Production house/media company Bandito Brothers has partnered with producer Sean Cushing and director/VFX supervisor Stephen Lawes to launch design/VFX studio Cantina Creative LLC. The new venture is housed in Bandito Brothers’ Culver City complex on which construction was recently wrapped.
Cushing and Lawes formerly served as exec producer and creative director, respectively, at Pixel Liberation Front (PLF). Their PLF exploits included Lawes serving as a creative director on such films as Iron Man 2, Avatar and Terminator Salvation, and Cushing as a VFX producer on Iron Man, and Superman Returns.
Lawes also served in such capacities as compositing supervisor on Shutter Island, VFX art director on Speed Racer, compositor on The Key to Reserva, digital colorist on Superman Returns, and compositing supervisor/digital effects supervisor on Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. On the directorial front, Lawes’ credits include spots for such clients as US West, Barq’s Root Beer and McDonald’s/Disney via the then Duck Soup Produckions (now DUCK Studios).
Cushing’s credits also span VFX producer duties on Avatar and Terminator Salvation, and he has worked on numerous TV commercials and music videos over the years.
The VFX acumen and resources of Cantina Creative and the collaborative orientation of its partnership with Bandito Brothers translates into a situation in which “creative visions can be realized from concept through completion,” said Cushing.
Bandito CEO Mike “Mouse” McCoy related that having Cantina on the premises “rounds out our capabilities and adds another dimension to Bandito.”
Director Lu Villaca Joins MADRE
Production company MADRE has added Brazilian director Lu Villaça to its talent roster. With degrees in cinema and performance and a master’s in screenwriting, Villaça brings a multifaceted approach to filmmaking. Villaça’s tastes have been shaped by her childhood training in ballet, studying Greek theatre texts, her passion for music, and her contemplative nature. She honed her cinematic skills early on as an AD and creative assistant before becoming a director. Intent on capturing the drama of everyday life as it plays out, Villaça is tuned in to how the bodies in her frame move through their environments and what elements of the story can be extrapolated from these compositions. Her sharp attention to detail in every aspect, from lighting to the final edit, is designed to connect emotionally with her audience. Villaça has been awarded three Cannes Lions for her film “Next Minute Law,” which promoted awareness of a law in Brazil designed to address the rampant epidemic of sexual violence. “Next Minute Law” also garnered Best Direction at El Ojo and the Ciclope Latino Festival, where Villaça also won Best New Talent. Additionally, she has directed assorted commercial campaigns for brands like Johnnie Walker, Huggies Wipes, Nestlé, Amazon, A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, and a spot for Medley featuring Brazilian Olympic gymnast Rebeca Andrade. Prior to joining MADRE, Villaca had been repped by production house LOBO. Recognized in Brazil as a top music video director, Villaca won Best Female Direction for her work on “Nu” by Assucena and “Lovezinho” by Rachel Reis, which also won Best National Music Video at the MVF Awards. Villaça additionally co-directed the documentary Pagliacci, an homage to circus artist Domingos Montagner... Read More