• Thursday, Mar. 28, 2024
VFX creative director Andrew Pellicer joins Harbor
Andrew “Pelli” Pellicer
CHICAGO -- 

Harbor has added VFX creative director Andrew “Pelli” Pellicer to its roster. He will be based in Harbor’s Chicago studio.

Pellicer has overseen award-winning campaigns including Jeep’s Super Bowl “Groundhog Day” starring Bill Murray reprising his role from the beloved film, and the CG-Animated Dairy Queen “Officially Fall.” Pellicer’s noteworthy achievements have established enduring partnerships with brands such as Disney, Samsung, Bud Light, and Visa. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with directors like Jim Jenkins, Misko Iho, Max Malkin, Maurice Marable, and Jake Schreier.

Pellicer’s entertainment credits include 20th Century Fox’s The Wolverine, Marvel’s Captain America 2: Winter Soldier, Warner Brothers’ 42, Lionsgate Films’ Mortdecai, and 20th Century Fox’s A Good Day to Die Hard.

Prior to joining Harbor, Pellicer held positions at studios such as The Mill Chicago, Logan, and Shade VFX. 

Pellicer said of his new roost, “Beyond featuring some of the industry’s finest creatives, Harbor stands out for its substantial commitment to nurturing emerging talent and fostering diversity, making it an inspiring and dynamic environment.

Tony Robins, Harbor’s advertising managing director, stated, “Andrew brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his new role, with a background in both advertising and entertainment aligning with our vision. Our approach at Harbor is to curate a delta-force of talent who can guide our clients through their projects, delivering success after success. I have been a fan of Andrew’s work for some time and very happy to welcome him to our VFX team.”

  • Wednesday, Mar. 27, 2024
Bridgette Wilder named chief people and culture officer for Motion Picture Academy
Bridgette Wilder
LOS ANGELES -- 

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has named Bridgette Wilder as its first chief people and culture officer, Wilder will report directly to Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy Museum director and president Jacqueline Stewart.

In this newly created position that combines the Academy and Academy Museum’s human resources teams, Wilder will be responsible for building a people-centric culture at the Academy. With a strong focus on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility, Wilder will oversee talent management, organizational development and training, employee relations, compensation and benefits, HR systems and practices, and employee resource affinity groups. 

“We are thrilled to elevate Bridgette to this new and needed position at the Academy. She is strategic, compassionate and an incredible community and team builder. She is the perfect fit to lead our People and Culture team as we form a holistic leadership department—a department that is so vital to our day-to-day operations and mission. Bridgette’s commitment to, and vast knowledge of, the people and culture field is critical to our evolution as an organization,” shared Kramer and Stewart in a joint statement.

“I look forward to contributing to the Academy’s ongoing evolution in this new role. I have so enjoyed working with the Academy’s hardworking, passionate and diligent staff,” said Wilder. “We have so much fantastic team building work in front of us.”

Prior to this role, Wilder served as the interim chief people and culture officer for the Academy and as the Academy Museum’s VP of people and culture. In these positions, she partnered with senior leadership to implement best practices in the areas of talent management, compensation, employee benefits, legal compliance, employee relations, workers’ compensation and union relations.

Wilder previously held the position of VP and chief human resources officer at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts). She also served as the chief human resources officer at Albany State University. Additionally, Wilder has held senior positions at Verizon and The Citadel at the Military College of South Carolina.

Wilder earned her BA in human resources from Birmingham-Southern College and a BS in workforce education from Southern Illinois University. She holds an MBA from Averett University, is a graduate of the Furman University/Riley Institute Diversity Leadership Academy, and is a recipient of the Coretta Scott King Humanitarian Award.

  • Tuesday, Mar. 26, 2024
Larissa Berringer named managing director of Highdive's 1986 Studios
Larissa Berringer
CHICAGO -- 

Larissa Berringer has joined indie creative agency Highdive as managing director of its in-house production arm, 1986 Studios. She comes over from The Mill where she was an executive producer.

“With all the growth Highdive has seen over the last year, Larissa is the perfect leader to have at the helm as we broaden our production capabilities and offer more services to our existing clients and beyond,” said Jen Passaniti, head of production at Highdive and 1986 Studios. “Her extensive design and VFX experience will level up our postproduction capabilities and enable us to work as a creative-led studio. She truly cares for every part of the production process and goes the extra mile to make sure clients have the right artists involved in their projects to ensure their creative visions are realized.”

