New York-based studio Version2 has added Dante Piacenza as head of production/exec producer and Lydia Holness as vfx producer of its visual effects and design division.
Piacenza, formerly an exec producer/vp at Young & Rubicam/New York, will oversee day-to-day operations and management of all artists to create and maintain a collaborative and challenging working environment. With creative director Kieran Walsh, he will work to fine-tune the personality and brand of Version2 Design/VFX as an idea and design-driven, format-independent vfx group. He will also work to create internal programs with the intention of growing young talent at Version2.
Holness will be responsible for overseeing all commercial and broadcast design projects, as well as bidding, scheduling and actualizing projects for the division.
The combination of Dante and Lydia is a powerful one, suggested Linda Rafoss, md of Version2. Dantes years of agency experience will be invaluable to us in terms of collaborating with agencies and understanding their needs for visual effects and design. Lydia brings great energy and attention to detail to every project. The two complement each others skills well.
I was looking for a new challenge and was drawn to the creative collaboration at Version2, explained Piacenza. Ive always considered visual effects, design and animation a truly creatively challenging and satisfying area of production. This is a great opportunity to join a company that shares the same sense of commitment to ideas, quality of work and innovation. Version2 as a whole brings this to everything they do. I have tremendous respect for the talent here; the design group is very strong. Their philosophy embraces the new possibilities in traditional and nontraditional media, which I find creatively exciting and inspiring.
Piacenza noted that his immediate and long-term goals are to establish a clear personality for the VFX/Design division, having it operate as an equal yet distinct partner to the editorial division; to develop the artists and advance their craft; and to eventually move into other content opportunities outside of the traditional commercial realm.
At Young & Rubicam/New York, Piacenza produced and oversaw numerous high-profile campaigns including Genworth with Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, Accenture with Tiger Woods, AT&T, Dr. Pepper/Diet Dr. Pepper, as well as the 7 UP campaign with Orlando Jones and later Godfrey. He has a long history with animation and effects projects, having produced many of the CG and design-driven Olympic spots for AT&T such as SPOOLS, GRABBER and PUSHPINS.
Holness comes to Version2 VFX/Design after a successful tenure at Spontaneous as an associate producer. During her time there, she oversaw the production and development of projects such as commercials, title sequences and music videos. Holness worked in a broad range formats, including design, 3D animation, visual effects and live action, and was intimately involved with creative teams to produce innovative solutions. Credits include projects for LG, Hennessey campaign, titles for a documentary and trailer for a Lenny Kravitz tour, re-designs for the company and all print collateral materials.
Holness was previously a freelance music video producer for Homestyle Cooking record label based in Brooklyn, where she produced and promoted LETTER IN BLUE, a music video for the Roughstars.
What really drew me to Version2 is the seamless collaboration between the visual effects and editorial divisions, remarked Holness. I want to be part of the growth of the visual effects department working alongside [creative director] Kieran Walsh and the team. The VFX/Design unit is doing cutting edge work and I look forward to bringing that artistic vision and quality to every project.
The Version2 (www.version2.net) studio offers a hands-on approach to its clients, finding and developing creative solutions for each project, and provides a breadth of services from rough cut through finishing, in all formats: NTSC, HD or 2K for cinema.
The company recently garnered four Gold, two Silver and three Bronze BDA Awards for its work on Puma and UniversityHospital.com commercials, Mercedes Benz Auto Show 2005 Sales & Marketing Presentation and Thirteen/WNET IDs.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
