Visual effects executive producer Michael Pardee, most recently head of the commercials division at the recently shuttered Asylum, has launched The Mission, a Venice-based effects/animation/post house. Joining Pardee in the new venture are former Asylum colleagues Rob Trent as creative director/visual effects supervisor and Piotr Karwas as animation director.
The Mission made its spot debut during the Super Bowl with the Chevy :30 titled “Tommy” directed by Speck/Gordon of Furlined for Goodby, Silverstein & Partners. “Tommy” features a brazen father using his Chevy Silverado HD to courageously save his accident-prone son from such unlikely situations as falling down a well, being stranded in a hot air balloon, being stuck in the belly of a whale and even a tumble into the crux of an erupting volcano. The Mission produced the Super Bowl commercial’s CG whale sequence.
Currently The Mission is in the midst of spots for Hershey’s Kisses, Rexona, T-Mobile and U.S. Bank. The boutique company, based in a converted mission-style house, is also in the market for feature film assignments.
Trent’s credits include work on such feature films as G-Force, Solaris and Minority Report. In 2008, he won the Visual Effects Society Award for Best Compositing in a Commercial on the basis of Nike’s “Leave Nothing” directed by Michael Mann via Alturas Films. Recently Trent supervised and served as lead Inferno artist on GMC’s all-CG spots “Build” and “Outside” for Leo Burnett.
Karwas has been active in VFX for film, TV and commercials for more than a decade, first at Digital Domain and then Asylum. He has contributed to such high-profile movies as The Lord of the Rings – The Fellowship of the Ring, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and I, Robot, as well as spots for Hershey, GMC and Microsoft, among many others.
Prior to Asylum, Pardee served as head of production for Digital Domain. His recent work at Asylum included Activision’s star-studded Call of Duty: Black Ops spot, “There’s A Soldier In All Of Us,” directed by Rupert Sanders of MJZ for TBWAChiatDay, Los Angeles.
The Mission has secured independent reps Tracy Bernard and Robin Stevens to handle the Midwest. Negotiations are underway for representation out East and on the West Coast.
Nominees Unveiled For Cinema Audio Society’s 61st Annual Awards
The Cinema Audio Society has unveiled its nominees in seven categories for the 61st Annual CAS Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing 2024.
The 61st CAS Awards will be held on Saturday, February 22, at the Beverly Hilton.
Nominated in the live action motion picture category were the audio teams behind A Complete Unknown, Deadpool & Wolverine, Dune: Part Two, Gladiator II and Wicked.
Animated motion picture nominees were the sound ensembles behind Inside Out 2, Moana 2, Mufasa: The Lion King, The Wild Robot and Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.
As previously announced, multi-award-winning sound mixer Tod A. Maitland CAS (A Complete Unknown, West Side Story, Joker), will be honored with the CAS Career Achievement Award. In addition, visionary filmmaker Denis Villeneuve (Dune: Part Two, Blade Runner 2049, Arrival) will receive the Cinema Audio Society’s Filmmaker Award.
The CAS Award nominees highlight the outstanding contributions of sound mixers, recognizing excellence in the specialized craft of sound mixing for both film and television. Each year, accomplished CAS members—who possess extensive expertise in the art and science of sound—carefully review hundreds of projects to ensure the nominees truly reflect excellence in sound mixing in Motion Picture and Television entertainment.
“2024 was a year of remarkable achievements in the sound community, with exceptional talent on display across every category,” said CAS president Peter Kurland. “The innovation and artistry of these sound mixers continue to elevate the craft, and the upcoming awards will be a celebration of the outstanding contributions made this year. Congratulations to... Read More