GLOBAL – APRIL 2011 – New York-based animation production company Blacklist is pleased to announce that French directorial and design collective Wizz has joined its roster for US representation. Blacklist is also pleased to announce that Wizz has completed its first project with Blacklist, “Big Dig” for Yahoo! Mail via Goodby, Silverstein & Partners.
Paris-based Wizz produces all types of visual communication work across many platforms including advertising, short and feature films, TV idents, mobile applications and digital campaigns.
“Wizz has fresh voices and compelling work grounded in solid artistic and storytelling traditions,” says Adina Sales, Managing Director/ Executive Producer, Blacklist. “It’s visually exciting work and we feel they are a perfect compliment to the rest of our line up. Wizz also adds a lot of depth to our roster by doubling the number of directors we offer, while housing those teams at a sophisticated and well run studio.”
"We’re big fans of their work, and knew that it would resonate in the US market,” adds Andrew Linsk, Executive Producer, Blacklist. “From the first meeting with Wizz’s Amanda Stubbs and François Brun, we believed that this would be a successful partnership— and that has indeed turned out to be the case, as we’ve been working with them virtually non stop since first signing them.
In addition to the initial Yahoo Mail! work, Goodby has come back to us for a second round, this time a package of four spots, that will break in early May. We’ve also recently completed a cinema project wtih Wizz that will break very soon for Orville Redenbacher out of Venebles Bell, San Francisco; and are currently in production with them on a global Energizer campaign via TBWA\Chiat\Day, Los Angeles.”
Founded in 1999, Wizz was initially a post production and visual effects branch for their their sister company Quad Productions. Wizz now consists of more than 30 full-time employees including two teams of production and post-production directors, and seven graphic artists, Flame artists and developers. Over the last three years, Wizz has represented and developed 15 directors. Apart from various advertising projects, Wizz has also produced a large number of short films and films that fall outside traditional commercial advertising categories. These films have allowed them to showcase their directorial style and talent and have also garnered various international awards.
“Blacklist’s Adina and Andrew have come to Paris twice to meet all our directors and have spent enough time with them to really get to know their personalities, their world and their desires,” says François Brun, Wizz Chief Creative Officer. “Working with Blacklist, every project is a real partnership. We feel very by supported them, and this strongly motivates our teams and our directors. This is exceptional for two production houses located exactly 3, 620 miles apart.”
CREDITS
Yahoo! Mail "Big Dig"
Agency: Goodby, Silverstein & Partners
Executive Creative Director/Partner: Jeff Goodby
Executive Creative Director: Margaret Johnson
Creative Director: Jim Elliott
Copywriter: Jody Horn
Art Director: Jack Woodworth
Producer: Chris Allen
Account Manager: Susan Ogren
Operations Director: Lisa Horvath
Assistant Account Manager: Cassi Hussain
Production Company: Blacklist
Animation Studio: Wizz
Director: Deubal
Executive Producer: Andrew Linsk
Live Action Director: Laurent Barthelemy
Producer: Rachel Walchak
Live Action Producer: Maureen Tunney
Director of Photography: Will Rexer
Art Director: Irfan Akdag
Editor: Cass Vanini
Color Correction: Nick Tanner
Flame Artist: Mark French
Coordinating Producer: Alexander Unick
Associate Producer: Patrick Gantert
Animation Studio: Wizz
Executive Producer: Francois Brun
Executive Producer: Amanda Stubbs
Director: Deubal
Director of Photography: Christopher Deroo
Art Director: Geraldine Stivet
Set Decorator: Bertrand Leclerc
Gaffer: Amida Belgharbi
Animator: Eric Parizeau
Animator: Cedric Mercier
Post-Production Supervisor: Nathalie Delvigne
After Effects: Olivier Stephant
After Effects: Benoit Revilliod
3D Supervisor: Thomas Eid
3D Modeling: Sebastien Haure
3D Artist: Lucie Casale,
3D Artist: Laura Philippe
3D Artist: Sebastien Druilhe
3D Artist: Emmanuel Chapon
Matte Painting: Remi Wyart
Line Producer: Karine Takooree
Unit Manager: Foued Selami
Set PA: Joanna Vainqueur
Office PA: Mariam Tahhar
Original Music: Stimmung
Composer: David Winer