Danny T directed a remake of “Star Wars”  at the age of 4 using kitchen appliances and G.I Joe action figures. But many years later, Danny has directed commercials for Lexus, Allstate, AJ Wright, Ritz Carlton, First 5 LA, and is on roster at Beef Films.

In addition to directing commercials, Danny has confirmed status as an “Internet Celebrity” being one of the hosts of The Totally Rad Show, a multi-award winning geek culture show on the web.  He is also the weekly movie correspondent for The Jon Carney Show on KMOX, a CBS radio station.

The documentary work as well as Danny’s more cinematic commercials and having his finger firmly on the pulse of geek and cinema culture led him to develop and direct a unique viral marketing campaign known as an ARG (Alternative Reality Game) for summer blockbuster Hellboy 2.

Danny T’s work in commercials and online has lead him to develop shows for 20th Century Fox and is currently developing an adaptation of a renowned comic book.

He also has over 25,000 followers on Twitter and is a level 85 Drenai Hunter in World of Warcraft…

With a background that includes work as an MTV music journalist in Berlin (just after the wall came down) and as a music video director in London, Eric Will brings atmosphere, story, and emotion to each commercial he directs.

He began directing spots in 1999, and over the past several years, he has amassed an array of high-profile advertising clients such as Coke, Mazda, LG, Toyota, Visa, Vodaphone, and VW.

Eric’s love of photography inspired him to pursue a directing career, and he has garnered acclaim for his exotic, post-intensive style. He has won numerous awards an honors, including the 1999 German Visual Effects Prize for his film “Glowingheads”. In 2003, a spot he helmed for Beko received the Silver Crystal Apple Award, and he took home a Silver Effie in 2007 for his Eucerin campaign.

He is currently based in France.

Two-time Emmy nominee Matt Goodman joined Bandito Brothers in November 2010. His first assignment with the company was a documentary film and ad campaign sponsored by Vitamin Water. Goodman’s additional spot credits include projects for Oakley, Cartoon Network, Geico (Caveman), Nike, Nissan, Kaiser Permanente, and Discovery Networks. His long form credits as director/cinematographer include “Tony Hawk’s Gigantic Skate Park Tour” (ESPN Films), “For Right or Wrong” (Mandalay Entertainment), KOS “The King of Skate” (Redline Entertainment), and “1000 Places to See Before You Die” (Discovery/Travel Channel). Prior to joining Bandito Brothers, Goodman was represented by Plum Pictures/Wild Plum.

Born and raised in California, Goodman came up through the Skate/Surf culture during the late 70’s early 80’s – what he described as “a different time, of inspiration, individualism, and expression, before MTV, before the industry of cool came along.” His high school summers were spent working for his uncle,  Miles Goodman, the music supervisor for director Frank Oz (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, What About Bob). Of course, destiny sometimes plays hide and seek, and in his early 20′s Goodman found himself traveling the world as a professional snowboarder. He discovered that he was more interested in meeting people and learning about them, taking pictures and telling stories, than he was in his pursuit of a career in sports. Upon graduating from the Film and Video Institute of Maine in 1998, he launched Transworld Video Magazine and simultaneously worked as a Local 600 camera assistant in Hollywood. That same year, longtime Del Mar Skate Ranch skateboarding buddy Tony Hawk asked Goodman to start a production company with him. Together, they launched 900 Films, delivering over 30 hours of original content for ESPN (“The Tony Hawk’s Gigantic Skatepark Tour” and X Games content), the #1 selling sports video in history (“Tony Hawk’s Trick Tips”) on the Billboard & Best Buy lists, a critically acclaimed documentary for Pay Per View, shows for MTV, FOX, and OLN. Goodman also gained experience as a Director of Photography on commercials for Cartoon Network, Ford, American Eagle Outfitters, and served as 2nd unit DP and Operator on the feature films “XXX,” “The Grind,” and “Deck Dogs.”

