Design and visual effects boutique Manic has opened in New York under the direction of Mike Stolz, principal/director of visual effects, who was most recently directing design and effects work for New York-based editorial house Jump.
The new venture is located in separate space in the same Noho building as Jump, which is a Manic client. The privately held Manic is owned by Stolz and some “silent partners,” whom he declined to identify.
Manic boasts 7,000 square feet of newly renovated space. HD finishing capabilities include an Avid Nitris and two Discreet Flame/Smoke combinations; 3-D capabilities include Softimage XSI and Alias’ Maya. Software is rounded out by such tools as Adobe’s After Effects, Apple’s Final Cut Pro, and Digidesign’s Pro Tools. Manic’s services include visual effects, finishing, design, animation, HD and sound design, and target television commercial, broadcast design and long-form work.
On board are executive producer Danny Rosenbloom who was a senior producer at Psyop, New York; Flame artist Anthony Kounouklos, formerly of Jump; Patrick Krass, another Jump alumnus; and sound designer Bradley Warren, who was a mixer at Jump.
Stolz spend the past five years at Jump. Earlier he freelanced, and at one point operated Mike Stolz Digital Design. He has also taught design.
Manic has established an affiliation with veteran visual effects supervisor Ed Manning, who had worked at such New York-based companies as R/GA Digital Studios, and CG artist Fran Roberts. Manning and Roberts work frequently as a team. Manic’s relationship with these artisans includes sharing space, experience and work.
Stolz is also excited about starting the business in New York at this point in time. “I notice a new confidence in the industry,” he said. “It seems like New York is getting back to where we were, which is great.”