as an assistant at Cut+Run in 2009 and, over the years, has worked alongside Jon Grover, Gary Knight, Akiko Iwakawa, among other editors. From assisting to editing has been a fluid transition for Bazadona with credits that include co-editor on Green Day’s “Oh Love” directed by Sam Bayer and the CFDA Fashion Fund film directed by Jun Diaz, a collaboration with Andres Cortes on “Rehearsal Space” featuring Lee Renaldo from Sonic Youth, and the recent Panda Designer video. Each of these projects demonstrates Bazadona’s love of editing projects with distinct visual style set to music. In 2015, he cut Scott McFarnon’s “Crazy Heart” directed by Floyd Russ, which highlights the stark reality of human trafficking in America. In the commercial realm, Bazadona has contributed his editing talent to a diverse collection of projects for clients Mercedes-Benz, Kobe Bryant, Verizon Wireless and Blue Apron. 

Jobin’s career was forged at Cut+Run; she joined the company shortly after Bazadona, working in client service and reception. She quickly became involved in projects, assuming the role of producer and eventually sr. producer. As head of production, Jobin will oversee Cut+Run’s NY producer team and all facets of the postproduction process in a management capacity. 

 

  • Wednesday, Sep. 28, 2016
Editor Dan Maloney joins Beast
Dan Maloney
NEW YORK -- 

Deluxe's creative editorial company Beast has added editor Dan Maloney to the talent roster of its New York facility. Maloney’s editorial experience spans over 16 years and includes a strong background in cutting comedy and documentary projects, with recent work for Gillette, ZocDoc, and Audi. 

Beast New York has undergone a number of changes in the past year with new management, including the addition of EP Melissa Lubin. The chance to partner with her and start a new chapter for Beast New York represented an opportunity that drew Maloney to the company. 

Throughout his editorial career, Maloney has collaborated with top agencies including BBDO, The Martin Agency, and Grey as well as notable directors Speck/Gordon, the Perlorian Brothers, Phil Morrison, Mike Maguire, Steve Miller, Stacy Wall and Bennett Miller. Maloney got his start cutting at The Whitehouse, earning a 2008 AICE Award for his Tide work. He’s also spent time at Spotwelders, and was with Cut+Run before joining Beast. Maloney is currently working on a short documentary for Nowness directed by James Casey.

  • Tuesday, Sep. 27, 2016
Jon Carlaw named director of strategic planning at DAVID Miami
Jon Carlaw
MIAMI -- 

DAVID Miami has hired Jon Carlaw as director of strategic planning. He will be responsible for executing creative media and communication strategies for the agency’s brand clients, including Coke, Kraft-Heinz and Burger King.

With over 18 years of experience in advertising under his belt, Carlaw is an expert in crafting successful digital media strategies, cross-functional marketing, branding and more for clients across the entertainment, software, consumer packaged goods, automotive and retail industries. Prior to DAVID Miami, he served as communications strategy director at W+K Portland for nine years, working with Electronic Arts, Target, Coca Cola, Ubisoft and Fiat-Chrysler. At CP+B, he held the media planning supervisor role working with brands including MINI Cooper. He also held media positions at Intermark Group, FCB Chicago and Ogilvy & Mather.

  • Friday, Sep. 23, 2016
Joan hires Alex Kalluf as chief data officer
Alex Kalluf
NEW YORK -- 

Joan Creative has named Alex Kalluf to serve as its chief data officer. In his new role, Kalluf will oversee data and market practices for the agency and its clients. Based in New York, Kalluf will work with Jaime Robinson, chief creative officer, and Lisa Clunie, CEO, to help shape Joan’s data analytics practice and overall approaches to irregular thinking. 

“Alex has an incredibly diverse background which, coupled with his depth of experience in data analytics and creative spirit, was something we just couldn’t pass up,” said Clunie. “We felt that Alex’s understanding of market research and industry trends gives him a great edge. He can identify opportunities and cultural connections, coupled with the kind of thinking that challenges the status quo.”

Kalluf joins the agency from Figliulo and Partners, where he led research strategy and analytics. Prior to that, he worked with GroupM where he managed mix modeling projects for major advertisers including Amazon and Mazda. Kalluf was also at Millward Brown where he led research projects for global brands such as Coca-Cola, Intuit, and Unilever. Kalluf is an author and frequent media commentator and speaker.

  • Friday, Sep. 23, 2016
Bill Dickinson joins Shelly Ward Enterprises as general manager
Bill Dickinson
NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif. -- 

Bill Dickinson has returned to Shelly Ward Enterprises (SWE) to assume the post of general manager. He brings 20 years of experience in the car prep industry, commercial film and management. Dickinson is well known within the agency and production communities for his long stewardship of the Saturn and BMW North America accounts.

