Sixteen19, the New York-based boutique production and post services company, announced two key hires today, Bob Lowery as head of TV Production and Allison Varga as Global Feature Film and Episodic Sales Coordinator. Lowery and Varga join a growing team headed by Sixteen19 co-founders Pete Conlin and Jonathan Hoffman, and bring a wealth of experience and stellar industry reputations that match Sixteen19’s place as a leader in the post services industry.
Lowery is a respected veteran VFX executive producer, with a particularly deep well of experience in episodic television. Most recently, he co-founded, with VFX Supervisor Ed Mendez, PowerHouse VFX , a rising force in the visual effects industry that maintains a strategic alliance with Sixteen19, and is co-located at Sixteen19’s New York office. At PowerHouse, Lowery has served as VFX executive producer on a variety of TV productions, including USA Networks’ The Purge, Deception, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Before PowerHouse, Lowery spent over fifteen years in the VFX and post sectors, notably founding BigSmack TV and serving as VP of business development at DIVE VFX. Lowery’s pre-PowerHouse TV credits include The Leftovers, Mr. Robot, Blindspot and Power. “I’m thrilled to be heading up TV production at Sixteen19,” said Lowery. “I’ve spent the past few years working closely with Pete and Jonathan during my time at PowerHouse, so I know that ours is a really unique partnership. This new role allows us to take that partnership to the next level, while continuing to deliver the excellent work Sixteen19’s episodic TV clients have come to expect.”
“Sixteen19 has had a strong relationship with Bob for years, which hardly makes us unique in this business” said Hoffman. “Since 2017, we’ve come to understand what a huge talent he is through our partnership with PowerHouse. He’s got a great mind for business development and is a producer at heart, but he totally speaks the language of content creators and creatives. That skillset is going to fit right in with the boutique, client-focused culture we bring to the table.”
“Bob has a level of episodic experience that’s unmatched in this industry,” said Conlin. “When it comes to TV, his resume speaks for itself. He’s worked on shows with some really complex needs, and he makes it a priority to meet those needs for every single client – that’s why we know he’s a fit at Sixteen19. Like us, he believes that post isn’t just about adding the finishing touches. It’s about being a valued creative partner every step of the way.”
“I’m thrilled to be heading up TV production at Sixteen19,” said Lowery. “I’ve spent the past few years working closely with Pete and Jonathan during my time at PowerHouse, so I know that ours is a really unique partnership. This new role allows us to take that partnership to the next level, while continuing to deliver the excellent work Sixteen19’s episodic TV clients have come to expect.”
Sixteen19 also recently promoted Allison Varga Global Feature Film and Episodic Sales Coordinator. Varga has worked with Sixteen19’s clients as sales and marketing coordinator for three months. Before joining Sixteen19, she spent over two years as a Production Coordinator at Disney ABC Television Group.
“Since she joined Sixteen19, it’s been obvious that Allison fits perfectly with the highly-customized, client-first way we do business,” said Hoffman. “We pride ourselves on building a creative environment that allows our clientele to thrive, and our Sales team is a crucial part of that. Allison has shown time and again that she understands our clients’ needs, and that she puts those needs first. We’ve built our reputation by operating that way, and we’re confident that her leadership is going to enhance that reputation.”
“I’m so excited to be a part of a company whose vision I really believe in,” said Varga. “It’s an amazing opportunity to join a growing company that goes above and beyond for its clients. I can’t wait to be a part of Sixteen19’s work and help foster the creative, collaborative culture that makes it a top option for post service industry-wide.”
The additions of Lowery and Varga are the latest in a string of high-profile successes for Sixteen19. The last two years have seen the company cement its place as a worldwide leader in post by opening a new state-of-the-art headquarters in New York and launching its innovative partnership with PowerHouse VFX. This forward-thinking approach has shone through in the company’s work on acclaimed projects like Mary Poppins Returns, A Quiet Place, and M. Night Shyamalan’s Glass.
2019 promises to bring more exciting developments, as Sixteen19 plans to add HDR color suites and open an outpost in France to support its work on an upcoming Wes Anderson project. PowerHouse will also expand its CG department, and continue to grow its rapidly expanding team of 40 talented artists. Both companies’ work can be seen in upcoming film and TV projects including The OA Season 2, Showtime’s Black Monday, and The Last Thing He Wanted, directed by Dee Rees.
