Paul Babb has been named executive producer in charge of the live-action commercials operation at Rhythm & Hues (R&H), Los Angeles. Babb comes over from ka-chew!, the Hollywood-based spot division of animation studio Klasky Csupo, where he served as exec producer.
Also shifting over from ka-chew! to live-action/visual effects house R&H is director Clark Anderson. The move marks his return to R&H, where he had served as a staff director and creative director. Anderson is best known for his mixed-media work encompassing live action, visual effects, animation and CGI. His first tour of duty at R&H ended in 2001, when he joined ka-chew!
Anderson’s recent credits at ka-chew! included a combo live-action/CGI campaign for Mucinex out of McCann-Erickson, New York, and spots for Keebler via Leo Burnett USA, Chicago, and Maalox and Joy detergent, both out of Grey, New York. Over the years, he has helmed assorted mixed-media ads for such clients as Coca-Cola, Honda, United Airlines, Intel, Nabisco, Colgate, Huggies, Kraft, Samsung and Budweiser.
The addition of Anderson represents Babb’s first directorial signing at R&H. Babb said a key priority is to bring new directorial talent into the R&H fold. He succeeds executive producer Marlon Staggs, who is teaming with longtime R&H director Randy Roberts to launch a yet-to-be-named production house in Hollywood.
R&H’s live-action directorial roster consists of Anderson, Ryan Renshaw, Michael Wright and Dinh Long Thai, all of whom are well versed in combo fare. Wright and Renshaw split their time between the U.K. and the U.S.
Babb additionally plans to tap into R&H’s resident computer animation helming talent for select mixed-media projects. He also sees the live-action division working closely with R&H’s effects/CGI artisans and accessing the studio’s computer animation resources as needed for combo jobs.
Babb’s industry experience spans the agency, client and production house sides of the business. Prior to ka-chew!, he was senior partner/executive producer at Ogilvy & Mather, Los Angeles, an agency where he enjoyed a seven-year tenure. Previously, he served as director of advertising at Mattel Toys. And in the production company arena, Babb was executive producer at such shops as Paramount Images (the now defunct commercial production arm of movie/TV studio Paramount Pictures) and The Haboush Company, a since shuttered house that was part of the EUE family. Before linking with EUE, Babb was VP/director of broadcast at Foote, Cone & Belding, Los Angeles.
R&H’s sales force consists of independent reps Arthur Portnoy on the East Coast, Mary Ida Bonadio in the Midwest, and Connie Mellors on the West Coast.