Berringer is responsible for expanding 1986 Studio’s capabilities, building and managing the production team and ensuring a quality experience day-to-day. She has extensive experience running postproduction studios and delivering high-end content for a variety of mediums with a focus on design, VFX, animation and technology. 

“I feel so honored to be part of such a talented team,” said Berringer. “I’ve always admired the agency’s work and am thrilled to help grow Highdive’s video production business and bring in new artists that align with client objectives and will bring campaigns to new heights.”

  • Thursday, Mar. 21, 2024
Anomaly NY welcomes back Val Nguyen as managing partner and head of strategy
Val Nguyen
NEW YORK -- 

Anomaly has hired Val Nguyen as managing partner and head of strategy, New York. 

No stranger to Anomaly’s change-agent mission, Nguyen formerly served as a group strategy director for the agency and now returns to lead the department. 

Her career has constantly expanded and stretched the bounds of strategy. Nguyen has spearheaded innovation, upstream brand positioning, and creative campaigns at agencies and consultancies Anomaly, Mother, and Wolf & Wilhelmine for clients including Nike, Bacardi, and Microsoft. Client side at Google, she ran the Advanced Technology and Projects group, as well as spent time teaching strategic design at Parsons. Most recently, Nguyen practiced a combination of creative and growth strategy as the chief strategy officer at Decoded. 

“One of my favorite things about strategy is how many forms it can take, and I’ve spent my career exploring and navigating many of them,” said Nguyen. “I’m obsessed with finding the opportunities where I feel I can truly bring everything together. Anomaly’s approach to delivering and diving deep on ‘total strategy’ has always resonated with me, and I’m so excited to be back at the agency in this new role.”

  • Wednesday, Mar. 20, 2024
Editor Jorge Sandoval joins Cut+Run
Jorge Sandoval
LOS ANGELES -- 

Cut+Run has added editor Jorge Sandoval to its talent roster. His body of work spans film, music videos, branded content and commercials. He has collaborated with brands including Hennessy, Nike, Coppola Winery, FIFA, Puma, and Apple, as well as lent his talents to music videos for such artists as Schoolboy Q, Janelle Monáe, Olivia Rodrigo, Camila Cabello, Big Sean, JoJo, and OneRepublic, among others.

“You meet a lot of people in this business and sometimes there’s just an instantaneous connection; someone you immediately respect, admire and feel their love for what they do. And that’s Jorge for me,” said Amburr Farls, Cut+Run managing partner, West Coast. “He loves storytelling, he loves design, and his level of dedication to the craft is something I really enjoy working with and get so inspired by.”

“We really hit it off right away,” agreed Sandoval. “Cut+Run as a whole has a major body of work, and what I really appreciate is that they really recognize and appreciate each editor’s voice, and what represents their interests and identity. Their style is my style, on so many levels, and that’s important to me.”

Born in Mexico City and raised in Los Angeles, Sandoval discovered his passion in his early 20s through his first film class where he was introduced to directors that would later inspire his career. A dreamer at heart with an interest in storytelling, he graduated from Art Center College of Design while continuing to pursue his passion for filmmaking. His background in fine arts contributed to the unique style that is so evident in his work today.

Prior to joining Cut+Run, Sandoval worked as an independent editor.

  • Monday, Mar. 18, 2024
ColorNation adds colorists Mary Perrino and Ana Rita
Mary Perrino (l) and Ana Rita
CHICAGO -- 

ColorNation has added colorists Mary Perrino and Ana Rita to its talent roster. 

Perrino is a veteran New York-based colorist who’s worked out of her own studio, La Voglia, for nearly a decade. Initially trained as a cinematographer at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, she segued into color as her interest in postproduction grew. Working on everything from indie features to commercials, her work as a color artist took on a life of its own, allowing her to elevate but not overpower the visuals with which she’s entrusted. With spots for brands like Tiffany, DKNY, Steve Madden, Pink, Canon and Google on her reel, ColorNation is her first representation agreement. 

Rita is a color enthusiast who’s worked in postproduction for almost a decade. Based in her native Portugal, she’s worked on short films and commercials, handling assignments from major agencies and brands. During a stint in New York, she worked on several long-form projects, including an indie feature and the YouTube series “Made in America.” With a strong representation in food and beverage work, she’s also adept at lifestyle and fashion spots, and has credits in the music video space, with evocative grading seen in videos for the indie singer and guitarist Rorey, and upbeat, brightly-lit work for the rising jazz fusion saxophone star Grace Kelly.

