• Tuesday, Jun. 14, 2016
Northern Lights adds creative director/editor Pat Carpenter
Pat Carpenter
NEW YORK -- 

Veteran creative director/editor Pat Carpenter has joined NY-based editorial and post boutique Northern Lights. With decades of experience, Carpenter has worked across commercials, broadcast promos, documentaries, music and long form content. Joining Northern Lights from Ripcord Creative, he has lent his talents to a number of top shops in New York City, including Definition 6, Creative Bubble and Unitel. With a history of moonlighting as a drummer in NYC’s punk rock scene, Carpenter’s innate sense of rhythm has led to his natural ease and confidence in editing. His work has garnered numerous industry accolades including a Cannes Silver Lion for his work on Benjamin Moore’s “Talking Wall” out of The Martin Agency, a Gold CLIO for his work on Coca-Cola’s “Happiness Machine” and numerous PromaxBDA Awards for his extensive broadcast work. With a collaborative approach, Carpenter has developed a lineup of repeat clients, including USA, Syfy, Nickelodeon, Pivot and HBO.

NYC born-and-raised Carpenter first found an interest in video production while studying at Saint John’s University, dabbling in all aspects of production before discovering a natural talent for editorial. He got his start at Unitel, working his was up from assistant to editor on a wide range of creative broadcast projects. In 2001, he helped launch Creative Bubble, a soup-to-nuts production shop where Carpenter served as sr. editor and principal. He spent nearly a decade at the creative shop, working on a wide range of projects for top clients such as HBO, USA and MTV. After establishing a turnkey solutions model at Creative Bubble, he went on to spearhead the creative vision for the comprehensive production through post services at Definition 6 and Ripcord Creative, while continuing to edit projects. In this time, he also served as executive producer on the travel/reality game series M.I.A.: The Most Interesting Assistant and the digital tech comedy series The Circuit for the now defunct Mojo Channel. Outside of broadcast and advertising work, Carpenter has also been active in longer form work, cutting the documentary feature Adult Rappers in 2015 that tells the story of ‘working class’ rappers and the struggle to find a balance between making a living and pursuing their art alongside the never-ending saga of age and relevance.

Outside of the edit bay, he continues to play music gigs, recently playing drums at the sold-out Joey Ramone Birthday Bash at Webster Hall alongside L.E.S. legends Mickey Leigh and Andy Shernoff of “The Dictators.” Northern Lights sister production company BODEGA shot a 360 VR film of the event that will be released later this summer.

  • Tuesday, Jun. 14, 2016
Leila Amirsadeghi named VP, client development, at Eclipse Advertising
Leila Amirsadeghi
BURBANK, Calif. -- 

Indie ad and marketing agency Eclipse Advertising is expanding its brand strategy and marketing team. Concurrently, Eclipse has named Leila Amirsadeghi as VP, client development. The announcement was made by Steve Dubb, CEO/president, Eclipse.
 
Amirsadeghi joins one of her former colleagues from Trailer Park who is based at Eclipse, executive creative director Glenn Sanders.  The agency is adding to its entertainment industry experience by now offering its extensive creative marketing services to new major brand clients.
 
Eclipse recently partnered with Disney and Marvel to launch a global campaign for the blockbuster hit film “Captain America: Civil War” through conceptual, visual, and technological innovation.  Sanders was at the helm leading the charge creating the official site for the film.  Both the movie and the marketing campaign were centered on the face-off between Captain America and Iron Man.  The Eclipse digital team combined those elements into a single, groundbreaking mobile user experience through its unique functionality.  When the mobile device is upright, the site is dedicated to “Team Cap.”  When turned upside-down, it’s concentrated on “Team Iron Man.”  Through extensive app development and design, Eclipse seamlessly made the site operate across all devices and browsers.
 
Prior to joining Eclipse, Amirsadeghi was CEO/founder of MESH, a consulting group focused on growth through strategy and relationships for diverse clients. As VP of client engagement across Trailer Park & Goodness Mfg, Amirsadeghi led business development and strategic client partnerships for brands and entertainment clients.
 
Before her stint at Trailer Park, Amirsadeghi headed up business development at the digital agency BLITZ, with clients including Xbox, John Mayer, Alpine, Starbucks, Adobe, Activision, Better Place, Dell, Disney, Dole, Mattel, Microsoft and NBC. Earlier, she was director of business development at digital agency iChameleon Group, until it was acquired by Sapient.

