This week, the Motion Picture Sound Editors will present George Miller with its annual Filmmaker Award, the organization’s highest honor. The Australian director is being recognized for a diverse body of work that includes Happy Feet (an Academy Award-winner for Best Animated Feature), Babe: A Pig in the City and Lorenzo’s Oil, as well as Mad Max and its three sequels. Miller has called his masterpiece, Mad Max: Fury Road, “A movie we see with our ears.”
Goldcrest Post has added colorist Steve Beganyi to its team of senior artists. Bringing more than 20 years of post-production experience, much of it centering on documentary films and television series, Beganyi joins a department dedicated to sound and picture finishing for docs. His recent credits include Jerusalem: City of Faith and Fury for CNN and My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman for Netflix.
Cooke Optics has named multi-award-winning lens designer Iain Neil to the role of chief optics advisor, providing consulting advice and support for Cooke’s team of in-house lens designers and supporting the company’s plans to develop next-generation lenses that will keep Cooke at the forefront of the industry.
OwnZones Entertainment Technologies has appointed Rick Capstraw chief revenue officer. As the CRO, Capstraw will take an important role in leading the global sales organization of the company and accelerating the department’s contribution to OwnZones’ worldwide growth.
Continuing to bolster its talent and technical resources, One Union Recording Studios, the San Francisco Bay Area’s largest, independent recording facility, has hired senior engineer Joel Hopper. Hopper brings 18 years of experience in the advertising and recording industries and most recently served as re-recording mixer, sound designer and picture editor at Barrell House, the in-house production unit at Bay Area ad agency Pereira O'Dell.
Extreme Reach Payroll Solutions has named Kathleen Thompson head of production incentives. With more than 20 years in the entertainment and media industry, Thompson brings both her expertise and deep relationships to this new role in which she’ll build a team focused on consulting and tax credit administration.
Vista Group companies Numero and Maccs have named Jim Zak senior vice president, North America. Zak will be based in Los Angeles and report to Numero and Maccs chief executive, and Numero co-founder, Simon Burton.
AFX Creative of Santa Monica, California, has hired seasoned systems engineer and administrator Toby Gallo as director of technology. The company also promoted Esther Minitser to head of production, Jessica Amburgey to senior color producer, and Stefan Kim to production coordinator. Company founder and managing director Mark Leiss made the announcement.
Stephan Schenk has been named Arri’s general manager global sales and solutions. In his new role he has taken over responsibility for the worldwide sales and service of Arri’s hardware products as well as the company’s solutions business. This newly created position aims to combine and align the sales and service activities across all Arri product groups and expand the systems business across all markets. He reports directly to executive board member Markus Zeiler.
The American Society of Cinematographers has announced its nominees for feature film, documentary and television cinematography, representing the organization’s picks for the most compelling visual filmmaking over the past 14 months. Winners will be named during the 35th ASC Outstanding Achievement Awards on April 18. The virtual ceremony will be live streamed via American Society of Cinematographers Facebook page at 12:30 pm PDT from the historic ASC Clubhouse in Hollywood.
