Jason Rysavy, an accomplished veteran of digital design and technology companies, has joined Ditch in the new position of Creative Strategist. His hire was announced by Brody Howard and Eric Brusven, partners in Ditch’s digital division.
Rysavy joins Ditch from Clario, a retail-focused marketing analytics company that provides major retailers with software tools to utilize customer, purchase and marketing data to make better-informed decisions. Prior to that, he was the owner and founder of Catalyst Studios. Launched in 1999, Minneapolis-based Catalyst was one of the Midwest's first user-focused digital design studios creating unique retail experiences, both on and offline, for companies like Target, Kohl’s and Best Buy. Rysavy ran the studio for over 13 years until it was acquired in early 2013.
Ditch’s digital division was founded in 2015 when Howard’s post production company acquired a small web design and development boutique. Brusven, the boutique’s lead designer and developer, became Partner and Senior Developer for Ditch’s newly-launched digital and experiential company. It works directly with a wide range of clients and collaborates on projects with agencies such as Latitude, Duffy, Preston Kelly and Olson.
Howard and Brusven see an opportunity for Rysavy to make valuable contributions, both to the success of Ditch’s clients and to the growth of the company itself. “We’re building new interactive stories using creative content,” says Howard, “and bringing Jason on board will allow us to provide this service to our clients with a deeper level of problem-solving and insight.”
Adds Brusven, “Jason’s enthusiasm, the way he talks about the work and his approach to working with clients make him a perfect fit. He provides the missing piece of the puzzle – the strategic thinker – that will direct and drive our projects going forward. With his experience and our combined capabilities, we’ll discover some innovative ways to explore how storytelling can feed into interactive experiences.”
In his role as Creative Strategist for Ditch, Rysavy will also work with Ditch’s clients in its editorial and post production division (www.ditchedit.com). “We’re looking for Jason to bring new ideas to the post production process and a smarter way of thinking about content, particularly in the area of digital media options and solutions that we may not have thought of,” says Howard. “Our goal here is to be able to offer both digital and editorial solutions in tandem, building a holistic storytelling and content creation machine.”
Rysavy feels this is a powerful combination: “I’m excited to leverage concepts and content in new digital avenues and channels that haven’t been considered before,” he says.
Howard envisions a future where the distinctions between the digital and post production arms of Ditch become harder to pinpoint. His main interest, he notes, is in providing clients with the means of getting things done: “I like to build teams and pull all the resources together, and that’s what we’ve been doing by partnering with the music and post audio studio Grey Ghost Music and offering visual effects and color grading through MPC,” he explains. “Together we have a great offering, and with Jason’s strategic insights and digital expertise, I think that’s going to deepen on its own."
Producers Douglas Wick and Lucy Fisher To Receive Harold Lloyd Award From The Advanced Imaging Society
Producers Douglas Wick and Lucy Fisher will be presented with the 2025 Harold Lloyd Award in recognition of their producing achievement in creating Gladiator II at The Advanced Imaging Society’s (AIS) 15th annual Lumiere Awards luncheon, which takes place Friday, February 7, 2025, at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
Empowering their storytelling with groundbreaking technology and skill, Wick and Fisher have thrilled audiences and driven the film industry forward for three decades. Their steadfast dedication to the highest standards of cinematic excellence have resulted in epic films, including Memoirs of a Geisha, The Great Gatsby, the Stuart Little franchise, the Divergent Series and both Gladiator films. The first Gladiator earned Wick an Academy Award® for Best Picture. In light of their consistent and distinguished contributions over the years, as exemplified by this year’s Gladiator II, the Advanced Imaging Society wished to recognize the team with this year’s esteemed Harold Lloyd Award.
“Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher of Red Wagon Entertainment have revolutionized modern filmmaking with their bold storytelling and ability to elevate large-scale productions to epic levels,” remarked Jim Chabin, AIS president. “Their work has not only captivated audiences but also redefined filmmaking standards, leaving an indelible mark on the art of cinema. At AIS. we deeply admire their visionary contributions and enduring influence on the film industry.”
Suzanne Lloyd, granddaughter of the late, great Harold Lloyd, remarked, “Doug’s artistic vision and Lucy’s dynamic leadership have brought authenticity, beauty and profound emotion to some of our favorite epic films. Together, they are a... Read More