Creative studio Strike Anywhere has brought aboard its roster AWESOME + modest, a Los Angeles-based animation studio under the aegis of lead director, writer and animator Sean Donnelly.
“Sean and all the artists at AWESOME + modest continue to blow us away with their creative minds and show-stopping visual craft,” remarked Ryan Simon, co-founder of Strike Anywhere. “With AWESOME + modest joining, we’re growing our collective ability to help brands, agencies, and streamers reach audiences with content they want to watch.”
Raised in the offbeat, countercultural beachside town of Santa Cruz, Calif., Sean Donnelly founded his studio in New York after graduating from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Now based in Los Angeles, AWESOME + modest has defined itself as an animation studio that plays with color and form as it pushes the boundaries of reality. Mixing design styles like stop-motion, painted animation, and cut-out photos, AWESOME + modest highlights the stories and messages of their clients like Netflix and Comedy Central, and entertainers such as Bo Burnham.
“I think initially I gravitated toward animation because it made anything seem possible,” said Donnelly. “Not only could I create whatever worlds I wanted, but I didn’t need a giant film set to bring the worlds to life.”
To date, AWESOME + modest’s most notable projects include the stop-motion, paper cut-out treatment for Davis Guggenheim’s documentary Waiting for Superman; the American adult sitcom Jeff & Some Aliens, which Donnelly co-created; and HBO’s docu-series The Lady and the Dale. After seeing the animation for the series, HBO tapped AWESOME + modest to create the Clio Award-winning promo. The creative features a yellow, space-aged car driving through a dynamic and collage-like desert as if each cactus and mountain were cut and pasted from a magazine.
Between entertainment projects, AWESOME + modest recently finished a wild spot for hometown Santa Cruz beverage brand West Peak Sparkling Spirits, featuring illustrated cowboy skeletons, a bull rider, and live-action surfers sharing the alcoholic coolers in a wacky, beachside-meets-desert environment.
“I always loved the raw feeling of drawing in a sketchbook or painting on a canvas, and we’ve always tried to preserve as much of that organic energy as possible while using the computer to bring things to life,” said Donnelly. “I’m passionate about playing around with different styles of animation, and trying to push beyond what I’ve done before or what is possible. A commercial is a perfect format for this, and I thrive on attempting to pack as much visual excitement as I can into a short spot.”
Previously represented by Anonymous Content early on in its existence, AWESOME + modest has crafted ads and music videos for Microsoft, SCION, Kirk Hammett from Metallica, and more. It was during this time years ago that Donnelly first met Simon.
“Partners Ryan Simon and Mike Jacobs had AWESOME + modest handle design and animation for their documentary about Marvel for Disney+. That’s what got us talking about other ways to collaborate and when I got excited about joining forces officially with Strike Anywhere,” said Donnelly. “They know the commercial world very well, and I admire the content they’ve produced over the years.”
Donnelly sees a bright future that will allow AWESOME + modest to sharpen its craft and expand its audience. A new original animated show with Adult Swim and a slew of animations for upcoming documentaries for Hulu, HBO, and PBS are in process as the studio joins Strike Anywhere.
Simon related, “Continuing to partner with the brilliant minds at AWESOME + modest, not only for original entertainment but direct to brand and with agencies is a representation of our intention to craft visual stories that spark curiosity, regardless of genre or platform.”
Mike Pierantozzi joins Movers+Shakers as exec creative director
Creative agency Movers+Shakers has appointed Mike Pierantozzi as executive creative director. In this new role, he will help guide the creative direction of Movers+Shakers’ socially-native campaigns. Pierantozzi will report to co-founder and chief creative officer Geoffrey Goldberg.
With nearly two decades of experience as a copywriter, creative director, and multi-platform storyteller, Pierantozzi brings a wealth of knowledge from his work with major brands including Kraft, Unilever, IBM, and Walmart. He has led the creation of award-winning campaigns for agencies like Red Tettemer, Ogilvy, The Brooklyn Brothers, TAXI, Saatchi & Saatchi, and most recently, Vayner, where he spearheaded culturally iconic work for Planters including “Death of Mr. Peanut.” He led the National Down Syndrome Society and Luvs account, whose “First Kid. Second Kid” campaign was awarded by the Effies, ADC, Clios and LIAs.
Outside of the office, Pierantozzi practices what he teaches brands. He’s gone viral multiple times on his own TikTok account, featuring comedic interactions with his son and a trombone. He’s accumulated 15K followers on TikTok.
“Mike brings a rare and awesome combination of deep social and platform experience, a keen eye for excellent storytelling, and a humble and kind approach to leadership,” said Goldberg. “Mike’s got a knack for turning brand stories into cultural movements, making him the perfect fit for Movers+Shakers. He’s got the kind of bold vision and attention to culture that fits perfectly with our mission to push creative boundaries and drive industry firsts. Plus, as a creator himself he has the innate ability to make people stop, laugh, and share--which is exactly what we’re about.”
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