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.
As An Exec Producer and Actor, Sterling K. Brown Finds “Paradise”
As an executive producer and star of the new Hulu series "Paradise," Sterling K. Brown put the hours of TV he watches to good use and cast actors he admires.
"I got a chance to hire people that I am a fan of," said Brown in a recent interview. "I remember meeting Julianne Nicholson at the Emmys the year that she won for 'Mare of Easttown.' I was so geeked out that I got a chance to be in the same room with her ... Now I get to be on a show with her."
Brown is known for his role as Randall in the series "This Is Us," which ended in 2022. He was nominated for an Oscar for his supporting role in "American Fiction." In "Paradise," Brown is a Secret Service agent to James Marsden's president of the United States. A shocking murder is revealed shortly into the first episode which unspools a deeper mystery beyond just whodunit.
"When James became available, I was like, 'please.' I had just finished watching 'Jury Duty' and this dude is so funny." "Paradise," said Brown, is an opportunity for Marsden "to show something that a lot of people haven't had a chance to see him do."
Marsden says Brown is one of Hollywood's good guys.
"He's one of the most graceful, generous, good human beings that I've been fortunate to meet in this business. He's so humble and cares so much about not only his work, but the people around him. He wants everybody to be great. When I think of people I need to be more like, it's this man."
"Paradise" has themes of climate change, privilege and the pecking order of who in society gets saved during an emergency. There's a relevance to the series which Brown says is coincidental because Dan Fogelman — creator and writer of "This is Us" — conceived "Paradise" 10 years ago. It makes sense to him though why it... Read More