Goodman’s love of filmmaking flourished, and his resume grew to include Winter/Summer X Games 2003-2005 (ESPN/ABC; Show Open and Specialty DP), First Descent (Universal Pictures; Second Unit DP and Associate Producer), “Surfing, a Dance with Mother” (ESPN/ABC; DP), and more. As the cinematographer on “X Games 3D,” he traveled the world with a small crew, shooting 35mm and delivering a film that was large in scope despite the modest budget. “I’m always excited by the technical challenge of marrying testimonial, docu-style storytelling with big visuals,” says Goodman, adding that he’s brought that same ethic to his commercial work. For Vitamin Water, Goodman has captured an insider’s view of the street skateboarding culture; the 23-minute TV show covers three skateboarders as they compete to win the Maloof Money Cup.  The program aired on FOX in mid-November, and Goodman helmed two :30 spots for the show as well.

The winner of numerous industry awards and technical achievement honors, including Best Cinematography at New York Independent Film Festival, Goodman has been covered in advertising and film trades such as American Cinematographer, discussing 3D and other technical aspects of his long form work. He has received two NATAS Sports Emmy nominations: Best Cinematography for a documentary (“Dancing with Mother Nature, ESPN/ABC, 2007) and Best Show Open (ESPN X-Games 10, 2004).

“It’s all about the process and the adventure, finding like-minded partners who share a production mindset,” says Goodman, who has shot in remote locations all over the globe. “We appreciate the challenge of stretching the dollar and making it work, and creatively, we all love telling stories that delve into the the grit and dirt of the characters.”

What you should be thinking: “REFRESHING. HELPFUL. JUST WHAT THIS INDUSTRY NEEDS. YES!”

A full-service visual media production company, Lemonaide is a lean, agile, and imaginative mixture of directors, producers, and creative partners. We work with ad agencies, corporate clients, and international producers, bringing a sophisticated approach to traditional broadcast advertising and emerging media. It all comes down to branded content, and our experience spans the spectrum: automotive, beauty, fashion, and beyond.

The Lemonaide team brings its talent and expertise to every aspect of production, contributing as needed from concept through realization. Most importantly, we share our clients’ commitment to delivering effective, engaging content that moves the needle.

What do New York City and Burbank, California, have in common? Lemonaide. Based in sunny Burbank, California, the company maintains a creative partnership with Nonstop Pictures, Inc., New York. Via this collaboration across the nation, sharing bi-coastal resources, the two companies have produced advertising campaigns for TV and the Web, as well as branding and long form projects. Nonstop projects include work for retailers for brands JC Penney, Kohl’s, Macy’s, and Target, while Lemonaide counts Hyundai, Kia Motors, Mazda, and Sea World Parks & Entertainment among its clients.

Since its inception in 2006, Lemonaide Media has produced high-profile work appearing in TV hot spots such as the Superbowl, the Primetime Emmy Awards, The Grammy Awards, and the Academy Awards.

Jeanne Mattiussi launched Lemonaide Media in 2006. Mattiussi had previously served as a marketing, advertising, and creative services executive at four major record labels, and as an executive producer in commercial production.

Collaborating with some of the industry’s top directors, creatives, and producers, Mattiussi has established a reputation for developing talent and creating trust-based relationships with clients. Her ability to build strategic teams has consistently resulted in innovative new media properties that deliver strong results.

Mattiussi’s conservative approach to business has proved extremely advantageous in unstable economic times. “By staying small, we are able to work with unbridled creativity on the types of projects we find most interesting,” she says.

Born in Budapest, Laszlo Kadar attended the National Film School of Hungary before launchign his career as a director of photography for feature films. A move into commercials followed, after which he set up his own production company Laszlo Kadar Film, based in Hamburg. During this time, he was the recipient of many honors, including the Bavarian Film Prize, German Critics Prize, San Sebastian Critics Prize, Turin Popular Prize, and a Nomination for the European Film Prize.

Laszlo is known for his broadcast work in the automotive arena, shooting throughout the USA, Europe, and Asia. In addition to a Silver Lion at Cannes, Laszlo’s work has been honored by the London International Advertising Awards, New York Festivals, Die Klappe Awards, Eurobest Creative Advertising Awards, Art Directors Club (ADC), Montreux Annual International Advertising Awards, and Clios.

“I wasn’t good in sports, although I tried everything,” Tim muses, reflecting on the genesis of his career. “I picked up a camera at age 12 and I really understood it. Mechanics, optics, everything.”

