Superdoom has signed director Heidi Berg (they/them) for U.S. commercial production. This is their first spot representation. Berg’s body of work spans such companies as Netflix, Google, Samsung, Apple, Audi, Lexus, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, and title sequences for Hollywood, Ratched, The Politician, Pose and other culture-setting programs. Berg’s talents were also deployed in varied roles for production houses (creative direction on pitches) RadicalMedia, CAA, Reset, MJZ, (freelance creative director and director) Elastic, and (freelance art director/designer) The Mill.
Berg’s work has been awarded and cited by the Television Academy–garnering two Emmy nominations for The Politician and The Alienist title sequences–AICP, AIGA, Cannes Film Festival, CMYK, Print, Shot On Red Film Festival, and The San Francisco Museum of Craft and Design. Berg is non-binary and uses singular they pronouns. In 2008, they were accepted to the Cannes Film Festival Real Ideas Studio; In 2012, they received a grant to craft the introspective Hebrew short Me and You (translated) with co-director Doron Dor as part of the film collective “Other Than,” which premiered during the festival’s “Short Film Corner”.
Ron Moon, executive producer at Superdoom, said, “Heidi and I both started in VFX around the same time, and I’ve seen them grow from a budding designer, to an amazing art director, and then a force to reckon with as a creative director for some of the most well respected studios in our industry. Heidi was the first and most obvious choice for me to court and bring onto the team when we launched Superdoom.”
Added Berg, “It was a moment of synchronicity; I was in the throes of contemplating a new creative path when Ron and Terry (Superdoom co-founder/director Rayment) reached out. From our initial conversation, I felt an artistic kinship–an alignment of vision and values–a desire to explore story and myth in all its varied expressions. I’m looking forward to our collaborations.”
A Salt Lake City, Utah native, Berg always felt inclined to express themselves creatively, first by pursuing theater through grade school and college. Facing a career nexus, Berg pivoted to graphic design and print while studying in San Francisco, receiving a BFA in Graphic Design from the California College of the Arts (CCA). Just before completing their degree, they were exposed to the intersection of graphic design and film present in title sequences, and were hooked.
After moving to Los Angeles, they cut their teeth with Motion Theory under the wing of mentors creative director Kaan Atilla, and directors Grady Hall, Mark Kudsi, and Jesus DeFrancisco, working on commercials for brands including Lexus, Honda, IBM, NFL, Google, Sears, Starbucks and HP, and music video projects for artists including Katy Perry and The Black Eyed Peas. After Motion Theory, they went freelance as an art director and designer, collaborating with leading VFX studios including Logan, The Mill, MPC, Psyop, We are Royale, Gentleman Scholar, and many more. Their work closely aligned with live-action directors such as Daniel Askill, PES and Michael Spiccia, and production shops MJZ, Collider, Reset, Radical and CAA, crafting concepts and designs for both their commercial, music video, and film work.
In 2018, Berg applied their creative director prowess to title sequence-specific projects within creative studio Elastic. Under head of production Kate Berry, they crafted title sequences for Ryan Murphy projects including Pose, Hollywood, Ratched and The Politician.
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