GenArts, Inc., makers of premium special effects software for professional motion graphic artists, video editors and VFX compositors, has named George Naspo as its president and CEO. In his new role, Naspo has as his first priority investing in new product capabilities, including enhanced interoperability with modern postproduction tools. Naspo will also focus on growing the sales and marketing functions.
Naspo is a three-time CEO with a history of achievement at both start-ups and mature companies in emerging and growth markets. Prior to joining GenArts, he served as president and CEO of Virtacore, a cloud services provider specializing in virtual infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and disaster recovery (DR) solutions. During his tenure at Virtacore, revenue tripled.
“George is a proven executive who has successfully delivered great software solutions to customers,” said Nikitas Koutoupes, board member and managing director at GenArts’ largest shareholder, Insight Venture Partners.
Naspo has been working with the GenArts organization since December of 2015 in an advisory capacity. Naspo said, “We set the standard for high quality effects in video production and postproduction, and we’re committed to continuing to innovate and help video artists and editors produce the highest quality of work.”
Before Virtacore, Naspo served as president and CEO of IKANO Communications, a provider of Internet access, email, hosting, and related IP services. He has also held senior leadership roles with Xelus, an enterprise software developer, and wireless communications provider Securicor Wireless.
Review: Writer-Directors Scott Beck and Bryan Wood’s “Heretic”
"Heretic" opens with an unusual table setter: Two young missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are discussing condoms and why some are labeled as large even though they're all pretty much a standard size. "What else do we believe because of marketing?" one asks the other.
That line will echo through the movie, a stimulating discussion of religion that emerges from a horror movie wrapper. Despite a second-half slide and feeling unbalanced, this is the rare movie that combines lots of squirting blood and elevated discussion of the ancient Egyptian god Horus.
Our two church members — played fiercely by Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East — are wandering around trying to covert souls when they knock on the door of a sweet-looking cottage. Its owner, Mr. Reed, offers a hearty "Good afternoon!" He welcomes them in, brings them drinks and promises a blueberry pie. He's also interested in learning more about the church. So far, so good.
Mr. Reed is, of course, if you've seen the poster, the baddie and he's played by Hugh Grant, who doesn't go the snarling, dead-eyed Hannibal Lecter route in "Heretic." Grant is the slightly bumbling, bashful and self-mocking character we fell in love with in "Four Weddings and a Funeral," but with a smear of menace. He gradually reveals that he actually knows quite a bit about the Mormon religion — and all religions.
"It's good to be religious," he says jauntily and promises his wife will join them soon, a requirement for the church. Homey touches in his home include a framed "Bless This Mess" needlepoint on a wall, but there are also oddities, like his lights are on a timer and there's metal in the walls and ceilings.
Writer-directors Scott Beck and Bryan Wood — who also... Read More