Managing partner/executive producer Valerie Petrusson has launched bicoastal editorial house Beast. The new venture opens with five editors: Paul Norling, who has just come over from FilmCore, Santa Monica; Paul Kelly, formerly of 89, New York; Adam Schwartz who had most recently been with Company X, New York, but is best known for his long tenure at bicoastal Lost Planet; Igor Kovalik, formerly of Inside/Out, Santa Monica; and newcomer Kevin Garcia, who had a brief stint at Inside/Out.
Norling, Kovalik, Kelly and Schwartz are partners in Beast. The latter two editors are based at Beast’s New York facility; Norling, Kovalik and Garcia in Santa Monica. All the editors will be available to work out of either Beast site. Petrusson is based on the West Coast; her exec producer counterpart in New York is Amy Saunders, formerly of Consulate, New York.
Norling’s latest projects under the FilmCore banner included: the Geiko “Caveman” fare for The Martin Agency, Richmond, Va.; Sony via McKinney, Durham, N.C.; and T-Mobile for Publicis, Seattle. He had just joined Beast as SHOOT went to press.
Meanwhile the other editors have had some time under the Beast banner, wrapping several spots at their new roost. Schwartz cut a Reebok campaign for McGarry Bowen, New York. Upcoming is a Brahma beer campaign for the same agency, as well as a Colonial Williamsburg insurance project for Arnold Worldwide, Boston.
For Beast, Kelly has completed Cingular for BBDO New York and is slated to take on a Toyota assignment for WestWayne, Atlanta.
Also at Beast, Kovalik has edited a Buick campaign for McCann Erickson, Detroit. And Garcia’s Beast exploits include ESPN Zone restaurants via The Ballpark, Los Angeles, and he is currently working on a Partnership for a Drug-Free America PSA via Dailey & Associates, Los Angeles.
PETRUSSON Petrusson has an extensive track record in the edit house community. She was last on staff at Red Car (Santa Monica, San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Dallas, Buenos Aires) as its national marketing director. She previously served as an exec producer/strategist/consultant for the since closed Santa Monica operation of Crew Cuts, which continues to be headquartered in New York.
Prior to that, Petrusson helped to build Inside/Out from the ground up; there she met Kovalik. Earlier she enjoyed tenures at FilmCore Hollywood (now Santa Monica), as well as at 2 Pop Editorial, where she first met Norling.
Beast is in the process of lining up national representation. The shop has taken the first step in that pursuit, securing New York-based independent rep firm Miller Arnold to handle the East Coast. Petrusson is interviewing reps on the West Coast and said she’s also in the market for a Midwest rep.
