James Babiarz has joined 11 Dollar Bill as Executive Producer at its home studio in Chicago. A 12-year industry veteran with deep ties to the Chicago advertising community, Babiarz will oversee current projects, direct sales, recruit talent and pursue opportunities for growth.
He spent the previous six years at The Mill, Chicago, where he recently produced work for NHL, U.S Army, Jeep and Frito-Lay.
11 Dollar Bill Managing Director, Del Feltz said that it was apparent from their first meeting that Babiarz was the ideal choice. “It wasn’t just a professional fit, he shared our work philosophy on a personal level,” Feltz explained. “He has a passion for the Chicago advertising industry and his take on post-production resonated perfectly with what we all believe at 11 Dollar Bill. We are beyond excited to have James bring his experience and energy to the Chicago studio and help expand on our success.”
As a new member of 11 Dollar Bill’s leadership team, Babiarz will help formulate a strategy for growing the company through diversifying services, exploring new markets and adding new talent and resources.
“I love 11 Dollar Bill’s focus on the local market,” Babiarz said. “I’ve been part of the Chicago advertising industry for 12 years and I’m very passionate about it. I’m looking forward to bringing great projects to 11 Dollar Bill, helping the company grow and being here for a long, long time.”
Babiarz is a Chicago native and a graduate of Columbia College with a degree in film production. He began his career with Method Studios and spent four years at the design studio Sarofsky. He joined The Mill as a producer in 2018 and was later promoted to Head of Production, then Executive Producer. His memorable projects include “Barbie’s Dream House” for Rocket Mortgage, which ran during the Super Bowl in 2022, and “Groundhog Day” (featuring Bill Murray) for Jeep, a Super Bowl spot in 2020, as well as the music video “Potion” featuring Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa. His experience as a producer spans production, editorial, post, design and visual effects.
Reflecting on his career, Babiarz stated, “I immediately fell in love with advertising production and post. I enjoy working with different teams on multiple projects. I like hanging out with clients. For a producer, it’s important to understand the whole process, whether it’s representing 11 Dollar Bill on the set, supervising VFX, sitting in a dark room overseeing post, or guiding a project through whole cycle from concept through delivery.”
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