• Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2016
Editors David Cornman, Debbie McMurtrey come aboard roster of TwoPoint0
David Cornman
NEW YORK -- 

TwoPoint0 has added editors David Cornman and Debbie McMurtrey to its talent roster.

Cornman has edited comedy, effects-driven, dramatic, and documentary-style commercials for clients such as AIG, GE, Accenture, Bank of America, Staples, Verizon and Computer Associates. Cornman’s degree in art, his musical abilities, as well as his extensive knowledge of film history all play a role in how he approaches each project. The soundscape of the piece is just as important to Cornman as the visual aspect. He feels the two elements should support each other to complete the story. He has won awards from the AICE, AICP, Clio, and Addys, as well as being nominated for an Emmy in the Best Commercial category.

“In a very short time, David went from editor to creative collaborator to friend. Would trust him with my career,” said Bob Minhan, EVP, chief creative officer, Partners & Simons in Boston.

Cornman’s recent projects include a package of Crayola spots for mcgarrybowen, and P&G work out of Havas, as well as a several digital projects for Facebook’s Creative Shop. A recent passion project included shooting and editing a piece for Atria Senior Living in Rye Brook, New York, which gave residents the chance to try rowing for the first time. Rowers ranged in age from 85 to 97. “That was fun to be part of,” added Cornman.

Editor McMurtrey launched her career at Crew Cuts in 1999, rising quickly through the ranks to editor. In 2007, she was hired as the first editor at Nomad’s East Coast office. From there, her career continued to advance as she worked at Cutting Room, Red Car and Alkemy X. In addition to commercials and branded web content, she has cut short films which have screened in over 30 festivals in the U.S. and abroad, a sitcom pilot for VH1, and parody commercials for Saturday Night Live. She recently collaborated with director/producer Greg Kohs on his feature documentary, The Great Alone, which chronicles the incredible comeback journey of four-time Iditarod champion Lance Mackey. The Great Alone has won numerous awards, including the Grand Jury Documentary Award from the Seattle International Film Festival and Best Sports Documentary at the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival. 

McMurtrey considers her specialty to be docu-style. She excels at taking raw footage and finding the narrative in order to shape the story. She also enjoys editing dialogue and comedy.

McMurtrey has recently collaborated with director Zack Resnicoff of Impressionista Films on three campaigns for Fisher Price, including 20 individual spots. They have previously worked together on projects for Macy’s, Blue Cross, and The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“It’s rare to find an editor who can move seamlessly between multiple genres and cut at a high level,” said Resnicoff. “I’ve had the pleasure of working with Debbie for years on everything from comedy to lifestyle. As a director, the most important and exciting part of the collaboration with an editor is to be shown something in the footage I never saw, to be surprised, to see another layer of story created by the editor. This is Debbie’s specialty: to find or create the story. She has tireless objectivity and takes her work personally.” 

Recent projects completed by McMurtrey include “We the Voters” campaign, which featured celebrities such as Anabel Acosta (Quantico, Ballers) and a series of films for Stephens Bank including an irreverent bio of Alexander Hamilton. McMurtrey has also edited projects this fall for Facebook, Hewlett Packard and Nintendo.

Partner/executive producer/editor Wendy Rosen and partner/editor Anthony Marinelli launched TwoPoint0 in fall of 2015. The editorial company and creative collective features the talents of the two founding partners, as well as such editors as: Cornman, Charlie Cusumano, Jane Keller, John Marinis, McMurtrey, Keith Olwell, Jon Rosen, Jón Stefánsson, and Terence Ziegler.

  • Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2016
Deep Focus names Duncan Miller director of business development
Duncan Miller
SAN FRANCISCO -- 

Digitally-led creative agency Deep Focus has appointed Duncan Miller to serve as director of business development. Miller will be based in the agency’s San Francisco office and will report directly to Adam Walden, president of Deep Focus SF. Miller will be responsible for leading the charge on the agency’s new business efforts.
 
