Ntropic, a visual effects house led by founder/creative director Nathan Robinson, has hired executive producer Jim Riche. Based in Ntropic’s Santa Monica studio, Riche comes over from Digital Domain’s commercial division where he served as an exec producer.
Meanwhile on another expansive front, Ntropic has opened an office in New York to complement its shops in Santa Monica and San Francisco. Ntropic producer Kara Holstrom has moved from San Francisco to handle day-to-day management of the New York operation. All three Ntropic offices are digitally connected, with New York offering Flame, color grading on Lustre, as well as resources in 3D and design. Ntropic will be naming a new creative director/VFX supervisor for the New York office soon. Exec producer Sharon Lew has joined the company to handle business development/sales on the East Coast.
“New York City has an incredibly vibrant artistic community,” noted Robinson. “For us as artists, having an office there really opens us up to new influences and a diversity of projects.” Ntropic is currently in the midst of its inaugural commercial project for ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi/NY. Ntropic is also working on national commercials for Bank of New York and Dodge Ram.
“The fact that we can run a job concurrently through San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York makes this studio a very appealing option and an exciting place to work,” added Riche who added that he was drawn to the opportunity to collaborate with Ntropic’s ensemble of talent, including such artisans as Robinson, Andrew Sinagra, Simon Mowbray, MB Emigh and Marshall Plante.
Riche began his career as a DP and moved into motion control, then producing and directing. He was one of the first Harry operators in the U.S., and has managed staffs of up to 200 people for the production of “PeeWee’s Playhouse,” as well as in his most recent position as EP at Digital Domain. Riche brings more than 25 years experience in commercials, TV and feature films to Ntropic.
Ntropics’ body of work spans commercials, TV and features. TV endeavors include American Idol and Ford, as well as Hawaii Five-O. Ntropic has also made major creative contributions to a global advertising campaign for Franklin Templeton, as well as commercials for HP and Cricket. The company is currently working on VFX for the 2012 release of Total Recall.
Directing and Editing “Conclave”; Insights From Edward Berger and Nick Emerson
It’s been a bruising election year but this time we’re referring to a ballot box struggle that’s more adult than the one you’d typically first think of in 2024. Rather, on the industry awards front, the election being cited is that of the Pope which takes front and center stage in director Edward Berger’s Conclave (Focus Features), based on the 2016 novel of the same title by Robert Harris. Adapted by screenwriter Peter Straugham, Conclave stars Ralph Fiennes as the cardinal leading the conclave that has convened to select the next Pope. While part political thriller, full of backstabbing and behind-closed-door machinations, Conclave also registers as a thoughtful adult drama dealing with themes such as a crisis of faith, weighing the greater good, and engaging in a struggle that’s as much about spirituality as the attainment of power.
Conclave is Berger’s first feature after his heralded All Quiet on the Western Front, winner of four Oscars in 2023, including for Best International Feature Film. And while Conclave would on the surface seem to be quite a departure from that World War I drama, there’s a shared bond of humanity which courses through both films.
For Berger, the heightened awareness of humanity hit home for him by virtue of where he was--in Rome, primarily at the famed Cinecittà studio--to shoot Conclave, sans any involvement from the Vatican. He recalled waking up in Rome to “soak up” the city. While having his morning espresso, Berger recollected looking out a window and seeing a priest walking about with a cigarette in his mouth, a nun having a cup of coffee, an archbishop carrying a briefcase. It dawned on Berger that these were just people going to... Read More