Production company YayBig has added directing team Coworkers, consisting of Nick Johansson and Robert Larson, to its roster. The duo’s credits include the behind-the-scenes film for Kahlua featuring Jeff Bridges, and the SuperSoaker piece “The Thin Wet Line.” Johansson and Larson were actual coworkers, sharing an office at production company Smuggler; they official started working together when they directed “The Thin Wet Line.” YayBig is led by director Sherwin Shilati and producer Ben Friedberg. YayBig’s clients include EA, Google, Disney, Kaiser and GMC….
ZERO VFX has opened a West-Coast operation. The new 5,000-square-foot office in Venice Beach, Calif., expands on ZERO’s Boston headquarters and marks a substantial bicoastal scaling of operations in both the feature film and commercial markets. The move and additional staffing in the Boston office effectively doubles the company size from 40 to 80+ employees. ZERO has been active in the feature film, television, and commercial markets, having recently executed three projects with Netflix Originals in less than a year and delivered work on high-profile film projects including The Equalizer, Southpaw and Black Mass. ZERO’s commercial credentials include work for leading brands including Toyota, Jack Daniel’s, and New Balance. The Venice Beach office was partly chosen due to its prime location for the support of further high-end commercial work. ZERO is led by its two co-founders, head of production Brian Drewes and creative director Sean Devereaux….
Publicis Seattle has brought on board James McKenna and Matthew Trego as creative directors. McKenna and Trego will work closely on T-Mobile, and will lead a team of creatives within the agency. They will report directly to Jason Lucas, executive creative director overseeing the T-Mobile business. Before joining Publicis Seattle, McKenna was a creative director at TBWA/Chiat/Day in Los Angeles, helming the creation of award-winning work for clients such as Disney, Grey Goose, Jimmy Dean, Reebok, and Google. He has also freelanced for 72andSunny and Saatchi & Saatchi. Prior, McKenna held several roles at Microsoft, most recently as creative director of global creative solutions where he conceptualized interactive advertising campaigns, and oversaw the production of global digital advertising and branded experiences. Trego joins Publicis Seattle from McKinney, where he served as an associate creative director, helping to launch the SEC Network for ESPN. At McKinney, Trego also produced work for Mizuno Golf, EAS Sports Nutrition, Big Boss Brewing Company, CenturyLink, and Sherwin-Williams. Prior, he served as a sr. art director at Eleven, Inc., and as an art director at both Goodby Silverstein & Partners and Ogilvy Brand Integration Group. Throughout his career, Trego has worked on a number of high profile tech and athletic brands such as Apple, Adobe, HP, Oakland A’s, and Callaway Golf….
Oscar and Emmy-Winning Composer Kris Bowers Joins Barking Owl For Advertising, Branded Content
Music, audio post and sonic branding house Barking Owl has taken on exclusive representation of Oscar and Emmy-winning composer Kris Bowers for advertising and branded content.
Bowers’ recent film scores include The Wild Robot and Bob Marley: One Love, alongside acclaimed past works such as The Color Purple (2023), King Richard and Green Book. His contributions to television are equally impressive, with scores for hit series like Bridgerton, When They See Us, Dear White People, and his Daytime Emmy Award-winning score for The Snowy Day.
In addition to his work as a composer, Bowers is a visionary director. He recently took home the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject for his directorial work on The Last Repair Shop. The emotionally touching short film spotlights four of the people responsible for repairing the musical instruments used by students in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). The Last Repair Shop reflects the positive influence that musical instruments have on the youngsters who play them, and the adults in the LAUSD free repair service who keep them working and in tune.
Barking Owl CEO Kirkland Alexander Lynch said of Bowers, “His artistry, diversity of style and depth of storytelling bring an unparalleled edge to the work we create for global brands. His presence on our roster reflects our continued commitment to pushing the boundaries of sound and music in advertising.”
Johanna Cranitch, creative director, Barking Owl, added, “Kris first caught my attention when he released his record ‘Heroes + Misfits’ where he fused together his jazz sensibility with a deeply ingrained aptitude for melody, so beautifully.... Read More