  • Thursday, Jun. 9, 2016
Cut+Run promotes Sean Stender to editor
Sean Stender
SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- 

Cut+Run has promoted Sean Stender to editor. While working in a dual capacity as an assistant and editor, Stender was nominated for an AICE award in 2015 for his contribution to the massive, multi-editor campaign for Starbucks. He was then nominated this year, alongside Sam Ostrove, on their co-edited Kendrick Lamar “Witness Greatness” video for the Grammyss and agency TBWA/Chiat/Day. In 2015, Stender won a D&AD award for “Branded film content/entertainment” for Levi’s “Oakland Skateboarding.” 

Born and raised in Southern California’s San Fernando Valley, Stender grew up immersed in the punk rock culture. A self-taught musician, he spent hours locked away, learning how to play Clash and Minor Threat songs until his fingers were raw. Stender went on to start his own band, and released a 7 inch vinyl record titled, “Valley Rats.” His love for music is what inevitably introduced him to film, allowing him to channel his unique sense of rhythmic timing and pace from his days of playing in bands.

As an in-house editor at Reactor Films, he collaborated closely with directors, editing their director’s cuts, commercials, and music videos. On the recommendation of director friends, Stender contacted Cut+Run, and worked his way up to apprentice with cutter Steve Gandolfi before becoming an editor.

  • Thursday, Jun. 9, 2016
Editor Georgia Dodson joins WAX
Georgia Dodson
NEW YORK -- 

Boutique editorial company and creative collective WAX has added editor Georgia Dodson to its roster.

Dodson’s collaboration with Everynone and Droga5 on Prudential’s “Day One Stories” won a Gold Lion at the 2012 Cannes International Festival of Creativity, which propelled her into cutting other high-profile work such as Droga5’s Super Bowl spot for Prudential, “Love Less Ordinary” films with Claire Cottrell for Dove Chocolate/BBDO, the “Say More” film with Jonty Toosey for Hershey’s/Arnold and the “Fueled By the Future/Back to the Future” campaign for Toyota/Droga5.

A storyteller at heart, Dodson seamlessly weaves her way through genres. She edited Matt Lenski’s Meaning of Robots, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival. The piece went on to win Best Short Doc at the Nashville Film Festival, and also screened at SXSW and MoMA’s New Directors/New Films Showcase. 

Hailing from small-town Virginia, Dodson moved to New York at 21 and worked several odd jobs before launching her career at Final Cut and later making a move to Cut+Run NY.

“There are a lot of reasons why I’m excited to join WAX including tremendous professional growth, but I’m also really attracted to the charity aspect,” says Dodson. “My job is to go to work every day and be creative, but because WAX donates a portion of our earnings to charity, that gives it extra depth for me. I think it says a lot about the people at WAX.”

WAX donates a part of each project it is involved with to one carefully selected cause per quarter. The types of charities span all across the spectrum, from children in need to animal rescue to environmental organizations and beyond.

  • Wednesday, Jun. 8, 2016
Deborah Sullivan joins The Artery VFX as EP/managing director
Deborah Sullivan
NEW YORK -- 

Veteran ad agency and commercial industry head of production Deborah Sullivan has joined The Artery VFX as executive producer and managing director.

Most recently managing director and EP for international postproduction companies NO6 and Peepshow Post, Sullivan previously led advertising production departments for DDB NY, FCB and others, and she was a founding partner of independent agency Berlin Cameron and Partners. She also held executive producer posts with @radical.media, Red Dog Films and The Bomb Factory. Along the way, she has built solid relationships with top-tier artists, produced work for leading brands, and garnered an impressive list of awards, including Effies, Cannes Lions, AICE and AICP Show honors.

One of Sullivan’s first projects for The Artery VFX was producing the five-spot national smart cars “city smart” campaign for Merkley+Partners. Reflecting The Artery’s expanding role in supporting its top-tier clientele, Vico Sharabani directed the live-action campaign, with The Artery handling editorial, visual effects, final color and finishing. Sharabani is The Artery’s founder and creative director, and a well known Flame artist. He has assembled a collection of artists spanning VFX, color, CG, 3D and animation, along with VR and experiential capabilities.

“We are expanding very rapidly into a multi-disciplinary art and technology company,” said Sharabani. “As a key part of our senior management team, Deborah is already playing a crucial part in leading this growth. Her vast experience in top-tier agency, production and editorial operations is helping us grow in strategic and systematic ways.”