Miller joins Deep Focus from Jack Morton Worldwide, where he served as the director of business development. Prior to Jack Morton Worldwide, Miller was the business development manager, Sports & Sponsorship Marketing at George P Johnson Experience Marketing, where he worked with brands including Pepsi, Under Armour and Cisco.

  • Monday, Dec. 19, 2016
StunSpots adds directors Andrew De Zen, Cameron Gade
Andrew De Zen
LOS ANGELES -- 

StunSpots, the commercial production unit of Stun Creative, has added two spot directors to its roster--Andrew De Zen and Cameron Gade. 

A Canadian born director, writer, producer, and editor based out of Toronto, De Zen has worked with clients such as Nike, PlayStation, Joe Fresh, Victim Services Toronto, Indigo, and YMCA. Most recently, he has been creating, directing, and producing a series of connected short films called Of Walls & Mountains. De Zen’s highly visual storytelling has been deployed in a wide range of projects, including short films, commercials, documentaries, music videos and web content.

Gade is an emerging new talent; a director, cinematographer, and writer of commercials and music videos who is based in the wide-open spaces of Utah. Cameron connects personally and viscerally to every spot he works on, whether it is for a new technology such as RealSoulApp, or for the socially responsible accessories company Arvo. 

“These guys are enormous talents,” said Jared Christensen, Stun Creative’s VP head of production. “Andrew and Cameron bring to StunSpots a lyrical and cinematic sensibility, and vast experience with major brands. We look forward to introducing them to our brand and agency clients and collaborating on great campaigns.”

  • Friday, Dec. 16, 2016
Revelator Adds Directors Alvarez, Kaufmann, Eide
Pictured (l-r) are Miguel Alvarez, Evan Kaufmann, and Jake Eide.
AUSTIN, Texas -- 

Film and commercial directors Miguel Alvarez, Evan Kaufmann, and Jake Eide have joined the roster at Revelator, an Austin-based creative video production company which specializes in storytelling broadcast spots and corporate projects. The three directors will be repped nationally and join a team of creators led by partners Matt Muir and Chris Ohlson. 

Alvarez is a filmmaker and cinematographer with extensive experience in both the film and commercial realm. He has received recognition from the Directors Guild of America (Honorable Mention for Best Latino Student Filmmaker for his short film Kid), Panavision’s Emerging Filmmaker program, and the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts. His short documentary, The Giant Still Sleeps, recently premiered on PBS.

Kaufmann’s body of work spans narrative films, music videos and broadcast commercials. His work has been featured on MTV, VH1, and Rolling Stone, and his films have screened internationally. 

Eide is a director and graphic designer who specializes in commercials, branded content and narrative films. His most recent short film, Pet World, premiered at LA Shorts Fest, and was programmed at the Burbank International Film Festival, Richmond International Film Festival, and Twin Cities Film Festival. 

Prior to joining Revelator, directors Alvarez, Kaufmann and Eide were freelance directors.

  • Thursday, Dec. 15, 2016
Cutwater adds ACD Ammermann, writers Cruz, Taylor
Carrie Ammermann
SAN FRANCISCO -- 

Independent agency Cutwater has brought on board Carrie Ammermann as associate creative director, and Boomer Cruz and Derek Taylor as copywriters.

Ammermann has most recently been freelancing in the San Francisco area working on brands including the San Francisco Giants, Lancôme Cosmetics and Microsoft. Over the course of her career, she has held full-time positions at BSSP and Goodby Silverstein & Partners, working for clients Sorel, Columbia, MINI Cooper, RadioShack, Chipotle, Sprint, Haagen Dazs, Comcast and HP.

Prior to Cutwater, Cruz was a jr. writer at Mekanism, working on brands like Muscle Milk, Alaska Airlines, Jim Beam, Pepsi, NFL and Charles Schwab. Cruz started his ad career at Heat.

Before joining Cutwater, Taylor was a copywriter at Duncan Channon. Over the course of his career he developed brand ideas for StubHub, California Tobacco Control Program, Kona Brewing Co., Redhook Brewery, Tahoe South and DriveTime.

  • Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2016
Moira McCarthy named director of business development & marketing at The Napoleon Group
Moira McCarthy
NEW YORK -- 

Moira McCarthy has been appointed to the newly created position of director of business development and marketing at The Napoleon Group. The hire continues the studio’s commitment to supporting female leadership: Napoleon recently announced the launch of a joint venture with the woman-owned art production powerhouse Famous Frames, founded by Janine Miller, and promoted longtime senior staffers Annabel Salmon to VP, executive director of operations, and Angela Gianforcaro to head of production.
 
McCarthy joins The Napoleon Group from the New York office of Audio Network, Inc., where she was manager, music licensing. Audio Network is the international production music service that works with brands, agencies, broadcasters and producers around the world. During her tenure there, she was responsible for building and developing client relationships; driving revenue through marketing, partnerships and events; negotiating licensing contracts; music supervision; and supporting the music and A&R teams in their efforts to source and showcase new talent.
 
At Audio Network she played a key role in placing the music for a Volvo social media campaign, “The Greatest Interception,” that won the 2015 Cannes Direct Lions Grand Prix for Volvo and Grey Worldwide. Her roster of agency clients included Droga5, BBDO, Havas, Leo Burnett, McCann, KBS+P, Y&R and McCann. Before joining Audio Network she was director of strategic accounts at TransPerfect, the global communications company that specializes in the transcreation of multi-national ad campaigns for major marketers. In this role she oversaw the New York office’s agency accounts and consulted clients on global sales and marketing strategy. 
 
McCarthy said what attracted her to The Napoleon Group was its ability to provide a broad scope of solutions. “I truly believe in the value of an integrated company that can easily adapt to meet the needs of its clients, and that’s what we’re building at Napoleon. All the elements are here: not just a world-class production facility, but great leaders in each discipline of our business, from pre-visualization to production, post, motion capture, design, audio and now experiential. It’s an amazing opportunity I simply couldn’t pass up.”
 
An Illinois native who grew up in Indiana, McCarthy graduated from the University of San Diego with a BA in French, while pursuing minor studies in English and Business. She put them all to use during her time at TransPerfect, but eventually her work with ad campaigns and agencies proved more alluring than her interest in languages, and she made the move closer to the creative.
 
The Napoleon Group founder and chief creative officer Marty Napoleon said of McCarthy, “She’ll be leading the charge as we create a brand presence designed to drive our sales and marketing efforts across categories and lines of business. We’re expanding into new areas like experiential design, live action production, audio post and music production, and growing our footprint on the West Coast. In the process, we’ve not only re-engineered our offering for existing clients but are generating a recognizable profile with new ones. And raising profiles and capturing share of mind is something Moira is particularly adept at doing.”
 
McCarthy is already on the case, having just orchestrated a festive event in Chicago (in partnership with her former haunt, Audio Network) to celebrate the launch of Napoleon’s new Audio Production and Post Division. It was timed to coincide with the AICP Show’s visit there last month and drew a roster of Chicago-area creatives. As the New Year arrives she’ll be deep into planning Napoleon’s presence at the 2017 Cannes Lions Festival.

  • Monday, Dec. 12, 2016
Director Tim Mason Joins ONE at Optimus
Tim Mason

ONE at Optimus, the production arm of Optimus, has added Tim Mason to its directorial roster. This marks Mason’s first formal production company affiliation as a director. Mason, who’s also a writer and actor, recently directed No Other Way To Say It in collaboration with ONE and Optimus. The comedic short film has earned wide recognition, including Best Short Film at the Best of the Midwest Awards Film Fest and a screening at the SlamDance Film Fest this January. 
 
“Tim’s experience as a writer and creative director will be invaluable to clients looking to bring their concepts to fruition,” said ONE executive producer/managing director Lisa Masseur. “And, his work as a comedic actor helps him bring out more nuanced performances from other actors. As part of our roster, Tim has already collaborated with Downtown Partners and Golin on campaigns for Illinois Lottery and New Ocean, respectively.”
 
