Director Jay Vigon, whos also well known as a graphics designer, has joined Rhythm & Hues Studios, Los Angeles. He will serve in both capacities at his new roost, helming spots for the live action/computer animation/visual effects houses commercial production operation as well as being a key contributor to the companys recently created design division. Vigons last spot affiliation was fish bone film, Santa Monica (SHOOT, 6/19/98, p. 7). Prior to that, he directed commercials via bicoastal Coppos Films for two-plus years.
Among Vigons latest directorial credits are such fish bone-produced fare as Ericsson Cellulars Celine Dion Illuminations for CMF&Z, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a Miro Wearever pots and pans commercial, Drums, for Cramer Krasselt, Milwaukee, and Garden.com.s Most Important Tool via Direct Partners, Los Angeles. Vigons notable endeavors at Coppos included a campaign for Deloitte Consulting (Technology, Strategy, Work Style) from Tierney & Partners, Philadelphia, Teledyne water filters Greetings and Janus Mutual Funds Hang Glider for Foote, Cone & Belding, San Francisco, and multiple packages for Kaiser Permanente via Santa Monica agency Kovell Kresser & Partners. Spots in the latter each related the story of a small business owner and how he or she dealt with health insurance dilemmas. The work showcased Vigons prowess in people-based storytelling. Meanwhile, the Janus assignment also deployed Vigons graphics and typography design.
Vigon made his first industry mark at now-defunct Broadcast Arts some six years ago in the typography design and graphics field. He became closely associated with that kind of work but began to branch out into more live-action directing when he initially joined, albeit briefly, bicoastal Fahrenheit Films before shifting over to bicoastal Bedford Falls. (Both Fahrenheit and Bedford Falls are part of the Stoney Road family of companies.) After two years at Bedford, Vigon joined Coppos Films in 96.
Vigon cited Rhythm & Hues extensive resources as being a key factor in his decision to join the shop. He described Rhythm & Hues as being a big company with lots of firepower behind it. There are a lot of graphic capabilities in-house and its a great way to stay competitive.
He now rounds out a Rhythm & Hues spot directorial roster that also includes Clark Anderson, Kerry Colonna, Michael Patterson, Randy Roberts, Richard Taylor, Paul Vester and Charlie Watson. The studios commercial division continues to be headed by exec. producer Michael Crapser.
In Rhythm
Crapser and Vigon were high school classmates, and the exec. producer has kept tabs on the directors career over the years. Ive been a big fan of Jays work for some time-and now he has access to our toolbox, related Crapser. His talent and style are a terrific match for the studio. That matchmaking entails the earlier alluded to Rhythm & Hues Design which will tap into the overall studios 3-D capabilities, blending state-of-the-art techniques with traditional disciplines for a client base spanning broadcast design, advertising, emerging media and long-form projects.
Vigon has a distinguished track record in design. After graduating from the Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, he launched his own design studio and quickly gained significant entertainment industry clientele, designing album covers and logos for many major record labels (i.e. Warner Bros. Records, MCA and Motown). Vigon additionally designed a 150-page book entitled The Art of The Empire Strikes Back for George Lucas and created the logo for the third Star Wars film, Return of the Jedi.
During the 80s Vigon diversified into the fashion industry, designing logos, advertising and collateral materials for Cole of California and Esprit, among others. His logo design for Gotcha Surf Wear helped spur the companys phenomenal growth and set the tone for surfwear graphics ever since.
Then in 89, Vigon formed a new company, Jay Vigon Studio, Studio City, Calif., and quickly became one of the busiest designers in Los Angeles. His success was due to a dynamic graphic style and an ability to create logos that visually communicate a companys style and personality. As his notoriety grew, Vigon began to receive broadcast and commercial design assignments. His credits include AT&T, MasterCard, Diet Coke, Ameritech and Sprint.
Vigon is the author of two books on logo development and design: Marks I and Marks II.
Currently, Vigon is bidding two projects for Rhythm & Hues and hopes to soon be in production. Vigons coming aboard is the latest move in a company expansion. As earlier reported (SHOOT, 3/19, p. 1), Rhythm & Hues recently reached an agreement to acquire Los Angeles-based visual effects house VIFX from 20th Century Fox.
