Director Aaron Stoller, formerly of Backyard, has joined Biscuit Filmworks. Via Biscuit he directed the MTV Movie Awards spots featuring Tom Cruise….Method Studios has brought Jay Lichtman on board as executive producer for its New York facility. The company, which also maintains operations in Los Angeles and London, is currently outfitting a brand new space in New York as part of its ongoing expansion. Lichtman has relocated to New York from London where he was previously deputy head of production for MPC….New York-based creative design studio Charlex has hired Meredith Machial as its new executive producer. She brings more than 10 years of experience in VFX, postproduction and broadcast production to her new roost, having produced work for a variety of brands, from Lexus and Hyundai to Burger King and the NFL. Machial began her career at Reel FX and moved to Radium in Los Angeles following the merger of the two companies. Prior to joining Charlex, Machial held executive producer positions at Resident Creative Studio, NYC, and SWAY, LA where she worked with agencies such as Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, Team One, Butler Shine & Stern, GSD&M, Saatchi & Saatchi, Leo Burnett, Team Detroit, Crispin Porter+Bogusky and Doner. While at SWAY, Machial also executive produced for feature and television projects, including 2012 and Nip/Tuck….Los Angeles-based Moo Studios has added live-action/animation director and fine artist Molly Schiot to its roster. She is currently in production on an animated piece for Levi’s, and a branded short film for Doc Martin and the Raveonettes that she’s co-directing with photographer Cass Bird….Brooklyn-based creative agency Big Spaceship has promoted Rob Watts from senior producer to director of production, and Stephen Koch and Charlie Whitney from developers to senior developers. Prior to Big Spaceship, which he joined four years ago, Watts honed his skills at Sudden Industries and in the music business at Rykodisc Records. Koch is a three-year Big Spaceship vet. And Whitney came aboard the agency in 2008 after working as a Flash designer at Hello Monday in Denmark….
Director Cassandra Brooksbank Joins Monument Content For Spots and Branded Content
Monument Content has signed director Cassandra “Cassie” Brooksbank for U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded content. She brings to her directing and storytelling the experience and skills of a writer, conceptual artist, editor and visual effects artist.
Her body of work as a director includes Pepsi’s “Selfie” featuring Lionel Messi amid a flurry of fans, Barclays madcap women’s Soccer League spot where she collaborated closely with the agency to develop the creative, ultimately winning the Grand Jury Prize at the Sports Industry Awards, and a grass-roots campaign for Fellow Coffee. The latter just didn’t brew buzz; it helped raise $1.2 million on Kickstarter.
Prior to joining Monument Content, Brooksbank had been repped in the U.S. for commercials by production house Hey Wonderful.
On the long-form front, she is repped by CAA for film and television. And on the horizon is her debut feature, My Masterpiece, produced by Sylvester Stallone’s Balboa Productions and backed by Amazon.
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