Canteen, a tabletop studio that relaunched in May, has assembled its new directorial roster under the aegis of executive producer Elyse Sara who founded the shop originally in 2014. Canteen went on hiatus in 2019 when Sara became managing director and partner of Chuck Studios LA, marking that Dutch company’s expansion into the U.S.  Sara recently departed Chuck to return to Canteen where she’s now joined by director Shanghoon, a Chuck alumnus. Also on board the L.A.-based Canteen, this time as a partner, is director Erik Dettle who had been with Sara at Canteen during its first go-around and then at Chuck Studios.

New to the Canteen directorial lineup are Jacek Szymanski, Niels Thomsen, Paloma Rincón, and Reactiv who are all securing exclusive company representation for the first time. This infusion of talent expands Canteen’s reach as the studio looks to serve the growing needs of progressive food and beverage creatives by bringing in VFX specialists, visualists and animation directors, thus positioning Canteen as tabletop experts with an eye for multi-media creativity.

Reactiv is an animation duo comprised of Alon Isocianu and Anna Junger, who have created both 2D and 3D animations across a range of styles including 3D character animation and photo realistic CG product work for brands like Hershey’s, Cheerios and Burger King.

Rincón is a visualist whose graphic style and bold use of color create visual games that challenge common perceptions. Her work has appeared in a range of exhibitions around the globe and she was recently recognized by the VICE Creators Project, which noted that she is “interested in bright colors and fascinating forms, with palpable textures and absurd juxtaposition.” Her food and beverage clients include Absolut, Michelob Ultra and Oreo.

Thomsen leads the charge in Canteen’s push to combine live action tabletop and VFX. Thomsen’s work seamlessly fuses lifestyle, VFX, and tabletop cinematography--often all in a single spot. He has directed for such brands as Nescafe and McDonald’s.

Szymanski’s body of work touches on sweets, fast food, lifestyle and stop motion for brands like Keebler, McDonald’s, and Knorr.