• Monday, Jan. 23, 2023
VFX supervisor Laurent Taillefer joins Rodeo FX
Laurent Taillefer
MONTREAL -- 

VFX supervisor Laurent Taillefer, who was behind the projects Ad Astra, Deadpool, Stranger Things, The Walk, and Ghost in The Shell, has joined Rodeo FX.

At a time when VFX training was scarce in his native France, Taillefer learned the ropes from artists and industry veterans, developing his expertise as a generalist on advertising projects in Paris. After arriving in Montreal in 2006, he helped build departments and teams at several studios, including Scanline, Atomic Fiction, Mokko Studios, Mikros Image and Raynault VFX.

“I’ve always been attracted to technology and how it can be leveraged by teams and integrated into processes. It led me to constantly rethink the structures in place to optimize production,” said Taillefer. “But after a while, I really wanted to get back into the creative side of things, I missed the magic.”

Taillefer collaborated with director Robert Emmerich on his blockbuster Moonfall. There Taillefer has a chance to go directly on set with the filmmaker. Taillefer’s most recent productions have all been box office successes such as Thor: Love and Thunder, Free Guy as well as the HBO series His Dark Materials.

Rodeo FX, which for the second year in a row received three Emmy nominations for Outstanding VFX, has just finished working on the new Netflix series The Witcher: Blood Origin, the Disney+ movie The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, and is currently preparing for the theatrical release of the fourth installment in the John Wick franchise.

  • Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023
McCullough, Moesch join editors' roster at Final Cut
Jasmine "Mac" McCullough (l) and Lucas Moesch
LOS ANGELES -- 

Creative editorial house Final Cut has added Jasmine “Mac” McCullough as an editor at its L.A. location, as well as the promotion of Lucas Moesch to editor at the company’s New York office.

With over a decade of cutting her teeth as a film editor, McCullough came into the craft when she realized her passion for storytelling through fragments of footage in college. McCullough’s breadth of award-winning work includes the short film “You Can’t Stop Us” for Nike, which won the primetime commercial Emmy and the Film Grand Prix at Cannes in 2021. McCullough’s short film “Call it COVID” received a Silver Lion at the 2021 Cannes Lions Awards and a Gold Pencil from The One Club. Her additional brand work includes P&G, Coke, Verizon, and Google. 

Prior to joining Final Cut, McCullough was editing at Joint.

Moesch is a Brazilian film editor who has brought his vivid, intimate editing to a wide range of content mediums. The project he edited for São Paulo artist Nego Bala, “Sonho (Dream),” represents his editorial vision, blending music video format with short film gravitas. The film went on to win awards at Cannes, Ciclope Latino, and the Clio Awards. His short documentary edit on Malko was a Young Directors Award finalist and shortlisted for the Ciclope Festival. Moesch’s venture into commercial editorial has seen him collaborate with global brands such as Facebook and Budweiser. He becomes editor after honing his craft as Assistant Editor in Final Cut’s NYC office.

“I learned so much while on Final Cut’s New Blood roster, the mentorship from Final Cut senior editors was key for me to find my voice as an editor,” said Moesch. “I’m ready to take that into this exciting new role and continue growing side by side with some of the most respected editors in the business.”

“Lucas and Jasmine are immensely talented editors who are not only highly skilled and forward-thinking but who also each have a distinct and exciting point of view,” said Final Cut U.S. director of global business Justin Brukman.”

Final Cut maintains offices in London, New York and Los Angeles.

  • Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023
Colorist Cameron Marygold joins Ethos
Cameron Marygold
LOS ANGELES -- 

Postproduction house Ethos has added colorist Cameron Marygold to its roster. With a prolific background in music as a mixing engineer for film and television, Marygold now specializes in evoking emotion through color and texture, stirring a similar, powerful response he successfully delivered with his audio work.

Marygold became interested in color grading and its parallels to audio mixing while fully immersed in the music industry. Born and raised in Los Angeles, he transitioned from playing guitar and drums in various bands around the area to mixing soundtracks for TV and film, most notably for the soundtrack of the beloved blockbuster sensation Crazy Rich Asians. When Marygold transitioned to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic, he took a self-motivated deep dive into color in his free time, triggering an obsession with the craft that persists to this day. 