Mason is a veteran of the Second City Mainstage, where he appeared in numerous shows including the critically acclaimed revue, “Southside of Heaven.” In 2014, he performed in and served as head writer on “The Art of Falling,” a groundbreaking collaboration with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Mason has won two Gold Lions from the Cannes Festival of Creativity for his work in advertising. He also directed several Kmart pieces for FCB, including the 60-minute “Joe Boxer Lounger Games.” Mason will continue working with Hog Butcher, a content creation collective also based out of ONE. 
 
“I’ve had the pleasure of partnering with ONE numerous times over the past few years as an actor and a writer,” said Mason. “Now that my career path has expanded into directing, there is no group of people I would rather work with than the folks here at ONE. They’ve been invaluable in helping me build my directing experience and find my own comedic voice and style.”

  • Monday, Dec. 12, 2016
DGA promotes Mayra Ocampo to assistant executive director
Mayra Ocampo
LOS ANGELES -- 

Mayra Ocampo has been promoted and will join the executive staff of the Directors Guild of America as assistant executive director in the Guild’s Los Angeles headquarters.
 
“Since joining the DGA, Mayra has helped to grow our organizing and expand our services to address the unique needs of our members working in non-dramatic categories including reality television,” said Jay D. Roth, DGA national executive director. “As assistant executive director, she will now build upon those efforts and take on additional duties as part of the DGA’s senior management team. We look forward to putting her deep experience and specialized skills to use in the service of our members who work across an array of categories.”
 
Ocampo joined the DGA in 2014 as a field representative, and was promoted to special assignments executive in 2015 where she expanded her work in non-dramatic categories including reality, and assisted in the administration and enforcement of the Guild’s Freelance Live and Tape Television Agreement--in addition to serving as the liaison to the Guild’s Women’s Steering and Asian American committees. She will continue to report to Lisa Layer, associate Western executive director.
 
Ocampo has more than two decades of labor union and membership organization experience. Prior to joining the DGA, Ocampo was the director of government affairs at the Nevada Local of the Service Employees International Union. She has also worked in various national and regional organizing roles for the AFL-CIO, United American Nurses, and the Hotel Employees & Restaurant Employees International Union.

  • Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016
CHI & Partners CEO Sarah Golding to become IPA president
Sarah Golding
LONDON -- 

Sarah Golding, CEO and partner of CHI & Partners in the U.K., was nominated by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) Council members as the preferred candidate to succeed Tom Knox as president of the IPA in March 2017. The IPA is a non-profit trade body and professional institute for agencies in the U.K.’s  media and marketing communications industry.
 
Golding will be expected to serve a two-year term which will be first ratified on March 23, 2017 as part of the IPA’s annual general meeting proceedings. Her first public platform will be at the IPA Members’ Lunch in May 2017 where she will outline her two-year manifesto.    

The announcement comes at the end of a formal three-month selection process by the Presidential Nominating Committee which was led by previous IPA president Stephen Woodford.

Woodford said, “My role as Chairman of the Nominating Committee was remarkably straightforward. To identify that certain someone whom the industry wants as their next leader. It was soon obvious that this person was Sarah and we were delighted that she has accepted the position. I have no doubt that she will be a fantastic leader for the IPA as it celebrates its centenary and I am looking forward to working with her in my new role as CEO of the Advertising Association.”
 
Golding related, “‘I am extremely flattered and honored to be chosen as the IPA’s next President, and I look forward to helping the industry flourish in profoundly changing times.”

Prior to her tenure at CHI & Partners, Golding worked at Lowe Howard-Spink following graduation from Cambridge University. Across her career she has worked with blue chip brands including Orange, Reebok, British Gas, Argos and NewsUK. She is married to David Golding, a co-founder of adam&eveDDB, London.

  • Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016
Adam Svatek joins STITCH as sr. editor
Adam Svatek
SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- 

Editor Adam Svatek, whose work runs a stylistic gamut from comedic to emotional, has joined the roster at STITCH. Prior to signing with STITCH he was at the L.A. office of Beast (and its predecessor company, FilmCore), where he started in 2005.

