Emmy-winning VFX house Zoic Studios, with offices in Culver City, Calif., Vancouver, B.C., and a recently opened NY shop, has for its commercial division secured indie rep firm Minerva to handle the East Coast. Comprised of industry veterans Mary Knox and Shauna Seresin, Minerva represents a select roster of talent to ad agencies and direct to clients.
Van Duke has joined the executive team of PlayBox Technology as USA sales manager. He will lead the newly established PlayBox Technology U.S. office which is based in Florida. The hiring of Duke marks his return to the company for which he served as U.S. market country manager from 2006-’09. Van Duke commenced his broadcast industry career in 1978 as an engineer at WTVJ TV-6 in Miami. Five years on, he progressed into sales engineering including successful roles at Midtown Video, On-Air Systems, Video Technics and most recently Primestream.
Alberto Santana has joined Snell Advanced Media’s (SAM) Latin American team as regional sales manager, reporting to Felipe Andrade, regional director–Brazil. SAM was formed from the fusion of Quantel and Snell. Santana, a 14-year veteran of the broadcast industry, joins SAM after serving in roles at Sony, Grass Valley and most recently Ross Video. At his new roost, Santana is responsible for development of new markets and the management of the channel partners and system integrators in the region….
Sinners and Saints Adds Apple Pie To Its Branded Menu
Bicoastal Sinners and Saints--the multidisciplinary studio overseen by managing director/executive producer Heather Heller, and partners/EPs Yann Henric and Thomas Carroll--has added Apple Pie Tabletop to its roster for branded content. Known for its food and beverage content creation, Apple Pie comprises the husband-and-wife team of director/DP Gene Dubin and director/art director Alisa Volodina. In addition to representation, the move expands Apple Pie’s production capabilities through the combination of its centrally located full-service studio in New York and a newly established mobile studio in Los Angeles. Apple Pie recently teamed with Sinners and Saints on a Wienerschnitzel project created by Innocean.
“We believe that our dual studio strategy positions us uniquely in the competitive landscape of food and beverage storytelling,” said Heller. “By blending the artistry of the New York studio with the flexibility of our Los Angeles location, we can tailor our productions to meet the unique demands of each project, regardless of geography.”
“Working with Sinners and Saints in the demanding field of tabletop was an absolute pleasure,” shared Apple Pie Tabletop in a joint statement. “Warm welcome, unwavering support and dedication--everything a director can ask for. The entire experience was both enjoyable and rewarding. We will not miss an opportunity to collaborate with them again.”
“The first thing you notice is that Apple Pie has beautiful work,” Heller observed. “Having worked with them, I can say that Gene and Alisa are extremely meticulous and detail-oriented; their combination of talent and agility appeals to agencies and clients.” Also appealing to Heller is Apple Pie Tabletop’s brisk international... Read More