Since then, Marygold has earned credits as a colorist for a diverse range of projects, including the launch film for SZA’s 2022 album SOS, as well as music videos for artist Lizzy McAlpine, and film collaborations for Tory Burch x Dazed magazine, Hypebeast x Alpha Industries, and BMW x visual artist Joshua Vides. Marygold’s additional commercials projects include Van’s 2022 holiday campaign and marketing campaigns for Nike. He had been freelancing as a colorist prior to joining Ethos.

“Cameron is a master of storytelling through color, and his passion for its impact is palpable,” said James Drew, partner/executive producer at Ethos. 

  • Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023
PNYA chair Yana Collins Lehman appointed to NYC's Film and Television Council
Yana Collins Lehman
NEW YORK -- 

Post New York Alliance (PNYA) chair Yana Collins Lehman has been appointed to New York City’s Film and Television Council, which operates under the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. Collins Lehman will join other industry professionals, representing labor unions, production companies, soundstages, studios and trade organizations, in promoting economic development programs and policies to support the film and television sector of the city’s economy. She will also serve on the Council’s Workforce Subcommittee, focused on expanding employment opportunities. The appointment was announced by Maria Torres-Springer, Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development.

Collins Lehman said she will use her new role to advocate for the postproduction industry and build awareness for its contributions to the local economy. “I am delighted to join the Council and pursue initiatives that will benefit postproduction companies and the thousands of professionals who work in our segment of the industry.”

PNYA has been highly successful in supporting the post industry in New York City and statewide. It has been a consistent voice for the inclusion of postproduction and visual effects in the state’s Film and Television Tax Incentive Program. It has also played a lead role in promoting diversity in postproduction.

“The tax incentives have generated a lot of jobs and produced enormous revenue for businesses across the state,” Collins Lehman stated.  “Additionally, through our work with Reel Works, Made in New York’s PA Training Program and Brooklyn Workforce Innovations, we’ve created an employment pipeline for groups that have often lacked access to jobs in our industry.”

Collins Lehman hopes her work with the Film and Television Council will draw attention to postproduction. “Postproduction doesn’t always generate the attention accorded to production, but we provide critical services to films and television shows every day,” she observed. “In part due to tax incentives, postproduction in New York has grown substantially and continues to add to the economic vitality of the city and state.”

  • Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023
Lost Planet adds editor Winnie Cheung to its roster
Winnie Cheung
NEW YORK -- 

Lost Planet has brought editor Winnie Cheung aboard its talent roster. The Hong Kong-born, Queens-raised and Brooklyn-based Cheung frequently collaborates with artists across various disciplines to further push illustrations, animation and dance. Her work as an editor has appeared at Tribeca, Big Sky, the San Francisco International Film Festival and exclusive online outlets including Nowness, and NY Times Op-Docs.

She has also directed films that have screened at Sundance, Fantastic Fest, Fantasia International Film Festival and the New York American Asian International Film Festival.

Albatross Soup, a short she wrote and directed was featured as “Animation of the Year” by Vimeo and “Short of the Year” by Short of the Week. Albatross Soup also earned Cheung a slot in the 2019 Saatchi New Creators Showcase unveiled at the Cannes International Festival of Creativity.

  • Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023
Exec producer Nick Haynes joins The-Artery
Nick Haynes
NEW YORK -- 

The-Artery has brought executive producer Nick Haynes aboard its NYC studio. 

Formerly EP at Carbon NY and at MPC prior to that, Haynes throughout his career has focused on building facilities, growing and managing teams, and producing jobs for world-class brands including Johnson & Johnson, Guinness and Converse. His most notable work includes the Guinness “Basketball” and “Empty Chair” spots for director Noam Murro, Tiffany & Co.’s “Believe in Dreams” for The Hunger Games director Francis Lawrence, the Shadow of War game spot for director Neil Huxley, and most recently a spot for Samsung with director Henry Hobson entitled “Open up Your World.”

The-Artery’s campaign work includes a series of spots for Sodastream featuring Snoop Dogg, multiple recurring holiday campaigns for David Yurman, a brand campaign for Fiverr tallying up well over 1.1 million YouTube views, and multiple projects with longtime automobile partner Mercedes-Benz for Merkley. In addition, the studio most recently partnered with the Alliance of Safe Online Pharmacies to create the Danny Trejo led PSA titled “Bad Meds.”

