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The Colonie Expands Its Roster of Editorial + VFX Talent

The Colonie welcomes assistant editors Emily Hayes and Stephania Dulowski to its creative team, moves Ben Pokorny to the company’s VFX/finishing department.

The Colonie, Chicago’s award-winning creative editorial, visual FX and postproduction boutique, continues to expand its roster of talent with the addition of assistant editors Emily Hayes and Stephania Dulowski to its creative team, and Ben Pokorny’s move to the company’s VFX/finishing department.

Ben Pokorny

Ben Pokorny

Pokorny exited Red Car in 2013 and began working with The Colonie as a freelancer. He joined the staff as editor Keith Kristinat’s assistant in 2014.  A graduate of Columbia College, Chicago in 2010, he studied computer animation. Pokorny’s new position as Flame Assistant, working with finishing and visual FX artist Tom Dernulc, builds upon his training while his editing experience brings a cutter’s eye to his new role. His recent work includes a spot for Nintendo Super Smash Bros. 3D for Leo Burnett. (Need to verify title/product)

Emily Hayes

Emily Hayes

Emily Hayes, joined The Colonie’s collaborative collective of talent as assistant to senior editor Tom Pastorelle.  Hayes received her B.A. from The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and went on to study visual FX, animation and design at Tribeca Flashpoint College in Chicago. She graduated in 2012 and came onboard at The Colonie after a stint at Beast/Chicago. Emily has the distinction of being the winner of the Tent City division of AICE’s Chicago Camp Kuleshov Awards.

Stephania Dulowski Stephania Dulowski signed with The Colonie as assistant editor, and works with senior creative editor Brian Sepanik and Editor Brian Salazar on a mix of jobs. Dulowski’s recent projects include the open for The London Business School’s 2015 ‘TEDx’ Conference and a digital spot for Google, both cut by Sepanik.  Prior to coming onboard she freelanced as assistant editor on Kris Swanberg’s feature-length indie film, Unexpected, which premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. 

“Handpicking young, innovative assistant editors, visual FX artists and finishers like Emily, Stephania and Ben – and paring them with accomplished senior talent committed to helping them develop their skills - has been key to the ongoing expansion of The Colonie’s multi-disciplined collaborative team,” says Sepanik, “It’s also essential to continuing to turn out the caliber of work that has established The Colonie as a high-end turnkey creative resource for national and regional spots and digital commercials, as well as media content for a mix of platforms.” 

Source: The Colonie

Jennifer Wolfe's picture

Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.