FilmTecknarna–a noted Stockholm-headquartered design/storytelling/animation house with work spanning commercials, music videos and shorts–has set up shop in New York with plans to upgrade its stateside presence from an office to a full-service studio within the next year.
Hired several months ago to help realize that goal was veteran executive producer Bill Hewes, who earlier in his career had a lead hand in establishing and staffing the New York operation of Digital Kitchen, which also maintains offices in Chicago, Seattle and Culver City, Calif. While at Digital Kitchen from 2003-’07, Hewes was part of the overall management of the company and routinely executive produced live action, design, visual FX and animation projects in all four offices.
FilmTecknarna’s credits include campaigns for such clients as Absolut, BMW, Boddingtons, Ikea, McDonald’s, Hummer and Southern Comfort, high profile music videos like Madonna’s “Music” and Franz Ferdinand’s “Take Me Out,” and short films, among the most notable being Lies, which earlier this year won the Special Jury Prize for best international short at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.
Lies was directed by Jonas Odell, who co-founded FilmTecknarna with director Stig Bergqvist and company CEO Lars Ohlson.
“We have looked forward to deepening our presence in the States for some years now,” said Ohlson. “We love to tell compelling stories through unique design, and feel we can do it more and better by expanding our presence into the U.S. market.”
This marks FilmTecknarna’s first full-fledged stand-alone stateside office. Years back it had been repped by and worked through New York-based Curious Pictures on American assignments,
FilmTecknarna’s directorial roster consists of Odell, Bergqvist, David Nord, Johanna Andersson, Jessica Lauren, Boris Nawratil and Jonas Dahlback.
Exec producer Hewes’ experience encompasses live action, design, graphics, visual effects and animation in spot production, broadcast and new media. He made the transition from traditional live action to the design/animation driven production world at Studios V12 in Los Angeles. Previously he was for several years executive producer at Barking Weasel, a live action commercial company based in Los Angeles, where he also oversaw Weasel Works, a small design division, and Model Citizen, an in-house editorial company.
FilmTecknarna has a U.S. sales force comprised of independents Judy Wolff on the East Coast, and firms Hilly Reps in the Midwest and Reber Covington on the West Coast. Hesty Reps handles the Canadian market.
The Many Hires Jeremiah Wassom As Group Creative Director
Independent agency The Many has added Jeremiah Wassom as group creative director.
Wassom most recently worked a decade at Deutsch LA where, as SVP/creative director, he led the Taco Bell account and won new business for the agency. His agency past also includes AKQA and TBWAChiatDay. His creative work has touched the QSR, video games, automotive, fashion, and culture brand sectors. He also served eight years with the United States Marine Corps.
“Throughout his career, Jeremiah has helmed work that has not only made me personally jealous but has consistently pushed brands to show up in memorable and innovative ways,” said Josh Paialii, head of creative at The Many. “One look at his body of work and you will see his passion for storytelling and craft has raised the bar for entire categories, driving participation with many brands’ most loyal fans. Beyond being a world-class creative director and maker, Wassom is a proven team player and strategic thought leader. He’ll be a great addition to the leadership team at The Many working across all accounts. His role will be immediately felt as he guides and supports each of the creative leads in the department.”
A 20-year creative with agency, brand, and freelance experience, Wassom has forged a creative approach which focuses on crafting engaging connections rather than simply make ads. He sees the need for advertising to mean more, not simply do more.
The Many believes that true business growth is made possible by harnessing the power of participation and partners with brands to forge deeper connections with consumers, cultivate trust and loyalty, and maximize marketing spend and execution. The agency is built around a flexible model that offers a suite of capabilities, including... Read More