Sullivan said, “With this growing roster and an amazingly robust pipeline in place, we’re perfectly positioned to partner with creatives, directors and producers around the world to deliver the absolute highest level of creative work.”

  • Tuesday, Jun. 7, 2016
Galen Newton named director of digital & social media at Stun Creative
Galen Newton
LOS ANGELES -- 

Creative agency, commercial and branded content production company Stun Creative has hired Galen Newton as its first director of digital and social media. The new position was created in response to overwhelming demand by Stun clients for comprehensive digital and social media services. Newton will report directly to Stun founding partners/principals Brad Roth and Mark Feldstein.
 
“Galen will give Stun the opportunity to greatly expand its services in the social marketing and digital space,” said Feldstein. “He’s an experienced digital and social pro who will work with the Stun team to guarantee that our content thrives in a multi-platform world, as we continue to expand and enrich our capabilities.”
 
Newton has enjoyed a distinguished career leading short-form video strategy for the Special Ops department at FOX television where he helped develop new, innovative ways to exploit the explosion of social video as a marketing tool. Newton also helped the team re-imagine different techniques to capture promotional content in the field and in real-time.
 
Newton led creative on FOX’s first digital and affiliate after-show for Empire, as well as the network’s first skippable ad campaign on YouTube (Grandfathered), FOX’s first custom video ads on Snapchat (Scream Queens, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Last Man on Earth and Grease Live!), and the first custom video ads for Instagram (Empire).
 
Before joining FOX, Newton oversaw video production and distribution for Bravo Digital Media from 2005 to 2013. There he was part of the Emmy Award-winning team behind the network’s ambitious transmedia initiative, Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen. Through strategic planning, he helped drive seven consecutive years of double-digit growth in digital video streams for the network. Earlier in his career, before joining Bravo, Newton worked at Stun as a project coordinator.

  • Tuesday, Jun. 7, 2016
BAFTA appoints Jane Lush as chair
BAFTA logo
LONDON -- 

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts announced Jane Lush as its new chair at last night’s annual general meeting, succeeding Anne Morrison. Lush has been deputy chair for the past year and her tenure as chair will run for the next two years. Morrison will be deputy chair for one year.

Lush said: “It’s a huge honor to become chair of BAFTA, succeeding Anne Morrison who has taken the Academy from strength to strength.  It’s exciting to build on all of those achievements, ensuring BAFTA stays ahead of the curve by continually enhancing our gold standard award ceremonies and attracting the brightest and the best to our membership, while expanding diversity across all our activity. I would also hope to extend our reach to younger up-and-coming talent through our excellent year-round program of events. And I’m particularly looking forward to working with BAFTA’s brilliant staff.”

Lush has been closely involved with BAFTA for 10 years and joined the Board of Trustees as deputy chair of the Television Committee in 2010.

Lush was a factual program-maker at the BBC, eventually becoming controller of Daytime and transforming it into the market leader with many breakthrough shows such as Weakest Link and the drama series Doctors. As the BBC’s controller of entertainment and comedy, she commissioned a range of multi-BAFTA-winning series including Strictly Come Dancing, The Apprentice, The Catherine Tate Show, Dragons’ Den and Have I Got News for You. She was part of the BBC Television Board, shaping its channel strategy, managing talent and revitalising programming. Since leaving the BBC, she has been working in the independent sector and is currently running Kalooki Pictures and co-producing with Hat Trick Productions. 

Lush was the founding chair of the BBC’s Performing Arts Fund charity, which benefits young aspiring musicians through scholarships, mentoring projects and gives musical instruments to hundreds of children, one of whom was the international pop star Adele.
 
Alongside its awards recognizing excellence in film, television and games, BAFTA offers a wide range of initiatives that help ensure talented people get the recognition and support to achieve their potential, regardless of their background. BAFTA Guru, the online learning site, is one way people can hear directly from the experts and learn more about a particular craft or career, or just to get inspiration. People can attend any one of hundreds of BAFTA events across the UK, USA and Asia, apply for a BAFTA scholarship or be part of a mentoring program or talent development initiative.

  • Tuesday, Jun. 7, 2016
McCann NY hires Lyndsey Corona as chief growth officer
Lyndsey Corona
NEW YORK -- 

Lyndsey Corona has joined McCann New York as chief growth officer with a focus on new business. Corona was most recently director of business development at The&Partnership, where she led brand development and prospecting strategy for new business.
 