A graduate of the University of Iowa’s Film & TV program, Svatek has spent over a decade honing his craft and building close creative relationships with both directors and agency creatives. His work on brands like AT&T, Experian, Walmart, Pedigree, ESPN and many others ranges from performance-driven comedy to visual storytelling.

Svatek’s move to STITCH was over a year in the making, the editor explained. “I felt it was the right thing in order for my work to grow,” he says. “I see a lot of potential in small creative boutiques that are really focused on the work, and I’m interested in projects that help make this a better world. The opportunity to do those things and make an impact is very strong at STITCH.”
 
Svatek had worked with STITCH editor Andrew Leggett and producer Liz Katsarelas when they were at Beast, “so I knew this was a place that cared about their people and surrounded them with a great working environment.” After STITCH’s EP, Mila Davis, first reached out, they kept in touch. “Everyone who’s worked with Mila speaks very highly of her,” Svatek said. “So for me, it was an easy decision.”
 
He was also aware of STITCH founding editor Dan Swietlik’s reputation, both for his work on ad assignments as well as on feature documentaries like the groundbreaking “An Inconvenient Truth.” “That film really raised the discussion of climate change to another level,” said Svatek. “It’s an important piece of work for the global society. When it came to Dan, you just kept hearing his name and hearing about his work. Finally getting a chance to meet him was a little awe-inspiring. It’s hard to believe we’re sharing the same space.”
 
Svatek launched his career at DEN.net, the early digital programming network that focused on entertainment primarily for teenagers. While there he taught himself Avid and Final Cut, and it’s where his love of editing first blossomed. “When I realized the true power of visual storytelling, I was hooked,” he recalled. “I was never that interested in writing, but assembling clips and elements together to convey a message was something I found challenging and rewarding.”
 
After a brief stint producing online content he returned to editorial when he joined the L.A. creative boutique Ground Zero as its in-house editor. He next moved to FilmCore, where he was both mentored and inspired by award-winning editors Livio Sanchez and Gordon Carey.
 
Svatek said he’s drawn to a wide range of work. His reel contains some comedy gems, like the non-stop parade of insults two male friends share in the “Smack Talk” series of “Call of Duty” spots for Walmart, or the sad-sack performances of a few wanna-be golf pros in his campaign for Ping. “I like quirky comedy,” he confessed. “The awkward pause or those uncomfortable moments that, when timed right, make you laugh. You can feel it when you’re editing dialogue that seems conversational while hiding the fact that it isn’t. And who doesn’t like making people laugh?”
 
His work in the genre includes a promo for the 2015 Film Independent Spirit Awards that’s a dead-on parody of “Birdman.” Starring Fred Armisen, Kristin Bell, Miles Teller, Adam Scott and Bill Hader, it captures the offbeat pacing and “one-shot” narrative gambit of the Oscar-winning feature perfectly. Another example is the short film he edited for the writer, director and comedian Tyler Spindel. Titled “Love and Germophobia,” it stars TJ Miller as a guy who just can’t seem to find the empathy for his sick girlfriend, who really needs his support.
 
“On the flip side, I’m also attracted to causes that make our world a more livable place, or to the poignant message in a documentary that motivates people to act.” He cites as an example a 2:45 mini-doc he edited for the Coalition for Engaged Education. “It was a passion project directed by Erin Heidenreich that tells the story of a school program in Lennox, California designed to give at-risk kids a chance when they need it the most,” he explained. “My wife is a teacher, so education is very important to us.”
 
Svatek feels projects like these reveal the dual sides of his work as an editor, and he’s looking forward to continuing to develop both at STITCH. Most recently, he collaborated again with Heidenreich on a documentary that premiered in November at the DOC NYC Film Festival. Titled “Rising Sons,” it’s a gripping portrait of a radical new program aimed at ending the rampant rape of women in The Democratic Republic of the Congo. “I’m very, very proud of this film,” Svatek said.

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