Paul Grimshaw has joined Tippett Studio as executive producer of commercials and new media. He is no stranger to the Berkeley-based VFX/animation house, having most recently served as a freelance producer there on commercials for Advantage II (with Grey Health Group) and Frito-Lay’s Cheetos Sweetos (via Goodby Silverstein & Partners).
Grimshaw earlier held such positions as EP of Industrial Light & Magic’s commercial production division and VP/exec producer at The Orphanage. He now brings to the Tippett staff his extensive experience in advertising along with a multi-faceted background in live action and animation/visual effects production.
Tippett’s recent ad industry collaborations include a multi-spot campaign with advertising agency Pereira & O’Dell for the U.S. release of Japanese multi-player social game Monster Strike. The commercials, which were directed by Wayne McClammy of Hungry Man, feature comedy star Andy Samberg interacting with a ragtag team of monstrous misfits designed and animated by the Tippett team. Monster Strike recently launched across multiple social media platforms, with one spot earning nearly six million views in its first week on YouTube.
The Monster Strike and Cheetos Sweetos projects showcase Tippett’s expertise spanning character animation, environments and effects. Grimshaw’s joining is a key step in the studio’s plans to continue to expand its presence in VFX for the ad sector. Grimshaw said, “As a long time fan of the studio and its work, I am thrilled to come on board, helping to expand commercials and other short form content, including games cinematics and VR. The talent pool here is incredible.”
Jules Roman, president and CEO of Tippett Studio, said, “Paul Grimshaw’s breadth of experience in all manner of TV, advertising, and digital production made him a natural fit.”
Phil Tippett is the founder, creative supervisor and namesake of Tippett Studio. His varied career in visual effects has spanned more than 40 years and among the honors he has garnered are two Academy Awards (including the Best Visual Effects Oscar at Tippett Studio for Jurassic Park), six Academy Award nominations, one BAFTA Award, four BAFTA nominations, and two Emmys. Phil Tippett also received the George Melies Award for Artistic Excellence from the Visual Effects Society in 2009. The Melies Award is designed to honor individuals who have “pioneered a significant and lasting contribution to the art and/or science of the visual effects industry by a way of artistry, invention and groundbreaking work.”
First-Time Feature Directors Make Major Splash At AFI Fest, Generate Oscar Buzz
Two first-time feature directors who are generating Oscar buzz this awards season were front and center this past weekend at AFI Fest in Hollywood. Rachel Morrison, who made history as the first woman nominated for a Best Cinematography Oscar---on the strength of Mudbound in 2018--brought her feature directorial debut, The Fire Inside (Amazon MGM Studios), to the festival on Sunday (10/27), and shared insights into the film during a conversation session immediately following the screening. This came a day after William Goldenberg, an Oscar-winning editor for Argo in 2013, had his initial foray into feature directing, Unstoppable (Amazon MGM Studios), showcased at the AFI proceedings. He too spoke after the screening during a panel discussion. The Fire Inside--which made its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival--tells the story of Claressa “T-Rex” Shields (portrayed by Ryan Destiny), a Black boxer from Flint, Mich., who trained to become the first woman in U.S. history to win an Olympic Gold Medal in the sport. She achieved this feat--with the help of coach Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry)--only to find that her victory at the Summer Games came with relatively little fanfare and no endorsement deals. So much for the hope that the historic accomplishment would be a ticket out of socioeconomic purgatory for Shields and her family. It seemed like yet another setback in a cycle of adversity throughout Shields’ life but she persevered, going on to win her second Gold Medal at the next Olympics and becoming a champion for gender equality and equitable pay for women in sports. Shields has served as a source of inspiration for woman athletes worldwide--as well as to the community of... Read More