Spy Post has opened a CG division and signed visual effects supervisor and lead CG artist Joe Henke. The San Francisco shop’s new division has already embarked on commercial campaigns for Lexus and Interactive brokers under Henke’s aegis. Spy also continues some CG work in the feature film arena.
“By adding a full service visual effects, CGI, and animation division, we are supporting the needs of our current telecine and visual effects clients while keeping an eye on new project opportunities,” related Spy Post partner/CEO Eric Hanson.
Company partner/lead artist Darren Orr added, “From the visual effects perspective, we’ve had the opportunity to work with Joe on two GMC spots and a Saturn campaign,” Orr cited Henke’s skills as a character animator as well as his understanding of the CG, visual effects and compositing workflow.
Henke brings to his new roost years of VFX supervision, animation direction, and compositing experience in feature films and commercials.
Most recently, he ran his own studio, Hero Motion Pictures, where he worked on various advertising film and video game projects with clients including Electronic Arts and Carl’s Fine Films, San Francisco.
Earlier as animation and digital effects supervisor at CIS Hollywood, Henke contributed to such films as The Matrix: Revolutions, Constantine, The Core, Scary Movie 3, Herbie Fully Loaded, The Haunted Mansion and My Life in Idlewilde.
Henke spent four years as animation supervisor at San Francisco animation studio W!LD BRAIN on numerous award-winning films and commercials, including the International Animated Film Society’s (ASIFA-Hollywood) Annie Award winners Hubert’s Brain and Lamisil’s “It’s Alive!” The latter, directed by W!LD BRAIN’s Phil Robinson for ad agency Deutsch New York, topped the spot category at the 2004 Annie competition which recognizes outstanding achievement in animation. Henke served as animation supervisor on the Lamisil commercial for W!LD BRAIN.
“It’s Alive” featured an animated yellow, flaky, cross-eyed critter named Digger the Dermatophyte, who introduces viewers to the world of fungal nail infection. Digger climbs under a toenail and makes himself comfortable in the nail bed, invites friends to do the same and destroys healthy tissue. Unfortunately for Digger, Lamisil tablets come to the rescue, taking care of the protagonist critter and his pals.
The Annie Awards honored the aforementioned Hubert’s Brain in 2001 in the animated short subject category. The CG short additionally garnered a first prize honor at the Worldwide Animation Celebration in Los Angeles.
Henke’s career also encompasses years as a freelance animator and digital artist, working on such features as The Haunting, Flubber, The Relic, Ed and Species.
Supreme Court Allows Multibillion-Dollar Class Action Lawsuit To Proceed Against Meta
The Supreme Court is allowing a multibillion-dollar class action investors' lawsuit to proceed against Facebook parent Meta, stemming from the privacy scandal involving the Cambridge Analytica political consulting firm.
The justices heard arguments in November in Meta's bid to shut down the lawsuit. On Friday, they decided that they were wrong to take up the case in the first place.
The high court dismissed the company's appeal, leaving in place an appellate ruling allowing the case to go forward.
Investors allege that Meta did not fully disclose the risks that Facebook users' personal information would be misused by Cambridge Analytica, a firm that supported Donald Trump 's first successful Republican presidential campaign in 2016.
Inadequacy of the disclosures led to two significant price drops in the price of the company's shares in 2018, after the public learned about the extent of the privacy scandal, the investors say.
Meta spokesman Andy Stone said the company was disappointed by the court's action. "The plaintiff's claims are baseless and we will continue to defend ourselves as this case is considered by the District Court," Stone said in an emailed statement.
Meta already has paid a $5.1 billion fine and reached a $725 million privacy settlement with users.
Cambridge Analytica had ties to Trump political strategist Steve Bannon. It had paid a Facebook app developer for access to the personal information of about 87 million Facebook users. That data was then used to target U.S. voters during the 2016 campaign.
The lawsuit is one of two high court cases involving class-action lawsuits against tech companies. The justices also are wrestling with whether to shut down a class action against Nvidia.... Read More