Gravity, an international visual effects, design and brand communications company, has secured Laurel Dobose of Gypsy as its new Midwest sales rep. Announcement was made by Bob Samuel, Gravity’s CMO/exec producer……..L.A.-based editor Jonathan Del Gatto has signed with NYC creative editorial shop Hooligan for East Coast representation. Del Gatto will continue to be exclusively handled by Original for West Coast work. He is currently wrapping up a highly anticipated commercial campaign for Street King energy drink, featuring an eclectic celebrity cast including 50 Cent, Joan Rivers and Chris Kattan via ad agency Pure Growth. Other recent editing credits include a music video for “Block After Block” by Matt and Kim, and a series of web videos for Jamba Juice and The Neighbor Agency, Los Angeles….Faceware Technologies, Inc., a provider of 3D facial animation software for the video game, film, television and commercial industries, has tabbed David Bennett to head up sales efforts for the company’s facial animation software in Europe and India, as well as build studio and channel relationships in those regions. Bennett is an artist whose credits include facial animation work on such films as Avatar, The Adventures of Tintin, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and Beowulf. Before joining Faceware Technologies, Bennett was the facial motion capture manager at VFX company WETA Digital in Wellington, New Zealand. During his five years with the company, he led his team in creating highly realistic facial animation for blockbuster movies and projects that include Avatar, The Adventures of Tintin and Rise of the Planet of the Apes….
“Dune: Part Two,” “Wicked,” “The Wild Robot” and “Shลgun” Among Lumiere Award Winners
The Advanced Imaging Society has revealed the winners of the 2025 Lumiere Awards, recognizing outstanding creative and technical achievements in its 15th annual celebration. The awards honor the artists, engineers and innovators whose work continues to push the boundaries of storytelling and cinematic technology.
While the annual Lumiere Awards luncheon was scheduled to be celebrated at the Beverly Hills Hotel, once it became clear that the devastating Los Angeles fires were affecting not only the AIS community, but impacting so many in Southern California, the decision was made to announce and deliver the awards directly to the honorees, and to forgo the luncheon celebration. The Society has honored the results of this yearโs voting body and announced the 2025 Lumiere Award winners today, Feb. 7, the eventโs originally scheduled date.
AIS President Jim Chabin said, โOur hearts go out to everyone in our community impacted by these devastating fires. In recent weeks, weโve been deeply saddened to learn of friends and colleagues who have lost their homes and irreplaceable memories. Yet, amid this hardship, we have also been inspired by the incredible generosity of our members โ opening their homes, providing resources, and rallying together in support. This unwavering spirit of unity and compassion is a testament to the strength of our industry.โ
The Lumiere Awards recognize distinguished directors and professionals in film, television, and emerging media, voted for by members of the Hollywood creative and technology community. Technological advancements expand the possibilities of storytelling, and these awards celebrate their significance for all who love film and television. โOur awards have humorously been called the Oscars for... Read More