Tim got his first camera when he was 12, and from that moment on, he was hooked. “I really understood it. Mechanics, optics, everything,” he explains. “It just clicked (no pun intended). Everyone probably thought I was a weirdo because I always had a camera with me.” Tim’s dad owned an advertising agency that had the American Motors account. At 14, he asked to tag along with his dad on a Jeep shoot in California. “I stayed in the background and shot for the whole month, and amazingly, a lot of it ended up in the campaign,” he recalls. “I think the spontaneous, Hasselblad 120mm, energetic stuff I was shooting really captured the spirit of the car, and opened the client’s eyes – at that time, everything was locked down and shot large format.”

Shooting professionally throughout high school and college, Tim lensed everything from cars, to fashion, to corporate assignments. He assisted in NY and Paris before attending the Center for Creative Studies in Detroit. Fresh out of college, Tim got his first national campaign, for Saatchi LA, and embarked on a prolific career as one of the top still shooters in the US automotive market. He then moved into the world of directing and cinematography, shooting for every major car makerand helming campaigns in Australia, Portugal, Japan, and Hawaii, to name a few.

Cut to nearly two decades later, and Tim continues to rack up firsts:

• Building Square Planet Media, an integrated production company complete with a garage full of customizable gear he helped design.
• Embracing the role that CG can play in automotive advertising, photography, and film, and maximizing options for his clients.
• Executing multi-platform campaigns spanning broadcast, print, Web, and mobile.

One of the things that has always influenced Tim’s work, whether it’s automotive or fashion, is his unique connection with his subjects. He once said about shooting automobiles: “With cars, unlike working with models, you have to bring out the life and personality, it isn’t in the ‘eyes’. You have to look a car in the ‘eyes’ and capture that.” Tim continues the journey he set out on when he was 12, to capture stunning, iconic images in print and live action.

To see more of Tim’s work go to www.DamonProductions.com.

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]]> http://ragingartists.com/2010/11/tim-damon-in-pictures/feed/ 0 http://ragingartists.com/2010/10/nathan-boldman-and-lauren-mayer-beug/ http://ragingartists.com/2010/10/nathan-boldman-and-lauren-mayer-beug/#comments Tue, 26 Oct 2010 15:27:27 +0000 RA http://ragingartists.com/?p=4567 Read More »]]> Designer-Directors, Arsenal FX

Nathan Boldman and Lauren Mayer-Beug, whose work includes projects for HP, Red Bull, the 2010 Winter Olympics, Fox Sports, and the opening of “24,” joined Arsenal FX in October 2010. The pair recently completed projects for Taxicab Confessions, Money Grabbers, and MasterCard, along with numerous music videos. Prior to joining Arsenal FX, Boldman and Mayer-Beug were partnered in motion graphics house De Motu.

Boldman studied as a traditional artist/painter, earning a BFA in Illustration and Animation from Art Center Pasadena. He brings an eye for perfection and a keen sense of art direction to each project. Over the past decade, Boldman has worked with many high-end VFX houses including: Eight VFX, Public, Sway Studio, Spot Welders, and many more. He served as the Art Director for Sway for many years before joining forces with Mayer-Beug in 2008. Boldman has earned numerous awards as an Art Director, including: VES, Elevate Film Festival, and AICP honors.

Mayer-Beug earned a BFA in Video and Animation at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), where she continued independent studies in painting, sculpture and film documentaries. She has used her skills as a director, editor, designer and compositor for many successful and award-winning commercial and film projects. This work has earned her VES, Elevate Film Festival, and other honors. Mayer-Beug has worked at Digital Domain, Zoic, Sway Studio, Sea Level, and Spot Welders.

As a team,  Boldman and Mayer-Beug have done work spanning several media formats, including television, cinema, installations, and projections. They constantly seek out new and better ways to creatively tell a story while delivering a strong message. They have brought their dedication, talents, and technical expertise to projects for HP, Red Bull, Garmin, Western Union, MasterCard, Toyota, Specialized, NBC, LG, Comcast, Fox Sports, Fiji Water, Ford, Xbox, GMC, BMW, and Time Warner Cable, among others.  In addition to directing their own projects, the duo has collaborated with high-end directors include Joseph Kahn, Joe Kosinsky, Chris Milk, Dave Meyers, and Rubin Fleischer.

