For most of its 12 years in business, Radar integrated production studio’s busy, sole director was co-founder Don Hoeg. Several years ago he was joined by staff director Sam Macon and then the directorial and animation duo of Walter Robot (Bill Barminski and Christopher Louie) was attached.
Now Radar has leaped forward to further increase its directorial and visual effects capabilities, says Radar co-founder/director Hoeg.
The latest roster additions are photographer/director Pix Talarico of Buenos Aires and New York, known for his award-winning Latin music videos, and Adam Pierce of New York, stop motion director who specializes in claymation and character work
Radar’s executive producer/managing director Lisa Masseur says Radar first worked with Talarico on several McDonald’s/Leo Burnett spots. “The collaboration clicked on both sides and that led to our looking at the breadth of his work. We are so pleased to introduce him to the U.S. market.”
The Argentine photographer and director is best known in the USA and across Latin America for music videos for Julio Iglesias and Julieta Venegas and has been nominated for numerous Latin Grammys and MTV Music Awards. His video for Juanes’ “Fotografia” (featuring Nelly Furtado), had over 7.5 million YouTube views.
His clients include Sony Music, Warner Music, EMI Odeon, BMG, MTV and commercials for Unilever, Epson, Nestle, Motorola, McDonald’s, Shell, Coca-Cola, Dannon, and Kraft Foods.
Masseur describes Adam Pierce as “a versatile artist who is always experimenting and creating at his studio in New York. He brings us an excellent option for future character-driven work.”
Two directors and a global collective
Talarico and Pierce follow the signing last December of the director/special effects team of bi-coastal Vico Sharabani and Alex Frisch.
As a bonus, they brought along their COPA (Co-op of Artists), a global collective of high-end effects artists who Sharabani and Frisch personally invited to pool their talent and resources in the initiative.
Radar serves as COPA’s Chicago hub, “to give Midwest clients real time access to the best effects artists from around the world,” says Hoeg.
Radar and COPA’s first project working together was jointly handling effects and post for a P&G Secret/Leo Burnett spot, starring Jenny Poulos (Bravo’s “Flipping Out”). Radar’s effects supervisor Alex Frisch worked with director Dave Meyers from Radical Media to design the complex CG environment for the spot.
Due to the quick turnaround, Radar’s Greg Somerlot was in L.A. for the shoot and edited on the set. Steven Gray led the design/animation team for the demo and tag and Radar and COPA worked collaboratively on the visual effects.
On Thursday, March 8 Radar will introduce its directors, artists and editors who aren’t in production at an indoor street festival at Carmichael’s Warehouse, 1052 W. Monroe, 530-10 p.m., with food and beverages. Click here to RSVP.
According to Massuer, Radar employs 20-plus and is located at 401 W. Ontario, phone 312/266-2900.
