Mike Wald has been promoted from vp to svp of Worldwide Pay Television at Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI), reporting to Peter Iacono, evp of sales, SPTI. Wald will remain based at the studio's Culver City, California headquarters and continues to oversee all worldwide pay television activities for the studio, managing SPTI's relationships with major domestic and international pay television clients.

Director Michele Band has joined Vee Pee Films, the live-action production division of Virtual Persuasion. Band was a director and producer at MTV Networks and Nickelodeon Studios where she did live-show production, new show launch campaigns, on-air promotions and high-profile celebrity interviews.

Buena Vista International Television (BVITV) has appointed Philippe Maigret svp of portfolio development. Maigret will be based in London and report directly to by Tom Toumazis, svp/md, BVITV EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa). Maigret is charged with implementing an acquisition and co-production strategy and focus on closer liaisoning with all internal and third party producer groups including Walt Disney Studios, Miramax, Touchstone Television and ABC Cable Network Groups as well as TV Animation.

Expanding VFX and production facility Boy Wonder Visual Effects has added Emmy-winning VFX supervisor Tim Landry as creative director. Coming over from a nine-year stint with Dream Quest Images and Walt Disney's Secret Lab VFX facilities, he supervised such projects as GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE, THE SIXTH SENSE, SHANGHAI NOON, SNOW DOGS and HONEY, WE SHRUNK OURSELVES. Landry has joined Boy Wonder to help ramp up its production pipeline to meet the demands of its increasing client roster.

Rick Feldman has taken over as new president/ceo of the National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE), responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations and strategic planning of the organization’s worldwide activities. Feldman is based in the association’s global headquarters in Los Angeles and reports to the NATPE Board of Directors’ Executive Committee. He replaces Bruce Johansen, who served in the position for 10 years.

Dan Weiss has been named evp of worldwide marketing for Universal's domestic and international television divisions. In his newly created post, Weiss will oversee all marketing functions for both the domestic and international TV markets, including worldwide pay-per-view and video-on-demand with campaigns for universal's sales of network and first-run series, off-network programming and motion pictures. Departments under worldwide marketing reporting to Weiss include affiliate relations and advertising, communications, promotions-partnerships and creative services.

Australian native Andrew McKenna joins digital visual effects studio Radium as senior compositor. He has worked on numerous high-profile national and international commercials, as well as television and film projects. McKenna was most recently at GMD in Sydney, Australia as VFX designer/compositor where he worked on such notable films as THE QUIET AMERICAN, THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING and INSPECTOR GADGET 2.

Kim Hatamiya has joined Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) as svp, sales and marketing, based in Culver City, California. Hatamiya brings 20 years of experience and extensive expertise in marketing for international television ventures, Internet content and children's television. Hatamiya has launched and managed international channels, including Canal Fox, Fox Kids U.K. and Fox Kids Latin America. She also has in-depth experience with new product launches and business development.

MTV: Music Television has promoted Carol Eng to svp of original programming. She will oversee production of shows on the network and will assume increased responsibility in managing the original programming department. Eng is based in MTV’s headquarters in New York City and will continue to report to John Miller, evp of series and animation. Eng, an MTV 15-year vet, has produced MTV's signature events such as SPRING BREAK and THE VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS. She transitioned over to the original series dept.

NXN Software, a leading supplier of asset management solutions for the digital entertainment and computer graphics industries, has appointed Ernie Cicogna as its new general manager of U.S. operations, hired Neil Leshner to manage major account sales, and promoted Katja Reitemeyer to director of account management. These appointments support NXN's ongoing expansion into the games, film and simulation markets.

Company 3 New York has hired two-time Monitor Award-winning colorist Roger H. Doran for his long-form work — Company 3’s fastest growing market segment. His recent credits include the HBO series’ SEX AND THE CITY and THE WIRE. His background also includes music videos and commercials.

Jayson Moyer, a young comedy director, has signed with Area 51 Films in Santa Monica, California for exclusive representation in commercials. Since launching his career two years ago via Believe Media, Moyer has established himself as an original comic stylist through work for such clients as IKEA, Molson and the Sci-Fi Channel.

Will Vinton, founder and chairman of Vinton Studios 27 years ago, who trademarked the animation term Claymation, a technique he and his studio were famous for, has left the company. "I have been laid off along with a number of staff members," Vinton said April 17, 2003 in an e-mail, a copy of which was obtained by THE OREGONIAN. "I will be leaving the company as an employee right away." He also told employees that he resigned from the Vinton board of directors April 14. He could not be reached for comment.

Philadelphia-based Shooters, Post & Transfer has added Janet Falcon as its second colorist, and upgraded equipment to expand its film transfer and color correction capability according to Ray Carballada, coo of Shooters.

Creative solutions company mOcean is expanding its business outreach to the worldwide marketplace by naming Javier Prelooker director of new business development, international markets. Prelooker will focus on bringing the Venice, California-based studio's entertainment marketing services across all media to the Ibero-American marketplace. Kevin Aratari, managing director of mOcean, said, "The international Hispanic market has grown and matured enormously in recent years.

Lisa Gregorian has been promoted from sr vp of marketing and research at Warner Bros. International Television Distribution to sr vp, Television, Warner Bros. Marketing Services. In her new position she will continue to oversee all marketing for WBITD and will take on marketing for WB Television (network television production) and WB Animation. She reports to Bruce Rosenblum, exec vp at Warner Bros. Television Group and will work closely with Jeffrey Schlesinger, president of WBITD, WB Television president Peter Roth and WB Animation president Sander Schwartz.

Blanche Frankel has been promoted from exec director to VP at SAA Public Relations. Based in the company’s New York office, Frankel will continue to oversee the Latin American division, in addition to seeking expansion opportunities and developing new business for SSA and manage its New York office operations. Frankel joined SSA in 2000 as director, and in 2002 she was named to head SSA’s newly-formed Latin American division representing Latin American entertainment companies Globo TV and Comarex S.A. de C.V., as well as provide media relations and marketing representation for U.S.