GPL Technologies, a technologies solutions provider to the media and entertainment industry, has appointed Rob Di Figlia to the newly created post of VP of software services. A former executive with Autodesk, Di Figlia will work with enterprise-level clients in integrating software solutions in areas including high-performance computing, cloud migration and virtual production.
GPL Technologies CEO Brian Terrell said that, with cloud computing rapidly changing the way the media and entertainment industry conducts business, Di Figlia will lead a group that will help companies make the transition and harness the power of emerging technologies. “Rob will work with our customers at a very high level and help them become more efficient and more competitive,” Terrell said.
Cloud software has become a crucial component to the IT services that GPL Technologies provides to its customers, which include visual effects houses, animation companies, postproduction facilities, design studios and others. “Our infrastructure, hardware and software services are merging,” said CTO Jason Blum. “It’s a trend we’ve focused on for some time and we’re very excited to have someone on board devoted to an aspect of our business that is going to be a core service moving forward.”
Di Figlia brings nearly 20 years of senior level experience across visual effects, animation, project management and pipeline engineering. For the past three years, he served as business development executive for the M&E division of Autodesk. He was tasked with growing the company’s Shotgun Production Pipeline Services teams and building strategic partnerships with clients including Warner Bros., Sony, Netflix, Amazon Studios and Activision/Blizzard. His background also includes five years as managing director and head of production at Oktobor Animation, a company he co-founded. The New Zealand-based studio produced original content as well as contract work for Nickelodeon, DreamWorks and others.
In discussing his new role, Di Figlia said that he plans to use his expertise to help clients be more productive and work more efficiently while adding services that complement GPL’s core business. “Our goal is to build studio-agnostic tools and workflows that allow our clients to extend their infrastructure, whether it is on-premises, in the cloud, or a hybrid system,” he observed. “As traditional production processes continue to evolve, and workforces become more distributed, companies need better solutions to connect their teams to their data. Our focus is on building flexible pipelines which are designed to run anywhere at any time by anybody.”
“Heretic” and “Maria” Set As Red Carpet Premieres At AFI Fest
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Heretic, the psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, and Maria, based on the life of opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, will round out the Red Carpet Premieres section at this year’s AFI Fest. The Heretic Gala Screening will take place on Thursday, October 24, and the Maria Gala Screening will be held on Saturday, October 26. The complete Red Carpet Premieres section includes the world premieres of Music By John Williams, Robert Zemeckis’ Here, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2. All Red Carpet Premieres will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. The full lineup for AFI Fest 2024 will be unveiled on October 1.
“At the heart of AFI Fest is an unwavering dedication to celebrating the best in global cinema--together,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. “We look forward to uniting artists and audiences once again to be inspired by the art form in a powerful sense of community.”
Heretic follows two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (portrayed by Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and produced by Stacey Sher, Beck, Woods, Julia Glausi and Jeanette Volturno. The film will be released nationwide by A24 on November 8.
Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria presents a tumultuous and beautiful depiction of one of the world’s most renowned artists and reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days in Paris, as Callas (Jolie)... Read More