International visual effects and design company Smoke & Mirrors has hired Mary Knox as managing director of its New York office. The appointment comes as part of a global strategy to strengthen the brand across its key international studio locations.
Knox most recently served as managing director of creative editorial boutique Red Car New York. Before that she was managing director of commercials for Curious Pictures, where she executive produced all advertising assignments and expanded the company’s directorial roster to include live action in addition to animation.
Smoke & Mirrors offers an array of postproduction services, including shoot supervision, 2D/3D design and animation, Flame, color grading and versioning, all supported by a team of producers and visual effects artists and a sophisticated technical infrastructure. Smoke & Mirrors maintains offices in London, Shanghai and Sao Paolo, in addition to New York.
Gary Szabo, managing director of Smoke & Mirrors in London, characterized the hiring of Knox as “another step forward in our push to be a truly global offering.”
In London, Smoke & Mirrors has recently launched a live-action production company, Rock Hound. This venture is also soon to launch in the U.S., alongside a new editorial company.
Knox cited the developments brewing in London as well as Smoke & Mirrors’ high caliber work and successful partnerships with agencies and brands as drawing her to the company.
Smoke & Mirrors was founded in London in 1995 and opened in New York City in 2003. Recent U.S. commercial clients include agencies BBDO, mcgarrybowen, Kirshenbaum Bond Senecal & Partners and brands such as BMW, Mountain Dew, Reebok, ESPN, Google, Jaguar, Land Rover, Verizon, Absolut, MTV, and Coke. Smoke & Mirrors most recently completed CGI and VFX for the pilot of Hannibal, an NBC show directed by David Slade (Twilight, Breaking Bad), slated to break early next month.
The company is represented in the U.S. by its staff sales and marketing manager Julie Batkiewicz, as well as by N.Y.-based independent rep Victoria Venantini.
Influx of Talent At DAVID New York Includes The Creative Director Duo Of Erin Evon and Jason Burke
Global creative agency DAVID has made seven creative hires in its New York office. Coming aboard are the creative director duo of Erin Evon and Jason Burke; associate creative directors Kelsey Miller, Tori Mortenson and Maris DiTullio; sr. copywriter Adam Goffstein; and sr. art director Victoria Rocha.
All will report to Daniel Lobaton, North America, chief creative officer, and André Toledo, chief creative officer.
Creative directors Evon and Burke have teamed on campaigns for Goldfish, Snyder’s of Hanover, Tide, Shopify, Samsung and Uber Eats. They’ve been working together for seven years at such NY agencies as R/GA and Saatchi & Saatchi. While at the latter, Evon was one of the creative behind “It’s a Tide Ad,” the Procter & Gamble Super Bowl takeover that at the Cannes Fest scored a Film Grand Prix, Titanium Cannes Lion and Creative Effectiveness Gold Lion as well as a Grand Effie.
Associate creative directors Miller and Mortenson were most recently at Mekanism working for Jose Cuervo and Quaker Oats. DiTullio had been an associate creative director at Deutsch LA where she worked on Taco Bell. Prior to Deutsch LA, she worked at Crispin Porter+Bogusky on Domino’s, and RPA on Apartments.com.
Sr. copywriter Goffstein served previously at The Martin Agency and MullenLowe Boston, working for brands like Buffalo Wild Wings and Busch Light. Rocha contributed to award-winning campaigns like Michelob Ultra’s “Dreamcaster” and Spotify’s “Spreadbeats.”
The seven new team members join the existing NY contingent in their newly opened office space at the iconic Domino Sugar Factory in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
“Talent is at the core of who DAVID is,” said Lobaton. “We are a first name agency so... Read More