Summer Griffiths, an Emmy-nominated executive producer who has spent the last decade developing and producing television series, documentaries, podcasts, and branded partnerships for the likes of Snapchat, Google, L’Oréal, and Comcast, has joined Spark & Riot as EP. Reporting to Spark & Riot founder Ana de Diego, Griffiths will lead the commercial side of the female-powered content production and management studio.
As Spark & Riot continues to expand into film and television, the time was right to hire a leader to help steer its commercial division. “Summer’s production background and ‘can-do’ attitude make her the perfect fit for us,” said de Diego. “We’re still a startup in many ways so I need partners who are willing and able to get their hands dirty and help out wherever they’re needed. That’s Summer.”
Prior to Spark & Riot, Griffiths rose through the ranks at established entertainment companies including Bunim Murray Productions, Propagate Content, and The Content Group (now Asylum Entertainment Group). Most recently, she served as VP at Scale Productions, where she helped brands make their mark through strategic use of influencers and premium narrative storytelling. Fruits of her labor there included the Children’s & Family Emmy-nominated YouTube Kids’ series Tab Time, starring Tabitha Brown, as well as The Black Beauty Effect for Xfinity, a three-part docuseries capturing the current evolution, revolution, and disruption taking place within the beauty industry.
“Ana is doing something novel with Spark & Riot. She pours time and dedication into quality talent, holds nothing short of premium standards at every stage of the process, and prioritizes impact initiatives,” said Griffiths. “She’s built a company that I not only admire but aspire to take to new heights by expanding our network and reaching into untapped markets in need of premium storytelling with a white-glove experience.”
Relative to her new career chapter at Spark & Riot, Griffiths shared, “While there’s a lot of crossover from my experience in TV development and production, I’m excited to dive into the rapid waters of advertising on a global scale,” said Griffiths. “Spark & Riot grants access to cross continental collaboration, lending ample opportunity to garner and harness talent that we don’t tap into enough in the U.S. I’m enthusiastic to package premium storytelling, whether it’s in 30 seconds on the commercial side or 30 minutes within Spark & Riot’s blooming TV and film division.”
Spark & Riot manages a roster of 15 directors mostly based in Europe, who bring their soup-to-nuts creative mindset to the U.S. market. With every client and bid it procures, Spark & Riot carves out a portion of its team’s time and budget to shoot content for nonprofit organizations that have included Ukraine Express, Inside Out Writers (LA), Fundación Origen (Mexico), and Single Step (Bulgaria).
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