“Arsenal FX has grown by leaps and bounds, and at the same time, having our own company Lauren and I have learned a lot, and grown as artists,” says Boldman of the move. “We were looking for a strong sense of community,” adds Mayer-Beug. “Arsenal FX has that, and obviously maintains a high standard of excellence. It’s exactly the kind of team we want to be a part of and to support.”

To hear her Partner Stephen Hens tell it, Beef Films was established over the course of a month-long Indonesian holiday. “Ashley had joined Chop House as a partner by this time and we were talking about opening up a production entity called Beef Films,” Hens recalls. “I took a trip to Indonesia and returned to find that everything we’d talked about – directors, agents, reps, the works – had been accomplished and we were up and running and bidding on work.”

This anecdote is emblematic of Adams’ hands-on ethic and unbridled enthusiasm. As an experienced advertising and production executive, she espouses a results-driven philosophy in successfully conceptualizing and implementing integrated campaigns that support business strategy and deliver return-on-investment. She had been assisting Hens with PR on a freelance basis, when their rapport and shared expertise suggested that a more formal relationship might be advisable. Adams came on board as a partner in Chop House Edit in November 2008. Beef Films launched in April 2009, and has since amassed credits spanning a wide range of projects for Vistaprint (Arnold/Boston); Activia/Dannon (Y&R/Wunderman NY); Cablevision (Gardner Nelson & Partners NY); Pepboys (Zimmerman/FL); Lap Band/Allergan (Ogilvy & Mather NY); Wisconsin Tourism (Laughlin Constable).

Prior to joining Chop House Edit and launching Beef Films, Adams served as Creative Director/Account Director at Susan Shook Associates, an award-winning advertising agency in Orange County. She previously held a Senior Management Position for top-ranked Public Relations and Marketing firm Kanatsiz Communications.  She began her career as an Account Executive and Public Relations Specialist, working at political organizations such as the Consulate General of Israel to New England, and has overseen campaigns, product branding and launches for Holiday Inn Express & Suites, General Motors, and others.

Adams is a California native with a long history in show business, including her great-grandfather, screenwriter Harry Sauber, and great uncle, writer-director-producer Larry Stewart, the first President of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree (magna cum laude) in Communications and minor equivalent in Psychology at Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts.

An award-winning producer who has spent his career launching and nurturing some of the commercials industry’s most illustrious directing talents, Robert Wherry recently opened New York based creative boutique Assembly Films.  With a roster comprised of directors Kevan Bean, Craig Brownrigg, Carolyn Chen, and Jorn Haagen, Assembly Films has already amassed some impressive credits: a Michelob campaign featuring Lance Armstrong and directed by Haagen that aired on this year’s Superbowl and the Academy Awards (another Haagen-helmed Assembly project, for Jamaica Tourism, aired on game day, and he’s completed a MasterCard project as well). Bean’s first assignments at Assembly are for Pizza Hut, Walmart, and Campbell’s; Brownrigg, an award-winning up-and-comer from Canada, is in LA on his first Assembly project, for Fazoli’s; Chen is currently helming projects for Alamo Rental Cars and North Shore Hospital for the company.

Robert’s career as a commercials agent began in 1990, when he became a director’s rep with then top award winning company London based BFCS.  Noting the sign of great management and a source of pride, Wherry attests that  “You know when you’ve done a good job when the directors with whom you’ve worked are more famous than you are.”  Amongst the talented group that Robert brought to market and/or developed under a few different company banners (notably HKM and GO film) are Simon McQuoid, Mike Mills, Noam Murro, Roman Coppola, Jesse Dylan, Allan Van Rijn, Bob Brooks, Andrew Douglas, Ivan Zacharias, and Michael Haussman.

The GO film team took the Grand Prix at Cannes for their work on Halo 3, one of the numerous awards (including Clios, AICP honors, D&AD) and industry accolades that have been bestowed upon Robert’s work and his directors throughout his tenure in the business.

Born in Hamilton, Bermuda, Robert Wherry attended the University of Tennessee before moving to New York City to celebrate the works of Shakespeare – however indirectly – through appearances on soap operas, and in commercials. Shying away from the hot glare of celebrity, he toured for a while playing the trumpet and French horn.

Robert is a polite and distinguished gentleman, who nurtures talent and encourages excellence. At 6’1″, Robert Wherry appears taller than he actually is.

June 15, 2010