Music and sound production company Yessian has brought on Dave Curtin as its West Coast executive producer. Curtin has produced and licensed music and sound design for hundreds of commercials for major advertising agencies and brands worldwide. He is extensively involved in creating, developing, and executing 360-degree multi-faceted, integrated music marketing programs across vertical and digital media platforms and disciplines such as PR, social media, and experiential. Curtin is also a digital and copyright expert and known for his exploration of emerging trends in music and sound design.
Curtin previously held posts with Hum Music & Sound Design, and WMG’s Rhino Entertainment, before co-founding DeepMix. As executive producer and managing director there, he supervised and approved all the company’s music production while leading new business development, sales and marketing efforts. Also while at DeepMix Curtin cultivated his specialization in original music production, music supervision/music licensing and music marketing programs for advertising, brands and the entertainment industries.
Curtin has produced several award-winning pieces and has garnered various accolades, most recently being honored with a Gold Addy for Best Use of Sound Design on the basis of EA Sports SSX 2012 In-Game opening trailer.
Curtin has been part of the music and sound business, generating tunes for television and film entertainment, brands and consumer goods, for well over a decade. He has connected celebrity musical artists to brands including LL Cool J for Gatorade, Kaskade for Budweiser, Diplo for Turkcell, and Donovan Frankenreiter for Hilton Hotels. Besides strategically developing partnerships with brands and ad agencies such as Toyota, JCPenney, Nokia, Bacardi, EA Sports, Crispin Porter+Bogusky, Wieden+Kennedy, and TBWAChiatDay, he has also been behind successful projects with Hewlett-Packard for its “Picture Book” digital photography series out of Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, Coors Light for “Rock ON” ads with Draftfcb, and Troy Bilt’s “Saturday After Saturday” integrated iTunes and Shazam campaign with agency Marcus Thomas. Curtin also developed a new music initiative with Daphne’s, a Mediterranean Restaurant Chain in California. Daphne’s and Curtin partnered on a multi-platform music program that discovers and fosters new music talent through several popular, complementary digital and social media channels.
“Dave’s extensive experience in the industry is a valuable asset to our approach and an integral part to our West Coast operations and expansion,” said Michael Yessian, partner/head of production. “We looked for someone that would not only complement our existing framework and expansion in L.A., but who also brings knowledge in artist integration and new music platforms to further grow our international presence. Dave is the right fit.”
Yessian maintains offices in New York, Detroit, Los Angeles, and Hamburg, Germany.
Utah Leaders and Locals Rally To Keep Sundance Film Festival In The State
With the 2025 Sundance Film Festival underway, Utah leaders, locals and longtime attendees are making a final push — one that could include paying millions of dollars — to keep the world-renowned film festival as its directors consider uprooting.
Thousands of festivalgoers affixed bright yellow stickers to their winter coats that read "Keep Sundance in Utah" in a last-ditch effort to convince festival leadership and state officials to keep it in Park City, its home of 41 years.
Gov. Spencer Cox said previously that Utah would not throw as much money at the festival as other states hoping to lure it away. Now his office is urging the Legislature to carve out $3 million for Sundance in the state budget, weeks before the independent film festival is expected to pick a home for the next decade.
It could retain a small presence in picturesque Park City and center itself in nearby Salt Lake City, or move to another finalist — Cincinnati, Ohio, or Boulder, Colorado — beginning in 2027.
"Sundance is Utah, and Utah is Sundance. You can't really separate those two," Cox said. "This is your home, and we desperately hope it will be your home forever."
Last year's festival generated about $132 million for the state of Utah, according to Sundance's 2024 economic impact report.
Festival Director Eugene Hernandez told reporters last week that they had not made a final decision. An announcement is expected this year by early spring.
Colorado is trying to further sweeten its offer. The state is considering legislation giving up to $34 million in tax incentives to film festivals like Sundance through 2036 — on top of the $1.5 million in funds already approved to lure the Utah festival to its neighboring... Read More