Phoenix Editorial & Designs has recruited motion graphics and visual effects artist Phil Spitler. The 15-year industry vet has worked with major ad agencies and prestigious clients in both the US and in his native England, where he was a founding partner of leading motion graphics studio Keyframe.
"Phil Spitler has been one of the top freelance motion graphics artists in Northern California. After working with him on numerous projects over the years, we finally shackled him to a suite here at Phoenix," said Matt Silverman, creative director, Phoenix Editorial & Designs. "His technical expertise and creativity has helped us tackle some of our most challenging projects. Now that he's on board, we're planning a full-blown assault on the motion graphics world."
Added Bob Frisk, editor, Phoenix Editorial & Designs, "Phil perfectly rounds out our motion graphics team. He brings technical and creative know-how, as well as a client following and new ideas that supplement our current talent and bring our studio up to another level. It's so important for Phoenix to find people that fit into the personality of the company, and we were fortunate to have test-driven Phil on a freelance basis. We knew right away he would be an ideal addition."
Spitler joins Phoenix after spending five years as a freelance artist in the San Francisco area, where he worked on commercials, television title sequences and corporate communications for clients that included Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, Venables Bell & Partners, Mekanism, Apple, HP, Toyota, HBO, Microsoft, Intel, Sprint and National Geographic. He has also designed title sequences and effects for a number of indie films, including JERICHO'S ECHO, THE REAL DIRT ON FARMER JOHN, and the DVD release of The Who's rock opera, QUADROPHENIA.
Spitler spent 12 years -- from 1991 to 2003 -- as co-founder, lead animator and TD at Keyframe, Northern England's leading motion graphics and visual effects company. While at Keyframe, Spitler created television titles for the UK's top networks, including BBC and ITV. His career began at age 17 at Poulter Partners, the largest UK advertising agency outside London. Lured by the work done by the motion graphics designers working at the agency, Spitler decided to teach himself the skill set in his spare time. By the age of 19, he was lead 3D animator at the agency.
Said Spitler, "While living in San Francisco, I'd never entertained the notion of leaving the freewheeling freelance life until Phoenix knocked on my door. It was difficult to resist joining a company where I'd be able to work on such a wide variety of high caliber creative projects, and with such a great group of people."
Phoenix (www.phoenixedit.com) has been a mainstay in the San Francisco creative post-production and design community since 1991. With a roster of award winning editors, creative directors, graphic designers and vfx artists, Phoenix works with creative-driven advertising agencies, including Venables, Bell & Partners, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, Publicis & Hal Riney, Heat, Duncan/Channon, AKQA and McCann. The company produces spots and HD design packages for clients such as Apple, Microsoft, Audi, PG&E, Palm, HP, Adobe, AT&T, Sega, EA, HBO and Sprite.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