“Adding Mary and Ana to our roster is part of our plan to offer ColorNation clients access to a diverse talent pool, located in different regions around the world,” said Reid Brody, founder and EP of the remote color service. “Both of these artists have amazing showreels, and their work fits perfectly with what the marketplace is looking for today--colorists with a point of view, with an understanding of how to enhance the work and with a wide range of experience in terms of content categories and visual styles. We’re happy to have them on our team, especially as this is Women’s History Month!”

Perrino said she joined the roster because she views Brody’s approach to the business as in step with the times. “What he’s doing with ColorNation is unique,” she observes. “I’ve never signed with anyone before because nothing has ever felt right. My independence is incredibly precious, and I was seeking a relationship that wouldn’t change how I do business, but rather build upon it.”

Rita came across ColorNation while researching independent color services, and was already looking for a remote option that would allow her to expand her client base and the kinds of projects she was handling. A social media post from current ColorNation artist Vincent Taylor led her to Brody.

Perrino and Rita join a ColorNation roster that includes colorists Gino Amadori, Cory Berendzen, Calvin Bellas, Yohance Brown, Ben Federman, Andrew Francis, Heather Hay, Lea Mercado, Mark Todd Osborne, Matthew Rosenblum, Vincent Taylor and Matt West.

  • Friday, Mar. 15, 2024
Pete Distad named CEO of new sports streaming service backed by ESPN, FOX and Warner Bros. Discovery
Pete Distad
LOS ANGELES -- 

Pete Distad has been named CEO of the new sports streaming service being jointly formed by ESPN, FOX and Warner Bros. Discovery. Distad, who most recently served as an executive at Apple for a decade following six years at Hulu, will assume oversight of all aspects of the joint venture, including overall strategy, distribution, marketing and sales.

Distad worked at Apple from 2013-2023, where he was responsible for the business, operations and global distribution for Video, Sports and Apple TV+. While there, he launched the new Apple TV in 2015, and later led teams that launched and scaled the Apple TV app, Apple TV+, and MLS Season Pass. He originally joined the company to lead product marketing for the Apple TV hardware product.

His Hulu experience (2007-2013) included serving as sr. VP of marketing and distribution on the executive team. He was part of the original Hulu launch team, overseeing customer acquisition and retention, distribution and marketing.

Prior to Hulu, Distad worked in various technology and management consulting roles, including at McKinsey & Company, Calence (now Insight) and Andersen Consulting (now Accenture).

“This is an incredible opportunity to build and grow a differentiated product that will serve passionate sports fans in the U.S. outside of the traditional pay TV bundle,” Distad said. “I’m excited to be able to pull together the industry-leading sports content portfolios from these three companies to deliver a new best-in-class service.”

ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery issued a joint statement which read: “Pete is an accomplished innovator and leader who has extensive experience with launching and growing new video services. We are confident he and his team will build an extremely compelling, fan-focused product for our target market.”

Upon establishment of the joint venture, Distad will report to its board of directors, which will include representatives selected by each of the three companies. He will be based at the to-be-established offices of the joint venture in Los Angeles, along with the independent management team he will assemble.

  • Thursday, Mar. 14, 2024
Alvin Cruz joins JAMM as creative director 
Alvin Cruz
LOS ANGELES -- 

JAMM Visual, the L.A.-based VFX and color studio, has hired Alvin Cruz to serve as creative lead on projects across its client roster. 

His creative tenure at world-class studios led to years of collaboration with heralded directors such as Fredrik Bond, Georgia Hudson, Peter Thwaites, US, Doug Liman, and the Daniels duo. For the latter, Cruz was VFX supervisor on the film Swiss Army Man.

Cruz, who had most recently been freelancing and prior to that with The Mill in New York, will play a pivotal role at JAMM as its creative director, spearheading the studio’s creative endeavors. His body of work includes assorted spots and branded content projects.

“We are excited about the fresh perspectives and dynamic energy he brings to our creative processes,” said Jake Montgomery, co-owner of JAMM.  “We look forward to a future filled with groundbreaking projects, collaborative ventures, and unparalleled creativity.”   

Cruz is originally from Spain, where he studied film directing and developed a lifelong fascination with visual storytelling regardless of the platform. After spending many years in London and New York, he has sought out the sun and surf of the West Coast, where he can shine his creative light on projects at JAMM.

