An exciting new chapter is beginning for full-service, award-winning commercial production company Caravan, where commercial/ brand storytelling expert Thom Blackburn has just come onboard in the role of Executive Producer. The announcement was made by company Founder/Executive Producer Jon Muedder and Partner/Head of Creative Bernardo Marentes.
Since launching in 2012, Caravan has built an extremely impressive track record for high-profile productions. Regularly featured among the annual American Advertising Award winners locally, regionally, and nationally, the company's most recent standout projects include Seagate's The Cloud, which brought home multiple GOLD Awards and the Best of Video Special Award, as well as a groundbreaking brand film for Arrival (NASDAQ: ARVL), the Charlotte-based global company creating electric vehicles with game-changing technologies. Other noteworthy clients include The New York Times, HBO, Lending Tree, and Bridgestone, to name but a few. Notably, Muedder and Marentes also own and operate Charlotte Film Rentals (https://charlottefilmrentals.com), one of the region's leading providers of top-of-the-line cameras, lenses, support, and lighting equipment for the production industry.
"Thom has spent the past two decades working in every facet of production, most notably as a director/creative director, crafting award-winning work while developing lasting relationships along the way," Muedder began. "The relational equity and trust he has built with both clients and collaborators makes him a natural fit here at Caravan."
"We've known and collaborated with Thom since Caravan's beginning," Marentes added. "He's supported us through many of the steps we've taken to grow Caravan, and bringing him onboard kicks off an exciting new chapter for our team."
As Creative Director for Charlotte-based Wondersmith since 2014, Blackburn was a key ingredient in the company's successful collaborations with BooneOakley, CCOM Group, CMD, Sigma Group, Tombras Group, and Trone Brand Energy, among many others. During that time, Wondersmith brought home scores of awards for its projects for consumer and entertainment brands, which included Bojangles, Goodwill, Husqvarna, JELD-WEN, North State, Panasonic, Poulan Pro, Rack Room Shoes, and Southeast Toyota Dealers. Blackburn's previous stints include four years as Executive Creative Director for Limerick Studios, and a decade in Los Angeles as Creative Director for full-service motion design and production studio SOLID.
"Caravan obviously produces beautiful films, and it also stands out in managing the entire process, from concept phase through planning, execution and ultimately, finishing," Blackburn explained. "This speaks to the company's incredibly strong foundation and the emphasis on maintaining a culture of excellence."
He continued, "Having worked on major brands all over the world, I feel uniquely equipped to build upon this amazing foundation, continue Caravan's growth, and apply its incredible talents to new storytelling challenges."
Caravan Reel 2021 from Caravan on Vimeo.
About Caravan
We are a full-service, award-winning commercial production company based in the South, but like an ice cold glass of sweet tea or warm buttered biscuits, we’ve been spotted all around the world. We love stories that move people, and our passion is bringing these stories to life using our core strengths: live-action filmmaking, visual effects, and design, with seamless integration and flawless finishing. We believe that your story is worth telling, and it’s worth telling with excellence. To learn more about Caravan, please visit https://wearecaravan.tv.
2024 AICP Awards Tour Concludes with Stops in Dallas and Chicago
The 2024 AICP Awards Tour concludes with stops in Dallas and Chicago this month as it wraps up its tour of cities across the U.S. The National Tour brought presentations, panels and screenings to marketers, advertising agencies, production and post production companies. The AICP Awards will be in Dallas on Thursday, November 14th, at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, followed by the Chicago event, set for Thursday, November 21st at The Old Post Office. Tickets are available now for both events at www.aicp.com. In Dallas, the program kicks off at 6:45 pm with a happy hour, followed by the screening and panel discussion at 7:30. The evening ends with a networking reception from 8:30 to 11:30. The Perot Museum of Nature and Science is located at 2201 N. Field Street in Dallas. Appearing in Dallas will be Abe Garcia, Chief Creative Officer, Dieste; Julia Melle, Director of Brand and Content, Southwest Airlines; and Isaac Pagán Muñoz, VP, Executive Creative Director of PepsiCo Foods. The panel will review selected winners from the suite of the AICP Awards programs, offering insights into what made them rise to the top of their respective categories and share their viewpoints on key trends in the industry. The Chicago stop starts at 6:00pm with a happy hour, followed by the presentation and screening at 7:00pm. A reception caps the event, starting at 8:00pm and concluding at 11:30pm. The Old Post Office is located at 433 W Van Buren Street in Chicago. The panel there will feature 2024 AICP Awards Curators and Winners from the marketer, agency, production and post production sectors who’ll highlight this year’s winners. The conversation will include a discussion about the winning work, including insights... Read More