In a deal months in the making, three key players of Red Car’s Dallas division have purchased the company’s regional office and rebranded it as Republic Editorial. The new ownership team consists of managing director Carrie Callaway and sr. editors Chris Gipson and Keith James.
SHOOT first reported last summer on the deal being in the works with negotiations starting to take shape between the threesome and Red Car founder Larry Bridges (SHOOTonline, 8/21/13). Now that the transaction has come to fruition, Callaway, Gipson and James are looking forward to growing Republic Editorial as an independent and locally owned company.
Republic Editorial’s offerings include four full-time staff editors–the other two being Patrick Hammond and Andy McGee–a total of five offline rooms, two Flame Premium online rooms, an audio suite, a motion graphics department and a color grading room.
Republic is pairing its responsive local ownership with high-profile resources in New York. The company will offer its clients the full complement of editors from Red Car’s New York roster. Additionally Republic Editorial plans to strengthen its relationship with the New York-based Nice Shoes to provide virtual color grading services in one of its Dallas finishing suites. To further enhance their clients’ experience, Republic is also in early talks with a production company to increase its turn-key capabilities and to service one-stop, production-through-post projects.
The Republic owners have adopted the watchword “premium quality” to reflect their company’s culture of client service and the attention to detail brought to each project. “For us, ‘premium quality’ is a beloved throwback phrase we’ve taken to heart as modern craftsmen,” James said. “Much like the great storytellers that came before us, we know true art lies in the ability to creatively manage each and every fine point of the process, without compromising the artistic vision.”
“We all complement each other nicely,” Callaway said of the company's core of employees who have been together for some time. “And we’re always on the lookout for new talent who can help enhance the ‘premium quality’ experience for our clients, partners and employees.”
Callaway has been with Red Car since it entered the Dallas market in 1999. She opened Yellow Rose Editorial in 1995 and sold it four years later to Red Car’s Bridges, staying on as managing director.
In 2004, Gipson moved to Red Car Dallas from Red Car L.A. Beginning his career at Red Car’s Hollywood office in 1994, he moved up the ranks and was editing music videos and commercials by 1999. Since relocating to Dallas, he’s worked on spots for AT&T, Nissan, JCPenney, Hyundai, Lowe’s and Mercedes-Benz, among others.
The same year Gipson joined Red Car Dallas, James came over from charlieuniformtango (CUT) across town. Starting out as a tape operator there in 1997, James found himself on CUT’s editorial roster three years later. Since joining Red Car, his work includes spots for McDonald’s, Pepsi, Gatorade, Nissan and Charter Communications.
