Global VFX studio The Mill has taken the next step in its international expansion with a new studio in Seoul. Located in the center of creative Gangnam District, the new studio is a short walk from many notable agencies, production companies, and brand hubs in Seoul. Having a new base in South Korea enables The Mill to leverage its expertise in VFX, production, and experience design in the APAC region, reaching a broader range of international clients and creative collaborators in new, untapped markets.
The Mill has worked with several South Korean clients to date; recent projects include Samsung’s Gold Cannes Lion-winning “The Spider & The Window,” Hyundai’s “CES 2022 Metaverse Experience” and KRAFTON’s “PUBG: Battleground.” The new studio will bring The Mill’s full range of creative capabilities, including its global network of VFX artists, designers and suite of in-house directors to South Korea and beyond.
The Mill Seoul will be led by VP Tony Choi, who has over 30 years of experience in production, tapping into western and eastern cultures across Australia, North America, and Korea.
The studio will be led creatively by executive creative director June Park who has led successful campaigns for brands including Samsung Hyundai Motors, Kia Motors, and Chevrolet (GM). Prior to joining The Mill, Park was head of the metaverse creative team at Cheil Worldwide. He has also played a huge part in metaverse content creation as the lead creative mind for Samsung’s virtual character GNUSMAS.
The development of Mill Seoul and the company’s wider expansion into the APAC market is being overseen by global chief strategy officer Alex Schneider who has over two decades of experience growing world class creative agencies, brands, and content studios. Prior to joining The Mill, Schneider was the managing director of R/GA Portland and held senior leadership roles at Deutsch LA and 72andSunny.
“We are proud to be launching our physical footprint in Seoul, which is an important milestone for our expansion into the APAC region,” said Schneider, “The Mill already has a rich history of working with major South Korean brands, and a local studio presence will allow us to play a much bigger role at the heart of the local creative industry. As our 10th international studio, Mill Seoul will have direct access to over 900 of the world’s best artists and creative minds spanning across all time zones.”
SMPTE elects board officers, regional governors
SMPTE®,the home of media professionals, technologists, and engineers, has revealed the board officers and regional governors who will serve terms beginning in January 2025.
Three new officers--Richard Welsh as SMPTE president, Eric Gsell as SMPTE executive VP, and Polly Hickling as SMPTE Education VP--have been elected for a two-year term from Jan. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2026. One SMPTE officer, Lisa Hobbs, will be continuing her service as SMPTE secretary and treasurer for another two-year term. Additionally, Raymond Yeung will be stepping into the role of standards VP on Jan. 1, 2025.
“SMPTE’s membership has spoken,” said SMPTE interim executive director Sally-Ann D’Amato. “These officers have been tasked with an important responsibility, one each of them is prepared to tackle head-on. These next two years are looking bright for SMPTE!”
In addition to the officers, 10 regional governors were elected by the Society to serve two-year 2025-2026 terms.
These include the following regional governors, re-elected to continue their service:
Asia-Pacific Region Governor
Tony Ngai, Society of Motion Imaging Ltd.
EMEA - Central & South America Region Governor
Fernando Bittencourt, FB Consultant
United Kingdom Region Governor
Chris Johns, Sky UK.
USA - Central Region Governor
William T. Hayes, Consultant
USA - Eastern Region Governor
Dover Jeanne Mundt, Riedel Communications
USA - Western Region Governor
Jeffrey F. Way, Open Drives
Also elected were four newcomers to the SMPTE Board:
Canada Region Governor
Jonathan Jobin, Grass Valley
USA - Hollywood Region Governor
Allan Schollnick, Voxx... Read More