Hasta La Creative!

Bullitt is excited to welcome director Matt Ogens to its director roster. Ogens is an award-winning filmmaker and commercial director, known for an evocative visual aesthetic where image and narrative are intertwined.

“Matt is an enterprising storyteller who works in a variety of narrative mediums – traditional and emerging advertising platforms, film, television, documentary, interactive, and virtual reality,” explains Bullitt EP Luke Ricci. “It makes him an ideal fit for our company.”

Matt Ogens got his start directing docu-series for networks including MTV, VH1, CBS, and CNN, and earned three Emmy nominations for his work for ESPN. His feature documentary “Confessions of a Superhero” debuted at SXSW to critical acclaim and was distributed by Netflix.

Ogens segued into commercials, working with top agencies and brands, and earning awards from The One Show, Clio, SXSW Interactive, and ADC. His advertising credits include projects for Infiniti, Land Rover, Nature Valley, Toyota, Ancestry.com, Craftsman, Mitsubishi, Seattle’s Best, Stand Up2 Cancer, IBM and more.

“How and why to tell a story are key considerations in today’s process, and it is exciting to be at a company that is both filmmaker-driven and conversant in different media,” says Ogens. “I am excited to be a part of what’s happening at Bullitt.”

Central to his work is the ability to engage audiences and even change perceptions by transcending genre or topic with a unique vantage point, captivating characters, and striking visuals. Among his noted projects, the acclaimed feature documentary “Meet the Hitlers” that examines the relationship between names and identity by exploring the lives of people who share the name. Presented and Executive Produced by Morgan Spurlock, the film launched on ShowTime in July 2016 and is available via ShowTime On Demand and iTunes. Other short documentaries include “From Harlem with Love” for ESPN’s Emmy-winning “30 for 30” series which follows the Harlem Globetrotters visit to the USSR in 1959 and “Kid Yamaka,” the startlingly candid film about a Jewish boxer who found redemption in the ring for Vice’s FIGHTLAND.

Fiction also captures Ogens’ attention, and his first narrative feature, a coming of age film “North,” is now in post-production. He also concepted and directed a narrative VR prequel/teaser shot entirely in abandoned spaces in Detroit, which serves as the setting in “North.” His VR film for the Associated Press screened at this year’s Cannes Film Festival Next Section.

About Bullitt: Bullitt is a filmmakers’ collective and creative studio, founded by creators for creators, and situated at the nexus of entertainment and advertising. With the conviction that storytelling is the most powerful form of messaging, their work utilizes whatever technology is necessary to target a market – or create one – and break down the barriers that stand between an advertiser and their desired audience. Bullitt is known for its leadership in the development of experiences for brands, from commercial campaigns to VR. The filmmaker collective is known for talent at the intersection of entertainment and advertising.

Santa Monica and Melbourne-based creative studio Luma proudly announces the hire of industry mainstay Jill Gilbert as Executive Producer of Animated Content. Based out of the Santa Monica office, Jill will be responsible for the oversight, development and management of Luma Toons original animated content and animation service work, as well as contributing toward acquisition and development of Branded Content.

Jill will work closely with Animation Director Raphael Pimental and CG Supervisor Andrew Zink to expand the roots of Luma Toons, the dedicated animated content arm that Luma launched in 2014 with the critically acclaimed The New Adventures of Figaro Pho. Pimentel comments: “Jill’s expertise developing, creating, and releasing amazing animated content is rare. There are not many people out there that have accomplished what she has.”

Currently, Luma Toons is building a diverse slate of animated content including films, series, digital content, and VR for multiple distribution platforms. With an eye towards originality and authenticity, Luma Toons content will be created in partnership with top talent and emerging creative voices who possess a unique vision that will push the boundaries of what animation is capable of.

With over two decades of experience specializing in the production of animated content, Jill’s resume paints the picture of an unparalleled powerhouse. Throughout her career, she has been instrumental in the development and production of over 60 live action and animated feature films, working for some of the world’s most iconic brands and studios.

Jill comes from Psyop, where as Executive Producer and Managing Director she developed an array of animated content for various platforms in addition to launching an IP initiative for the company and overseeing development and production for original projects. Prior to Psyop, Jill was VP of Production at the newly formed feature animation arm at Paramount Pictures. She successfully launched into production Paramount Animation’s first film, SpongeBob SquarePants in 3D, and oversaw all creative and production-related aspects of the movie, and also managed recruiting efforts for premiere animation talent both domestically and abroad. The job at Paramount Animation was preceded by tenures as VP of Creative Affairs at DisneyToon Studios and as VP of Business Development for Animation for Technicolor Digital Productions.

