Production house Mothership, a sister company to Digital Domain, has signed director Grzegorz Jonkajtys (Greg) for commercial and music video work in the U.S. He is perhaps best known as the writer/director behind the CG animated short Ark which earned a Golden Palm nomination at the Cannes Film Festival, Best in Show honors at the 2007 SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival, and an Award of Distinction at Prix Ars Electronica.
The story Ark relates is of an unknown virus that wipes out the human population. It heads a list of Greg-directed short films that includes Mantis, Legacy and The 3rd Letter, which has been making the rounds on the festival circuit. Greg, who graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, Poland, in 1995 and lives in San Francisco, is currently writing the feature screenplay for his next project, Snow King. As a VFX artist and animation lead for Platige Image, Digital Kitchen, CafeFX, The Syndicate, and in his current post at Industrial Light + Magic, Greg has contributed to such films as Sin City, Hellboy, Blade III, Pan’s Labyrinth, Mist and Terminator Salvation.
During his 12-year career working in feature film and advertising, the Warsaw-born Greg has established himself as a filmmaker with a distinctive aesthetic and point of view. His work has been described as dark, full of texture with dramatic character design and compelling storylines, and often combines CG techniques with shot practical miniatures and other handmade elements that heighten the otherworldly aspect of his films.
Ed Ulbrich, president of Mothership, credited agent Bryan Besser at Verve with introducing the company to Greg’s work.
Greg in turn was favorably impressed with Mothership. “Despite my obsession with animation and visual effects, I actually take a fairly classic approach to moviemaking,” said the director. “I love almost autographic framing, inward dollies; I want to immerse the viewer into my world. Mothership was the ideal production studio for me to spread these wings and the exciting things they’re doing in the transmedia space enables its directors to be involved in extending their storytelling experiences even further.”
Disney Pledges $15 million In L.A. Fire Aid As More Celebs Learn They’ve Lost Their Homes
The Pacific Palisades wildfires torched the home of "This Is Us" star Milo Ventimiglia, perhaps most poignantly destroying the father-to-be's newly installed crib.
CBS cameras caught the actor walking through his charred house for the first time, standing in what was once his kitchen and looking at a neighborhood in ruin. "Your heart just breaks."
He and his pregnant wife, Jarah Mariano, evacuated Tuesday with their dog and they watched on security cameras as the flames ripped through the house, destroying everything, including a new crib.
"There's a kind of shock moment where you're going, 'Oh, this is real. This is happening.' What good is it to continue watching?' And then at a certain point we just turned it off, like 'What good is it to continue watching?'"
Firefighters sought to make gains Friday during a respite in the heavy winds that fanned the flames as numerous groups pledged aid to help victims and rebuild, including a $15 million donation pledge from the Walt Disney Co.
More stars learn their homes are gone
While seeing the remains of his home, Ventimiglia was struck by a connection to his "This Is Us" character, Jack Pearson, who died after inhaling smoke in a house fire. "It's not lost on me life imitating art."
Mandy Moore, who played Ventimiglia's wife on "This Is Us," nearly lost her home in the Eaton fire, which scorched large areas of the Altadena neighborhood. She said Thursday that part of her house is standing but is unlivable, and her husband lost his music studio and all his instruments.
Mel Gibson's home is "completely gone," his publicist Alan Nierob confirmed Friday. The Oscar winner revealed the loss of his home earlier Friday while appearing on Joe Rogan's... Read More