After five years as executive vice president and general
manager, Tim Sarnoff has been promoted to president of Sony Pictures
Imageworks. The promotion recognizes Sarnoff's tenure as executive
VP, during which time he is credited with transforming Imageworks
into a leading visual effects and digital character animation
company. Ken Ralston, who has served as Imageworks creative leader
since his arrival at the company in 1995, extends his relationship
with Imageworks as senior visual effects supervisor. Ralston is
currently in pre-production on POLAR EXPRESS, a live-action/CGI
adaptation of the children's book of the same name by Chris Van
Allsburg. Both Sarnoff's and Ralston's new titles reflect what have
been their functional managerial roles throughout their tenure, with
Sarnoff responsible for the management, operation and strategic
direction of the company and Ralston serving in a creative capacity.
Sarnoff assumes his new title following Imageworks' most successful
year to date. The company recently managed the simultaneous
production of three effects-heavy films: HARRY POTTER AND THE
SORCERER'S STONE, SPIDER-MAN and STUART LITTLE 2. The company is
currently in production on CHARLIE ANGELS II, I SPY, THE TUXEDO and
ANGER MANAGEMENT, and in pre-production on POLAR EXPRESS and
SPIDER-MAN 2. Imageworks also just produced and released its first
original all-CG animated short, THE CHUBB CHUBBS, which is screening
theatrically with MEN IN BLACK II and STUART LITTLE 2. Sony Pictures
Imageworks will be working closely with Sony's recently announced
Sony Pictures Animation unit, headed by animation veterans Sandra
Rabins and Penney Finkelman Cox.