Founder / CEO Payam Shohadai rightfully sees the addition of Jill Gilbert as a significant milestone in a new era of diverse original content at Luma, commenting: “Jill is just the right person to shepherd the growing success of Luma Toons, and to bring together all of the key pieces for the next stage of our ambitions. Her deep roots in the field of animation, along with her expertise in development, will help facilitate what we believe is a genuinely unique vision for our world-class original animated content at Luma.”

Jill could not be more eager to lead Luma into the next phase of its creative legacy, which already includes the creation of extraordinary visual effects for Hollywood blockbusters such as Deadpool, Ant-Man, Guardians of the Galaxy, Insurgent, Prometheus, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Civil War; as well as award-winning live action films including Prisoners, True Grit, and No Country for Old Men.

She remarks: “With the tremendous growth in the realm of animated content, Luma’s ability to create animation of the highest caliber across two continents positions us as a major player in this space.”

Lobo, the award-winning São Paulo-based design and animation studio, is staking its claim in new territory with the official opening of its first US office. Partners Nando Cohen, Gabriel Nobrega and Mateus de Paula Santos are pleased to announce that industry veteran Luis Ribeiro has been named Partner and Executive Producer of the New York office, where he will spearhead all of Lobo’s US operations.

Luis Ribeiro, a native of Brazil, has amassed an impressive list of diversified and creative credits on his resume while working in the US over the last 25 years. Previously, Ribeiro was Executive Producer at Framestore NY, where he oversaw business development for the studio’s four main integrated advertising divisions. Prior to that, he worked as the US Consultant for FilmBrazil, was New Business Developer at Whitehouse Post, and VP of the Latin Division for Deluxe Entertainment, and held MD and VP of Business Development positions at leading companies like Speedshape, Method Studios, Beast, and CO3.

Lobo has been on Ribeiro’s radar for some time. He comes to the company deeply familiar with their work due to his close business and cultural ties to Brazil, commenting: “Lobo is powerhouse animation studio, but it’s the passion for the craft and devotion to detail that has always made me one of their biggest fans. To be a partner and to lead the charge on further establishing Lobo’s presence in the US is an honor. Being surrounded by such talented individuals in an awesome, non-corporate environment and culture is truly a dream come true.”

Founded in 1994 by Nando Cohen and Mateus de Paula Santos, Lobo’s expertise covers a broad range of media and techniques including 2D animation, stop motion, 3D, VFX and live action. After quickly growing to major player status among top ad agencies, TV networks and film studios in Brazil, Lobo expanded its structure to cater to markets all across Latin America, Europe and the US. Along the way, Lobo has raked in plenty of awards from prestigious institutions like D&AD, The One Show, Cannes Lions, Art Directors Club, and more.

Lobo has been steadily bolstering its ties to the US market via its satellite office launched in Brooklyn last year under the creative direction of Guilherme Marcondes, a member of the original Lobo roster. The addition of Ribeiro elevates the status of the US office, making it an official outpost in addition to São Paulo. Together Marcondes and Ribeiro will work closely with Global Head of Production Loic Dubois. They have assembled a strong network of producers to facilitate any project that comes through Lobo’s doors.

Ribeiro will work alongside Marcondes, who recently earned accolades for the whimsical “The World of Autism” PSA he and Lobo created in partnership with BBDO NY for Autism Speaks. Touching and informative, the piece educates parents how to identify the early signs of autism in their own children. The film was awarded the Gold Cannes Lion for Design, Motion and Animation, along with two Bronze statues for Art Direction and Animation. This year Lobo returned from Cannes with an astounding 12 Cannes Lions in total.

Co-founder and leading director Mateus de Paula Santos continues to be recognized as a pillar of the industry. He recently held a seat on the esteemed Cannes jury for Film Craft, in addition to serving on the jury at other respected advertising festivals including Ciclope and D&AD.

Following a stellar creative year, Lobo embarks on an exciting future in New York and beyond, as the company puts its ever-expanding global reach into the trusted hands of Luis Ribeiro.

Lobo is represented by Lisa Houck of Salon Reps for the West Coast and Isabel Echeverry of Kontakto Reps for the Hispanic Market.

There’s always something good on Hulu when you sit in the family room and pay 7.99 a month for content. This spot is oh so quiet it feels like Hulu wants us to turn the volume down on it.