NEW YORK—Red Car has added a pair of noted editors—Charlie Cusumano, who joins the company’s New York operation, and Keith James, who comes aboard Red Car, Dallas. The cutters are also available to shuttle to Red Car’s other offices—or to work via the company’s AVA connectivity network—for projects. Red Car maintains additional offices in such markets as Chicago, Santa Monica, San Francisco and Buenos Aires.
Cusumano comes over from ChicK?nKey, New York. Prior to that, he was with Mad River Post, New York, for eight years. "It dissolved between ChicK?nKey and me—it was an amicable parting," he related.
The editor said that the sales force at Red Car was appealing to him, along with the shop’s strong reputation and New York managing director Jennifer Lederman. "When I met her, I was like, ‘Yeah, sign me up.’ She had a great enthusiasm and energy," he said. "She’s helping me find jobs and managing my career, which was what I was looking for."
It was a mutual contact that brought Cusumano together with the shop. When he started in the industry at now defunct Big Picture Editorial, he assisted editor Greg Letson, who is now an editor at Red Car’s New York office. It was Letson who informed Lederman of Cusumano’s availability, and Lederman was immediately drawn to the cutter. "He’s an extremely talented editor, he has a great reel with well known directors … and his personality fit really well with Red Car," she said.
While he is interested in cutting work from all commercial genres, Cusumano acknowledged that he tends to gravitate toward comedy/dialogue/storytelling. His reel includes work for ESPN, Dunkin’ Donuts, Snapple and Popeyes. His first project at Red Car was a spot featuring Dan Aykroyd for Charter Communications through McCann-Erickson, Detroit, and directed by John Landis of A Band Apart, Los Angeles.
The roster at Red Car, New York, includes the aforementioned Letson, Glenn Conte, Anne Craddock, Beth Cramer, Jonathan Edwards, Jerry Fried and John Maloney. Edwards recently relocated from Red Car’s Dallas office.
JAMES
Prior to Red Car, James was with charlieuniformtango, Dallas and Austin, Texas, which he joined after graduating from the University of Texas, Austin, in ’97. He comes to his new roost as senior editor. For James, the opportunity to gain exposure nationally and internationally was a prime factor in his picking Red Car.
James recently completed a Red Car package for 7-Eleven through TracyLocke, Dallas. He had cut another spot for the brand before leaving charlieuniformtango. "I think that’s part of why they hired me for the Dallas office—to have someone that was really familiar with the Dallas community," he said. "It’s a win-win relationship for both of us—they’re able to pick up some clients they haven’t had exposure to in the past that I have been doing a lot of [work with] at Tango, and I’m getting exposure to the national market. … I’ve got managing directors in different cities that are pushing my work."
Carrie Callaway, managing director of the Dallas office, confirmed that James’ "great skills as well as great contacts" were part of his appeal.
With a reel featuring a mix of cars and comedy, the editor said he anticipates continuing to cut spots in these genres. James has edited work for clients like Pioneer, BMW, Budweiser and Listerine.
He joins an editorial roster in Dallas that includes Tom Acito and Chris Gipson.
