Aron Baxter has come full circle, returning to New York-based post/visual effects house Nice Shoes, this time as its creative director. He comes over from Guava, which was Nice Shoes’ sister VFX studio. But with the recent merger of Nice Shoes and Guava, Baxter is once again at parent company Nice Shoes, the shop he left his native London for in 2003, originally coming aboard as a senior VFX artist.
“Nice Shoes is well respected for its strong technical abilities and service. With Guava’s merger and the addition of some new staff, we’re dialing up the creative side of Nice Shoes,” said Baxter. “It’s a sea of change, a new way forward for us. I’ll be making sure there’s a harmonious balance of technical and creative services and know-how for our current and future clients.”
Baxter made his first major industry mark at The Moving Picture Company (MPC), London, starting as a Quantel Henry, Hal and Harry artist and later becoming a Flame artist. Baxter created visual effects for a slate of features, among them the James Bond film GoldenEye, the motion picture version of Les Miserables, and the classic children’s tale The Borrowers. Previously Baxter contributed to Tim Burton’s 1988 Batman where he worked with Academy Award-winning production designer Anton Furst.
Baxter spent most of his MPC tenure working on commercials, spanning campaigns for such clients as Nike, Castrol, Fiat, BBC and Volvo.
From MPC Baxter went to the London office of Netherlands-based Condor in 1998, remaining there for the next five years. “It was a smaller company so I got the opportunity to spread my wings working in post, very high-end motion graphics and shooting commercials, broadcast IDs and music videos,” he related. “It was a chance to keep the production side running alongside postproduction.”
Baxter’s production background makes him an asset on set, now supervising VFX heavy projects, as well as overseeing the VFX team at Nice Shoes.
During his time at Nice Shoes and Guava he has worked on high-profile commercials for Goodyear, Ameritrade, Mastercard, American Express, Calvin Klein, IBM, Sprite, Smirnoff and Cartoon Network Fusion Fall.
In the last six years Baxter has seen Nice Shoes evolve. “That evolution has gathered pace recently,” he said, citing new executive appointments, additional hiring of VFX, 3D artists and designers, and the beginning of a complete re-decoration to the interior of the physical space. “We have always been known for our excellence in telecine and now–with the combination of the VFX artists from both Nice Shoes and Guava–Nice Shoes has the VFX department to match,” assessed Baxter.
Nominees Unveiled For Cinema Audio Society’s 61st Annual Awards
The Cinema Audio Society has unveiled its nominees in seven categories for the 61st Annual CAS Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing 2024.
The 61st CAS Awards will be held on Saturday, February 22, at the Beverly Hilton.
Nominated in the live action motion picture category were the audio teams behind A Complete Unknown, Deadpool & Wolverine, Dune: Part Two, Gladiator II and Wicked.
Animated motion picture nominees were the sound ensembles behind Inside Out 2, Moana 2, Mufasa: The Lion King, The Wild Robot and Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.
As previously announced, multi-award-winning sound mixer Tod A. Maitland CAS (A Complete Unknown, West Side Story, Joker), will be honored with the CAS Career Achievement Award. In addition, visionary filmmaker Denis Villeneuve (Dune: Part Two, Blade Runner 2049, Arrival) will receive the Cinema Audio Society’s Filmmaker Award.
The CAS Award nominees highlight the outstanding contributions of sound mixers, recognizing excellence in the specialized craft of sound mixing for both film and television. Each year, accomplished CAS members—who possess extensive expertise in the art and science of sound—carefully review hundreds of projects to ensure the nominees truly reflect excellence in sound mixing in Motion Picture and Television entertainment.
“2024 was a year of remarkable achievements in the sound community, with exceptional talent on display across every category,” said CAS president Peter Kurland. “The innovation and artistry of these sound mixers continue to elevate the craft, and the upcoming awards will be a celebration of the outstanding contributions made this year. Congratulations to... Read More