Michael Garner and Laura Lockwood have been named producers for the commercial division of computer animation/visual effects studio PDI/DreamWorks in Palo Alto. They come over from the company’s feature animation division, where they recently wrapped their specialized production supervisor duties on Shrek, a computer animated film slated for domestic release in May. Shrek "stars" the voiceover talents of such notables as Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and John Lithgow.
Garner has already been working on a Kool-Aid campaign out of Ogilvy & Mather, New York. He supervised a live-action Kool-Aid shoot in Sydney, directed by Clay Staub for PDI/DreamWorks Commercials. At press time, special effects and computer animation for the three-spot package were nearing completion. The ads are slated to make their broadcast debut in April.
"I’ve always gravitated to-wards the more technical, multi-tasking types of production," related Garner. "This position is a great natural progression for me, since it puts together my knowledge of all aspects of computer graphics—especially character technical direction and production engineering, and on-set visual effects production."
Prior to his role as production supervisor for the Shrek character-development department, Garner was production coordinator for the PDI/DreamWorks production-engineering department on the hit film Antz. Before joining PDI/DreamWorks four years ago, he was a project coordinator at Venice, Calif.-based Digital Domain, where he coordinated the fabrication and assembly schedules of motion-control camera systems and motion-controlled model movers, among other responsibilities, for Titanic, Dante’s Peak and The Fifth Element. Garner began his career working in commercials, serving in such capacities as freelance production manager for visual effects shoots, predominantly involving motion control.
Lockwood’s career also started in the ad arena, when she joined the commercial division of PDI (now PDI/DreamWorks) in 1998. She has come full circle by returning to PDI/DreamWorks Commercials to kick off her new post with a computer-animated Visa spot via BBDO New York.
"My two years’ experience as production supervisor of the layout department on Shrek gave me a broad understanding of the production pipeline for a CG feature film," stated Lockwood. "Layout works directly with all the departments—from story to lighting and FX. Supervising this process laid an incredible foundation for producing the technically sophisticated projects we have in our commercial division."
Lockwood recently served as producer for PDI/DreamWorks on Metropopular, a six-minute fully computer-generated film directed by Jonah Hall, which received an honorable mention at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Previous to joining PDI/DreamWorks, Lockwood served as director of programming/producer for AT&T Cable Services in Palo Alto.
Mary Maffei, executive producer of commercials at PDI/ DreamWorks, said of Garner and Lockwood: "They each bring a remarkable skill set, enormous producing talent and natural ability to interface with both clients and production teams. Both are excited to return to the challenge and diversity inherent in the fast pace of the advertising world."
