Boutique visual effects and design studio Shape+Light has relaunched as Shepherd, and is expanding to have a bicoastal presence with the opening of an outpost in New York. Shepherd is also welcoming new leadership in both its New York and Santa Monica offices, bringing an infusion of international creative chops from leading VFX and design studios. Shepherdโs New York team will be led by executive producer Julia Paskert and creative director Andrew Granelli, with support from sr. Flame artist Yoshiko Hirata. Additionally, Shepherdโs Santa Monica office has grown with the addition of Crystal Rossmann as executive producer, and the promotion of Emily Irvine to creative director. Cara Lehr continues as managing director.
Shepherdโs New York office is in Soho, co-located with sister brand Cabin Editing Company. Shepherdโs growing New York team has recently delivered major global campaigns for Google, McDonaldโs, Volkswagen, Ford, and WhatsApp.
Paskert joined the shop earlier this year. Bringing 12 years of experience in the VFX and finishing world, she most recently served as executive producer at Method Studios, with previous gigs at Company 3, The Mill, and Digital Domain.
Granelli is a savvy and collaborative creative director, on-set VFX supervisor, and Flame artist with over two decades of experience in the ad industry. Over the years he has worked with leading brands including Citibank, Walmart, Infiniti, Heineken, American Express, Nintendo, Head & Shoulders, Mountain Dew, GMC, Olay, Toyota and Bounty. Prior to joining Shepherd, he spent eight years at Harbor Picture Company, with previous experience at Click 3X, TANQ, and Nice Shoes.
Originally from Japan, Hirata has built a career across film, television, and commercials since moving to the U.S. in 2001. She has worked on the hit television show โSmallville,โ films including โCharlie Wilsonโs Warโ and โThe Goldfinch,โ and numerous brand clients including Pamperโs, Swiffer, Wal-Mart, CVS, Tide, Citibank, and Revlon. She joined Shepherd in early 2024, after most recently working at Harbor Picture Company as a sr. Flame artist. Hirata is also a member of the Visual Effects Society.
Irvine has been creating elegant visuals for nearly two decades, specializing in beauty work across commercials, music videos, short form, TV, and film. Originally from Australia, she began her career in London at boutique post studio Big Buoy and later Prime Focus, before moving to Los Angeles to join Method Studios. After eight years at Method, Irvine joined Shepherd in 2021 as a sr. Flame artist, recently working her way up to creative director alongside Aidan Thomas and Aaron Neitz. She has worked with numerous clients throughout her career including Olay, Dove, Lancome, Glossier, Grey Goose, Absolut, Corona, Patron, Taco Bell, DoorDash, Chevrolet, and the California Lottery. She has also worked on many celebrity-driven campaigns with talent such as Keira Knightley, Madonna, George Michael, and Janet Jackson
Rossmann joined Shepherd as executive producer full time in 2023 after several years of collaboration as a freelancer. She has a strong background in visual effects, design, and animation through her experience as a producer at Method Studios and Company 3, where she worked on projects spanning film, commercials, and music videos. She has also worked as a VFX production manager on various film and television projects for Netflix, Amazon Studios, and Disney, including the limited series โAll the Light We Cannot See.โ
Britain halts criminal proceedings against Harvey Weinstein
Disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein won't face charges of indecent assault in Britain, prosecutors announced on Thursday. The Crown Prosecution Service, which in 2022 authorized two charges of indecent assault against Weinstein, said it decided to discontinue proceedings because there was "no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.'' "We have explained our decision to all parties,'' the CPS said in a statement. ''We would always encourage any potential victims of sexual assault to come forward and report to police, and we will prosecute wherever our legal test is met." Meanwhile, there is a chance Weinstein could be facing new criminal charges in New York. At a court conference Tuesday, Manhattan prosecutors said they have begun presenting evidence to a grand jury to seek an indictment that could add sexual misconduct allegations involving as many as three more people who say they were victimized by the producer. At the conference, Judge Curtis Farber elicited basic details about the allegations, which date back as far as the mid-2000s and involved incidents at hotels and a private residence. The New York grand jury's term expires on Friday, and a vote on an indictment could happen by the end of the week. It is possible an indictment may not include all three accusers. And it is possible the process could extend beyond this week. Weinstein became the most prominent villain of the #MeToo movement in 2017 when women began to go public with accounts of his behavior. After the revelations emerged, British police said they were investigating multiple allegations of sexual assault that reportedly took place between the 1980s and 2015. In June 2022, the Crown Prosecution Service said it had authorized London's Metropolitan Police Service... Read More