Digital Domain 3.0 has promoted Academy Award-winning VFX supervisor Eric Barba to chief creative officer/sr. visual effects supervisor. In his expanded role, Barba, a 17-year Digital Domain veteran, will help to drive the development of creative-side relationships for the company, guide creative practices and oversee the development of branded materials for the company's marketing efforts. He will continue to work on individual feature films as a VFX supervisor and on commercials as a VFX supervisor and director. Barba reports to CEO Daniel Seah and is based in Los Angeles.
Director David Fincher opined, "Finally! Eric Barba is the reason Digital Domain is on my list of the top three visual effects companies in the world."
Barba was recognized with an Academy Award in 2009 for his work as the VFX supervisor developing a believable digital human character for Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Barba was the VFX supervisor on director Joseph Kosinski's Oblivion and on Kosinski's first feature, TRON: Legacy, as well as Fincher's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. He also contributed his talents to Fincher's Zodiac.
Like many of the top directors he collaborates with, Barba is equally at home working in film and advertising. A graduate of the Art Center College of Design, he started his career at Steven Spielberg's Amblin Imaging as a digital artist on sci-fi television shows. In 1996 he joined Digital Domain where he supervised visual effects on dozens of commercials for Nike, Heineken, Adidas, Microsoft Xbox/Epic Games, and other leading brands. He has worked on many commercial projects with Fincher, including a multiple-award-winning spot for Adidas, the Nine Inch Nails music video "Only," and spots for Nike, Motorola and HP. Barba's own commercial directing credits include Nike's "Birth of Speed," Jaguar's "Pool," and campaigns for American Express, Cingular and Honda. He is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.
Barba said, "Quality is what Digital Domain was built on and what drives us in this new phase of our company. The core creative leadership here has been in place for more than a decade and has set that bar. I'm looking forward to working with this team of supervisors to mentor the next wave of talent to continue delivering on that promise and that expectation."
Directors Amy+Pilar and Jose Antonio Prat Join Reform School
Boutique content production company Reform has added comedy directing duo Amy+Pilar (Amy York Rubin and Pilar Boehm) and award-winning multicultural director Jose Antonio Prat to its roster for U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded entertainment.
Partners in both life and art, Amy+Pilar are know for their sharp wit and comedic timing. Their synchronicity is evident in a body of work across TV, film and commercials. Prior to joining Reform School, Amy+Pilar had been repped in the ad market by production company Knucklehead.
Amy has directed high-profile comedy sketches featuring stars like Amy Schumer, Kate McKinnon, and Sarah Silverman. On the episodic front, Amy has helmed for series such as Fresh Off the Boat, Casual, Superstore and Angie Tribeca--as well as the pilot for the hit Netflix comedy Dead to Me.
Before joining forces with Amy behind the camera, Pilar was a psychotherapist, a background that informs her ability to create fascinating characters and stage irresistible, nuanced performances. Amy and Pilar’s shared passion for comedy brought them together. Their collaboration began with a Synchrony Bank campaign, starring cult-comedy favorite Maribeth Monroe (Workaholics), and they went on to direct the pilot of the Hulu series Love, Victor. Amy+Pilar’s ad fare also includes spots for Uber’s “Go-Get” campaign and “Shift,” starring Martin Starr.
“We have been fans of Amy and Pilar for a long time,” said Ryan Ennis, executive director at Reform School. “They excel at capturing comedic performances and dialogue. Coming from the TV and L.A. comedy scenes, they’ve built a strong following and collaborated with some of our favorite funny people.... Read More