SteeleVFX-the boutique shop founded by visual effects artist Jerry Steele and general manager Jo Steele in ’96-has opened a Santa Monica facility. The new digs include a Java-enabled Henry Infinity suite (with Masher and Chaser planned) as well as a Mac graphics set-up featuring After Effects, Photoshop, Illustrator and Lightwave 3-D.
Specializing in nonlinear online editing and visual effects compositing, SteeleVFX was formerly located in the same Santa Monica complex that houses post/effects house Digital Magic (which has since been consolidated into R!OT). Digital Magic had provided operational and support services to SteeleVFX. But now, the Steele studio has its own complement of technical resources.
SteeleVFX has also hired Carol Coleman as postproduction supervisor. She most recently was accounts supervisor at Todd-AO Hollywood. Prior to that, she served as Digital Magic’s operations manager.
Among Jerry Steele’s credits are spots for such advertisers as Pepsi, Coke, Budweiser, Bud Light, Miller Genuine Draft, Coors, Gatorade, Gap, Microsoft, E-Trade, Pets.com, Nissan, BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, Toyota, Honda, Saturn and Reebok. He also has contributed to assorted music videos featuring artists like Carlos Santana, Whitney Houston, Madonna, Jewel, Sheryl Crow, Puff Daddy, Janet Jackson and the Rolling Stones.
Born in the U.K., Steele began his career there working on Quantel machines in the late ’80s. After graduating from London’s Ravensbourne College of Design and Communications, where he majored in television production and postproduction, he was recruited by London post and visual effects studio, The Moving Picture Company.
After more than four years at the company, Steele moved to Hollywood in ’93 and signed on as a Harry artist at Novocom, and immediately made the transition to Henry. In ’96, he and wife Jo Steele exited Novocom to launch SteeleVFX.
