GLOBAL – DECEMBER 1, 2011: Respected VFX artist Ed Manning joins creative post studio Spontaneous as CG Supervisor to oversee the increasingly complex CG projects coming through the New York office.
A Harvard grad, Manning has held key executive positions at digital agency R/GA and worked as a VFX supervisor and technical director across a variety of disciplines – from feature films and commercials to software development – with the industry´s most prestigious animation and design shops, including Method Studios and Psyop.
As a freelance VFX Supervisor and Technical Director and occasionally as a director, he developed expertise in large-scale media – screens as architecture – as both technical and content designer. He also consulted for an ambitious software startup called Synapix, culminating in the creation of an automated image-based 3D modeler, which never made it to market. In 2005 he launched his own company, Special Branch, providing VFX and CG services to design and postproduction companies, agencies and direct-to-client. Previous to joining Spontaneous, Manning continued to freelance, primarily focused on VFX and 3D look development for high-end commercials, and as a technical consultant.
"Ed’s technical expertise and innovative approach to jobs will augment our existing CG capabilities as clients look to us to produce more sophisticated projects," says Cara Cutrone, Spontaneous Vice-President and Managing Director. "His participation in the further development of the department will help shape Spon’s ever growing presence in the community."
"Spontaneous has a solid creative core of artists across all post disciplines. I´m looking forward to undertaking more complex projects, and building on their already substantial body of knowledge, best practices, and technical resources for the department," Manning says. "I am also excited about tapping into their foundation in commercial production as a basis for growth into other rich-media areas, like experience design, interactive multimedia, and casual gaming. Finally, the position also affords me the opportunity to take on a leadership role in more personally rewarding areas, like mentoring artists."
Manning and Spontaneous Creative Director John Leamy had known each other for years and have worked together on numerous occasions so the opportunity to collaborate on a more permanent basis was a natural step.
One of the industry´s most-respected design, CG and visual effects studios, Spontaneous has worked with the world´s leading ad agencies and brands, recording artists and feature film directors. View the reel at spon.com.