  • Tuesday, Mar. 12, 2024
Kirsten Arongino joins ArtClass as EP and managing director
Kirsten Arongino
LOS ANGELES -- 

Kirsten Arongino has joined ArtClass as its executive producer and managing director. As an agency producer for 25-plus years, she scaled revenue and built brands at shops like Deutsch and Ogilvy & Mather and later served as VP and executive producer at Publicis. 

Arongino thrives on building partnerships with brands and agencies and managing multidisciplinary teams. Her prowess as a producer is reflected in digital and traditional media campaigns for major brands like Honda, Campari, Walmart, Tiffany & Co., and several culture-forward work music-driven campaigns for The Gap and McDonald’s. Arongino was also formerly the director of production at Yard NYC and managing director at Ammolite Inc.

Recent notable projects from ArtClass include the first ever brand campaign for Lilly Pulitzer, directed by Matvey Fiks and made in partnership with Yard NYC, using AI to marry the brand’s rich heritage with the industry’s newest technology; the new original show Bedtime Stories with Ryan, directed by Vincent Peone and starring Ryan Reynolds for streamer Fubo; and Charlie Kaufman’s dreamy short film Jackals & Fireflies, produced in partnership with Likely Story and shot by Chayse Irvin.

“I was fortunate enough to walk into so many great projects within my first month at ArtClass,” said Arongino. “Every director on their roster is wildly inventive and inspiring to work with. I think it’s a testament to ArtClass taking risks on new talent and supporting them as they grow as commercial filmmakers and its inclination to tackle projects with a diverse range of budgets. I look forward to adding my leadership skills and creative guidance into the mix as ArtClass continues to produce amazing work.”

Geno Imbriale, managing partner of ArtClass, added, “You can’t teach what experience gives you, and Kirsten has that in spades. She’s worked on every side of branded filmmaking and created every iteration of content you can imagine. She’s a joy to work with and the missing ingredient we needed as a company.”

ArtClass partner/director Peone said, “We brought Kirsten on under the pretext of executive producer, but quickly realized that her skills were completely off the charts, not to mention a perfect fit for our shared vision of future growth. I still regret waiting ten full days to promote her to managing director.”

  • Tuesday, Mar. 5, 2024
Ex-BBC Studios VP Simon Shelley joins Hi Impact as chief commercial officer
Simon Shelley
LONDON -- 

Hi Impact Studio has appointed Simon Shelley, former global VP of BBC Studios, as chief commercial officer.

In this newly created position, Shelley will drive the global growth of Hi Impact, creating and curating stories that matter for audiences across the world to elevate major events and organizations. He will work closely with founders Andrew Cryan and Max McGill.

Founded in 2021, Hi Impact, a premium supplier of live-streaming at events, has offices in London and Dubai; it recently completed the production of 75 simultaneous live broadcast locations at COP28, bringing the solutions to the climate crisis to millions of viewers.

With traditional news media viewing figures and revenues falling, there is an ever-increasing role for events to fill the gap online, helping to explain the complex issues in society and find solutions to them. At COP28, Hi Impact’s partners saw their online audiences on average being over 50x larger than those watching in person.

At BBC Studios, Shelley formed the multi-award-winning program partnerships division, evolving the way brands tell stories. During his five-and-a-half years at the BBC, he oversaw the rapid growth of BBC.com series, focusing on issues that are shaping society, partnering with the likes of WWF, WHO, UN, CES, Google, L’Oreal, Airbnb, Cisco, Mastercard, eBay, Nintendo and more, to develop content strategies that put viewers’ first.

Shelley has brought depth to themes across climate, health, fashion, sport, music and technology to viewers in over 150 countries, but also charted the effect that powerful storytelling can have on us with a study of over 500 films on social media, correlating the traits of the best performing pieces in terms of viewing rates, comments, and shares. This experience will combine with the television backgrounds of Cryan and creative director Max McGill who have collectively produced flagship BBC programs such as Sunday Politics, Daily Politics, BBC London News and BBC Breakfast.

Shelley said, “Inspiring stories and indispensable content can make audiences think, feel, or do something, but the way in which these stories are captured and curated must be taken to a new level to meet viewers’ ever-changing expectations. I’m thrilled to be joining the immensely talented team at Hi Impact as they innovate major event coverage and create TV formats that connect deeply with audiences. My time at BBC Studios was very special, it’s a place brimming with creativity and ambition. I’m incredibly grateful for the firm friends made and immensely proud of the stories told.”

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