Ntropic has appointed Dave White as Head of CG in its New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco offices. White joins the team having previously worked with studios including Psyop, Mass Market, and MPC where as head of CG he oversaw Los Angeles and New York departments as well as global offices in India.
White first and foremost considers himself a fine artist, having traveled the world creating large graffiti murals in his younger years. His keen eye for design has aided his elevation in the CG community, with work for brands like Audi, Reebok, General Electric and Pepsi. Over the years, what draws White to the industry has morphed a bit, “I originally got into postproduction out of pure excitement and enthusiasm about the aesthetic and the creative,” he said. “The technology side came in the second phase of my career when I started to take more of an interest in critical pieces of CG like pipeline and rigging. In recent years, creating a company culture that enhances the lives of artists has become what I love.”
As Ntropic expands its VFX capabilities, White’s passion, knowledge, and experience will be a valuable asset in ensuring that the studios employ not only the most talented artists, but the most fulfilled. “I want to see people really happy and excited to come to work, and set them up to succeed in an environment where they will take on new challenges, work on projects that inspire them, and grow as an artist and individual,” White said, adding, “We want Ntropic to continue to be known as a place where every artist is an assassin and master of their craft enabled with high-end tools.”
Nathan Robinson, Ntropic founder/ECD, said, “When we started looking to expand Ntropic’s CG division, I knew we needed to find someone who was not just a skilled artist, but was also a true leader. That is Dave in a nutshell. The first time I was introduced to him I was impressed by how thoughtful he was. He spoke about not only holding the work at a high level, but also nurturing the team and allowing each person to excel at what they do best. His addition to the Ntropic culture as a whole is an invaluable asset.”
White is based at Ntropic’s Los Angeles office but will bring guidance to teams in all offices, and add valuable insight to projects for clients around the country.
Rom-Com Mainstay Hugh Grant Shifts To The Dark Side and He’s Never Been Happier
After some difficulties connecting to a Zoom, Hugh Grant eventually opts to just phone instead.
"Sorry about that," he apologizes. "Tech hell." Grant is no lover of technology. Smart phones, for example, he calls the "devil's tinderbox."
"I think they're killing us. I hate them," he says. "I go on long holidays from them, three or four days at at time. Marvelous."
Hell, and our proximity to it, is a not unrelated topic to Grant's new film, "Heretic." In it, two young Mormon missionaries (Chloe East, Sophie Thatcher) come knocking on a door they'll soon regret visiting. They're welcomed in by Mr. Reed (Grant), an initially charming man who tests their faith in theological debate, and then, in much worse things.
After decades in romantic comedies, Grant has spent the last few years playing narcissists, weirdos and murders, often to the greatest acclaim of his career. But in "Heretic," a horror thriller from A24, Grant's turn to the dark side reaches a new extreme. The actor who once charmingly stammered in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and who danced to the Pointer Sisters in "Love Actually" is now doing heinous things to young people in a basement.
"It was a challenge," Grant says. "I think human beings need challenges. It makes your beer taste better in the evening if you've climbed a mountain. He was just so wonderfully (expletive)-up."
"Heretic," which opens in theaters Friday, is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, co-writers of "A Quiet Place." In Grant's hands, Mr. Reed is a divinely good baddie — a scholarly creep whose wry monologues pull from a wide range of references, including, fittingly, Radiohead's "Creep."
In an interview, Grant spoke about these and other facets of his character, his journey... Read More