Since its formation, The-Artery has evolved from a boutique to a comprehensive studio covering production, post, VFX, color, VR, sound design and more across advertising, film, TV, music videos, and gaming. Haynes brings over 20 years of experience to his new role, including his aforementioned work at Carbon as well as being the general manager/EP at Absolute Post, where he supervised sales and helped to grow its New York office. Prior to that, Haynes’ half a decade tenure at The Mill saw him holding a range of production and management positions as well as playing an instrumental role in launching its first U.S. office.

Haynes’ addition will help further balance The-Artery’s process of creating strong commercial work while it continues expanding its horizons further into the feature film space, underscored by its work on the current hit horror film Smile (director Parker Finn) which just surpassed $200 million in global box office.

Haynes has been a longtime admirer of The-Artery, its founder/CCO Vico Sharabini and EP/managing director Deborah Sullivan.

Sullivan said of Haynes, “We’ve been fortunate to have worked together in the past, so we have a good sense of shared work ethic, aspirational creative sensibilities, and a collaborative viewpoint as to the importance of developing and nurturing a strong creative environment. Nick’s background in VFX, design, experience, and tech-driven projects also sits quite comfortably within our current client collaborations, and his expertise across the board is unique in that he’s touched on all these categories and can provide immense insight and leadership to our growing team.”

  • Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023
Brian Hwang upped to partner in Republic Productions
Brian Hwang
DALLAS -- 

Republic has elevated Brian Hwang to an equity partner in its production division, Republic Productions. Hwang will continue in his role as executive producer, and utilize his new position as partner to streamline decision-making as he leads the growth of the studio’s directorial roster, technical offerings and client base.

“Four years ago, we brought Brian on with the precise directive of building a production department from the ground up. That is exactly what he has done and we couldn’t be more impressed by his success in such a short period of time,” said Chris Gipson, founding partner of Republic Productions (launched in 2019), and its parent company, Republic (established in 2013), alongside founding partners Carrie Callaway and Keith James.”

A seasoned veteran, Hwang brings over two decades of production, postproduction and agency experience to his new ownership role, having spent 10 of those years at McCann New York. After moving to Texas in 2016 and growing roots in the Dallas ad community, Hwang was added to the team in early 2019, to help Republic launch its production arm, initially under the name Threaded Pictures. The division was later rebranded under the Republic banner in January of last year as Republic Productions.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the production shop that the Republic partners and I have developed in just four short years,” said Hwang. “I credit their support and leadership for allowing me to execute our shared vision of a diverse and talented roster of directors capable of working on projects of all shapes and sizes, both in the U.S. and internationally.”

Republic Productions’ roster consists of directors Josh Blaylock, TG Herrington, April Kirby, Amos David McKay, Chad Ostrom, Ben Tedesco and Taylor Washington. Of his new elevated role, Hwang added, “I’m driven now more than ever to work on our next phase to take Republic Productions to another level.”

Hwang also serves as president of AICP Southwest and as the Southwest regional director for the AICP National Board, titles which he has held since late 2018 and which keeps him current with industry issues and challenges. During the pandemic lockdown and subsequent easing of restrictions, Hwang’s coordination with state and local governments helped the area’s commercial production move forward and rebound quickly. Recently, he chaired the first in-person AICP Awards National Tour Dallas Show in three years, held at the Perot Museum last November, and continues to use his leadership position to strengthen the production industry in the Southwest region.

  • Friday, Jan. 6, 2023
Cut+Run adds editor Kamila Daurenova to its roster
Kamila Daurenova
NEW YORK -- 

Editor Kamila Daurenova has joined the roster of Cut+Run. Based in New York, Daurenova is available for Cut+Run collaborations nationally and internationally.

“Kamila has a depth and dimension which shines through her work,” said Lauren Hertzberg, managing partner, Cut+Run NY. “Her editing style is captivating and expressive, and we are so excited to work with her as she continues to create with impact.”

