Award-winning visual effects designer and digital artist Deak Ferrand has left post-production facility R!OT to launch the independent studio Hatch with his long-time visual effects producing partner, Cheryl Bainum. Hatch designs and produces digital visual effects for films, television, commercials and interactive projects by using the latest techniques in digital matte painting, compositing and computer graphics. The studio specializes in concept design and designing and creating 3D matte paintings.

Corus Entertainment has confirmed that Nelvana founding partner and co-CEO Patrick Loubert has left Nelvana to become an independent producer. The news comes just over a month after another co-founder, executive VP Clive Smith, left Nelvana to pursue other projects. Michael Hirsh, last of the three original founding partners, remains at the company as CEO.

NY Visual Effects studio Liquid Light, a division of Version2 Editing, has added Smoke artist Nathan Hurlburt to their roster. Initially an Avid editor, Nathan now includes visual effects design, compositing and online finishing among his talents. "Nathan is considered a ‘whiz kid’ Smoke artist that I knew would impress our advertising and editorial clients," said Liquid Light executive producer Frank Devlin.

Douglas Greiff has left his position as VP of program development at Nickelodeon to join Hip TV as partner and head of production. Specializing in Latin-themed programming, Hip TV has produced original programming in English, Spanish and Portuguese for USA Networks, E! Entertainment Television, The Discovery Channel and Fox Sports World, among others. Hip TV founder Beatriz Acevado said, “I’m delighted to have Doug as a partner in Hip TV.

The terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C. on September 11th touched people worldwide, and many cartoonists have turned to art to express their grief. 9-11: EMERGENCY RELIEF is a comic book project to benefit the American Red Cross featuring some of the comic world's leading talents from legendary creators such as Will Eisner to hot new talents such as artist Frank Cho, who’s original artwork for the cover of the book recently sold at Baltimore Comic-Con's benefit auction for $5,000, with the money going to the American Red Cross.

Award-winning producer Dan Balaam has been promoted to creative director of Cartoon Network and Boomerang in the U.K. and is now in charge of all on air promotions and packaging for the channels. Having been with the channel since its launch, Dan has had a huge influence on the fun and irreverent look and style of the channel. While at Cartoon Network U.K.

Visual effects and graphic designer Victor Barroso has been named director of the newly created graphics & visual effects division at PostWorks, New York. Victor has spent the last three years as the director of graphics and effects at Flicker fx, the New York-based visual effects/design shop he co-founded in 1998. Prior to that he was director of graphics and effects at Edefx, New York. Victor brings his training as a painter and illustrator to his work and is equally comfortable on Avid Media Illusion, Henry, Hal, Discreet Logic’s Flame/Inferno systems and Nothing Real’s Shake.

MoCap systems manufacturer Motion Analysis Corporation has hired Jeff Thingvold as VP of application engineering and Napoleon Hambrick as VP of new media sales for North America, South America and Japan. Focusing on the new media animation sector of the motion-capture industry, Jeff Thingvold will coordinate the development of all software tools and incorporate customers' current and future needs into software technology designs. Prior to joining Motion Analysis Corporation, Jeff was the chief technology officer at Lambsoft.

Santa Monica-based commercial and film production company Steam has added creative directors Rob Legato and Ron Ames and executive producer Marcy Frey to their roster. Academy Award-winning visual effects supervisor Rob Legato will be working with Steam as creative director. Rob continues to be represented by Sony Imageworks for feature film visual effects assignments. His credits as a visual effects supervisor include HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE, CAST AWAY, WHAT LIES BENEATH and ARMAGEDDON.

Ed Leonard, head of technology at DreamWorks Animation, has been promoted to a position where he will oversee technology for all DreamWorks animation facilities. His responsibilities now encompass both traditional and computer-animated film productions at DreamWorks’ Glendale facility, as well as the PDI/DreamWorks location in Northern California. Leonard will also play a key role in setting up a new CG production pipeline in Glendale. Due to launch in the next year, the new production arm will be a state-of-the-art computer animation studio.