Dickinson’s mission is to enhance the Shelly Ward Enterprises brand established 38 years ago by car prep pioneer Shelly Ward. In addition, Dickinson will be assisting in the launch of WPA (Ward Production Associates) based out of Austin, Texas. 

Kimberlee Augustine, partner and CFO at Shelly Ward Enterprises, noted, “We have for decades witnessed first-hand the interplay within the agency-production-car prep triad. The combination of SWE and WPA will ignite the untapped synergy inherent in uniting director/production, driving/stunt coordination, car prep and logistics talent all under one roof.”

  • Thursday, Sep. 22, 2016
Los York hires EP Rob Sanborn
Rob Sanborn
SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- 

Bicoastal creative content agency Los York has hired Rob Sanborn to serve as executive producer/account director. Sanborn will tap into his skillsets of both brand management and the creative process, relying on his experience on both the conceptual development side and production side alike.

Sanborn’s dual skillset of production and brand management stems from his 22 years in the industry as design-driven executive producer. From studio-side stints at Imaginary Forces, Superfad, and Digital Kitchen to agency-side experience at POSSIBLE Worldwide, Sanborn has developed the unique ability to blend his conceptual, strategic, and production management perspectives. 

He’s been involved in extensive 360 campaigns for brands such as Coca-Cola/Zico, Bacardi, AT&T, and Citrix, as well as the integrated campaign for the Sprint Now Network which earned a Cannes Lion. 

  • Wednesday, Sep. 21, 2016
The Napoleon Group promotes Salmon, Morton, Gianforcaro
The Napoleon Group's (l-r) Annabel Salmon, Perry Morton and Angela Gianforcaro.
NEW YORK -- 

The Napoleon Group has promoted three long-time staff members to new leadership positions as it prepares to launch several new lines of business later in the fourth quarter of 2016. The promotions were announced by Marty Napoleon, founder/chief creative officer of Napoleon, which earlier this year expanded its operations to the West Coast with the opening of a live action production arm in Los Angeles.
 
Annabel Salmon has been promoted to VP, executive director of operations. In her new post Salmon is responsible for leading the bustling production hub that comprises Napoleon’s New York studio. Encompassing 14,500 square feet on two floors in the Chelsea neighborhood, the facility houses 34 full-time artists, designers, editors, producers and directors, along with creative and support staff.
 
In addition, Perry Morton, formerly head of production, has been named executive producer. He now oversees three key areas of growth: business leadership for volume sales opportunities; content development/production; and partner relationship management.
 
Rounding out the senior promotions is Angela Gianforcaro, who succeeds Morton in the head of production role. Formerly sr. producer, Gianforcaro is a popular fixture at the studio, is deeply engrained in its culture and has played an major role in its growth and success. She now oversees the project management team and their work in areas including pre-visualization, test production, audio post, VFX, motion capture, editorial and finishing.
 
“This is a company that engenders a high degree of loyalty on the part of its staff, and it’s a feeling that’s routinely mutual,” said Napoleon. “We have many people who’ve spent the better parts of their professional lives here, and the career histories of Annabel, Perry and Angela are perfect examples. Collectively they have close to sixty years’ experience at Napoleon. The knowledge, insight, experience and intuition they bring to our company, our clients and our talent is invaluable. In their new roles they’ll help lay the foundation as we reorganize in anticipation of the new divisions we’ll be unveiling later this year. ”
 
A London native, Salmon studied graphic design at Central/St. Martins before traveling to New York in the early ‘80s. After working for a small animation studio she landed at a New York test commercial studio, where she quickly mastered the latest digital retouching equipment from Quantel. In 1985 she joined Napoleon Group founder Marty Napoleon’s newly launched Napoleon Videographics, where her knack for solving business problems, married to a DP, with an understanding of working with creative people, led her to take on day-to-day operations of the company. She led the studio’s relocation in the late 1990s to the East Side of Manhattan from its Theatre District location, and performed successfully again when they moved to their current Chelsea home in 2013.
 
Morton is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design who got his start in the industry as a digital artist. He joined Napoleon early in his career and quickly progressed to editorial, compositing and finishing work for some of the studio’s most demanding ad agency clients. He was tapped by Marty Napoleon to launch the studio’s first 3D department in 2010, and has continued to lead the company into new areas of production and post, such as its growth into live action and motion capture.
 
A graduate of the communications program at Boston University, Gianforcaro started at Napoleon in 2000, initially working in client service, and rose steadily through the ranks to her current post at head of production. Along the way she’s served as an assistant producer and post producer before being named a sr. producer in 2010. She’s led teams on many of the studio’s biggest and most complex projects.

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