Born and raised in Qazaqstan, Daurenova moved to New York to pursue her passion for film. After studying film at NYU Tisch, she worked as an assistant editor at MTV and Saturday Night Live before being promoted to editor at Forager.  She has since lent her talent to projects for such brands as Levi’s, Nike, Snapchat, Puma, Cricket Wireless, Vans, and Under Armour.  

In addition to brand-supported collaborations, Daurenova has a deep commitment to honoring her culture through alliances and projects with fellow Qazaq artists. “I was drawn to filmmaking because of the power of visual storytelling as a reflection and amplification of culture and the human experience,” she explained.

A sense of community and passion for craft are driving forces behind her decision to join Cut+Run. “Cut+Run has been on my radar for a long time and after meeting everyone it was evident that it was a great fit,” she shared. “They emphasize kindness alongside creativity, give their editors amazing support, and have built a collaborative environment that I am truly happy to join.”

Cut+Run has offices in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Austin, as well as a partnership with editor-led The Quarry for work in the U.K. and Europe. 

  • Monday, Dec. 19, 2022
Eva Serrano named global brand president of Calvin Klein
Eva Serrano
NEW YORK -- 

Eva Serrano has been appointed global brand president of Calvin Klein. Serrano will join the company in March 2023 and report to Stefan Larsson, CEO of PVH Corp., parent to such brands as Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger.

Serrano joins PVH and Calvin Klein with 20 years of leadership experience with Zara and the Inditex group. Serrano began her career in Europe, where she was part of the international commercial development for Zara Europe before assuming the international commercial director position for Asia Pacific and playing a key role in expanding growth in the region. She most recently served as president for Inditex Greater China, where she was responsible for leading that rapidly growing market. While at Inditex, her responsibilities spanned multiple brands, and she has experience across the entire retail value chain--product, marketing, consumer experience in stores and digital, as well as supply chain--affording her a true omni-channel marketplace view.

Larsson said, "Eva is a unique leader in the fashion and apparel sector and has proven experience within one of the most innovative and highest performing brand groups globally in our sector. She knows how to drive brand growth in global markets, how to connect with the consumer and what it takes to win across the marketplace. Eva also deeply understands the disruptive forces in our industry and how to connect a brand's core value proposition to where the consumer is going. Her experience will be critical in unlocking Calvin Klein 's  full global potential, and her appointment is an important next step in our continuing execution of the PVH+ Plan, our multi-year growth plan."

Serrano said, "I am passionate about brands, the consumer and the fashion industry, and throughout my career developed the skills and experience to win in this increasingly competitive market. The opportunity to lead the iconic Calvin Klein brand and unlock its full potential across the world is a dream come true. I look forward to working with Stefan and the PVH and Calvin Klein teams to propel the next chapter of growth for the brand."

Serrano has a Bachelor of Arts, Touristic Management from the GETA Business School in Spain and received a postgraduate degree from HKU Business School in Digital Social Media Marketing. In 2022, she completed both her Masters, Global Executive Program at Tsinghua University in China and the Advanced Management Leadership Program from the Säid Business School at the University of Oxford. In 2021, Serrano was recognized with the best Entrepreneurs Award Shanghai, China.

 

  • Friday, Dec. 16, 2022
Damien Le Castrec named chief strategy officer at Droga5 London
Damien Le Castrec
LONDON -- 

Droga5 London, part of Accenture Song, has elevated head of strategy Damien Le Castrec to chief strategy officer. He takes over the role immediately and will report to Droga5 London chief executive Bill Scott, and managing director for Accenture Song in the UK and Ireland.

Le Castrec has been with the agency for five years and has been leading the strategy team since February, following the departure of Dylan Williams. Le Castrec oversaw the strategic leadership on the winning pitches for Paddy Power and the Philips Domestic Appliances global account.

In his two years as head of strategy, he worked on transformative campaigns such as democratising voice tech for Amazon Alexa’s "A Voice is all you need"; and reframing payments from business transactions to business transformations with Barclaycard Payments "The Payment Part is just the start." He also distilled the sustainable credentials of pre-loved clothing for Vestiaire Collective’s "Long Live Fashion." 

Before joining Droga5, Le Castrec spent four years at BBH as strategy director on clients including Audi UK and the global account for Mentos and Chupa Chups. In 2015, he won an APG Planning Award and APG Silver for his work for World Animal Protection's "Before They Book" campaign. 

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