FLAME ARTIST / THE DEPARTMENT OF EXTERNAL SERVICES / CHICAGO / 2-20 TO PRESENT

Providing independent on-set visual effects supervision and Autodesk Flame finishing and compositing services. Partnering with studios, agencies, brands and directors to finish content for all screens. 

  • I flew across the country for a 3 day booking. I completed the job on day 1. On day 2 I trained the assistant. On day 3 I sold myself to another studio in town.

CHIEF COMMUNITY OFFICER/ LOGIK.TV / 8-20 TO PRESENT

Along side New York Flame Mayor Andy Milkis, our aim is to build the ultimate online forever home for Autodesk Flame Artists across the globe.

HEAD OF 2D / THE MILL / CHICAGO / 2-13 TO 2-20                                                                    

Develop content execution strategies with external and internal creative teams for State Farm, Allstate, GEICO, McDonald’s, Procter & Gamble, Kraft, AT&T, Verizon, Nike, Microsoft, Mercedes Benz, Coca Cola, et al. Design, implement and oversee imaging pipelines and projects with multi-discipline/platform/department/international/vendor teams. Research, advise on and support innovations and best practices within content and execution in the international mastering/versioning, AR/VR/360/emerging tech, project management, digital asset management, broadcast and social media standards and IT spaces. Build relationships with key clients from art director to C-level.  Manage 13 artists. Extensive network of technical, creative and production subject matter experts to call upon for project execution/consulting.

  • Studio leadership and influencer: Leadership Team Member driving strategy across sales, operations, production, creative, technology. Founding member of studio instrumental in growth of over 500% in 5 years.

  • Pipeline and Efficiency Advocate: championed modernization and efficiency by creating international workshare strategies to reduce freelance costs and connect project talent, outsource expensive roto and paint offshore, design workflows to easily adapt/convert images for all screen types from broadcast to social to installation to print.

  • Innovations Crusader: Supported the design and fabrication of 360 degree 4K DSLR rig and real-time stitching review station all in 96 hours. Autodesk User Advisory Board Member, driving software development growth and prioritizing R&D, features, and bug fixes. Led global project to shed expensive single seat plug ins in lieu of open-source and perpetually free OpenGLSL Matchbox Shaders.

  • Educator: The Mill’s most prolific artist-author to Mill Academy having published over 60 articles. Invented “Hungry Tigers,” 10 week artist seminars. Member, Mill Mentorship Program. Digital Professor, FXPhd.com, the world’s leading provider of commercial and film visual effects training and Prospela Mentor.

  • International Project Leader and world-class Finishing Artist: Lead Artist on multiple international and complex visual effects projects, most notably an $850K NDA project 15% under budget with 65+ VFX shots by 45 artists across 4 countries in 6 weeks, with client mandated project relocation every 2 weeks to satisfy security protocols.

VISUAL EFFECTS SUPERVISOR / THE MILL / NEW YORK / 9-08 TO 2-13

Advise on and execute production methodologies, collaborate with producers and artists to bid and schedule.  Execute VFX, finishing, and versioning support.  Mentor junior artists and production staff. 

  • Led The Mill’s most profitable job to date, a $1M campaign delivered at rate card.

  • Led The Mill’s first and second major brand accounts, $2M/yr $4M/yr respectively.

  • Led 8 major campaigns over 3 years averaging 20% under budget on $2.5M.

FLAME ARTIST / THE MILL / NEW YORK / 9-07 TO 9-08

Execute productions. Collaborate with producers, creative, and technicians to support the creative brief. 

  • One of three compositors for Nicolai Fuglsig’s Emmy nominated “Coca-Cola It’s Mine” Super Bowl spot.  

ASSISTANT FLAME ARTIST / FILMWORKERS / CHICAGO / 2-05 TO 9-07      

  • Expert in all departments/machines.

  • Sound relays, slating, art support, video I/O, 35mm film, dailies materials for editorial, running sessions. 

ASSISTANT EDITOR / MODE STUDIOS / CHICAGO / 5-04 TO 1-05

  • Incoming/outgoing media, logged edit bins via provided transcripts. Pulled selects with clients. QC releases.

  • Achieved over 200 defect free deliveries by developing pipeline and operational protocols and documentation.

  • Reduced costs of searching for and using recycled footage by creating tape logs for our largest client.

BA Philosophy, Northeastern Illinois University 

Member, Visual Effects Society