“Lyndsey has a proven track record of delivering growth and driving new business success,” said Chris Macdonald, president, McCann NY. “She is a critical addition to our NY team.”
 
Corona joins McCann at a time of recognition for its creative on behalf of such clients as the U.S. Postal Service, General Mills’ Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal and Office Depot/Office Max. McCann also won eight Effie Awards and advanced 12 spots to be ranked 4th overall in North America in the Effie Index. Over the last few years, the New York agency also added major new clients (e.g., New York State Lottery, Reckitt Benckiser, Choice Hotels, Office Depot/Office Max, MGM Resorts, State Street Advisors); grew organically with additional assignments from existing clients such as Verizon (added Verizon Wireless to its FiOS account), Nestlé (Nespresso), and MasterCard. In addition to General Mills, MasterCard, RB, and Nestlé, the NY agency also works on the network’s global Microsoft and L’Oréal businesses.
 
Corona said, “It’s rare to find a group of such exceptional talent aligned behind the same company vision. Yet, that’s exactly what’s happening at McCann NY.”
 
Corona previously served as business director at JWT and global brand leader at TBWA\Chiat\Day, where she developed cross-platform campaign strategies, new business strategy and award-winning creative work. Earlier in her career, Corona worked on the Microsoft account in her roles as management supervisor at twofifteenmccann and account supervisor at McCann.

  • Thursday, Jun. 2, 2016
Fernando Lopez Cisneros named director of Europe for IABM
Fernando Lopez Cisneros
SULZBACH, Germany -- 

IABM, the international trade association for suppliers of broadcast and media technology, has appointed Fernando Lopez Cisneros as director, Europe. This newly created position will strengthen IABM’s presence and activity in this rapidly changing media technology market, and is just the latest move in IABM’s drive to serve vendors in all the world’s major markets. Over the last year, the IABM has also established regional representation in APAC, North America and MENA.

Lopez’s brief covers delivery of the full range of IABM member services and support to vendors in Europe. Lopez will also focus on the recruitment of more European members to IABM, creating a more coordinated and effective voice in regional matters and on the international stage. Key to achieving this ambition, Lopez will drive the establishment of an IABM European Council, planned for early 2017. 

Lopez has 35 years’ experience in the broadcast industry in Europe, Japan and South America. He entered the industry in 1972 supporting early 1” VTRs in Brazilian TV stations, and moved to Tokyo in 1981 to work with Hitachi on the development of their PAL 1” VTR. In 1984, Lopez moved to Robert Bosch/BTS in Germany to work on camera and production switcher development and deployment. A move into sales followed, first with Hitachi in Germany and then Phillips in the UK and Germany. In 2001, Lopez joined Grass Valley as director of marketing and business development until he took up his most recent position in 2013 promoting the EVS DYVI switcher. Based in Sulzbach, Germany, Lopez is fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, English and German and has working knowledge of French, Catalan, Japanese and Italian. 

“As IABM director for Europe, I am committed to building closer relationships between IABM and its European members, ensuring that they all receive maximum benefit from the wide range of services IABM has to offer,” said Lopez. “I am also looking to add further local value through introducing symposiums, technical and marketing presentations around the region--and also to ensure that European members benefit from a closer relationship with their colleagues in other geographies.” 

“Fernando Lopez brings a massive breadth and depth of industry experience to his new role as IABM director, Europe, making him the perfect choice to reinforce IABM’s presence and influence in Europe,” said Peter White, IABM CEO. “He also has the energy, skills and contacts to drive the establishment of a European Council to more fully represent regional members’ interests.”

  • Saturday, May. 28, 2016
Dan Brown promoted to VP, director of digital experience at 22squared
Dan Brown
ATLANTA -- 

Ad agency 22squared has promoted Dan Brown to the newly created role of VP, director of digital experience. He will be responsible for developing and implementing digital initiatives and experiences for all of 22squared’s clients, including The Home Depot, Southeast Toyota, Dunkin’ Donuts, Baskin-Robbins, and Mizuno.
 
This new position reflects 22squared’s emphasis on making digital a part of the process from the very beginning of campaigns and its shift from deliverable-centric creative to idea-centric creative. Working with Account, Strategy, UX, and Development leaders across the agency, he will provide counsel and support to various digital initiatives to help drive business sales along with the consumers’ constantly shifting digital demands. Brown previously served as VP, digital design director at 22squared.

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