Press Release by Nexus:
Leading production company Nexus is to expand its roster of international talent with the signing of top directors Philippe Gamer and Kris Hofmann.
Originally from France and Austria respectively, Philippe and Kris are winning worldwide acclaim for their brilliant, though stylistically and technically very different, animation work. Having both directed award-winning short films, as well as working with major global brands on high profile campaigns, their storytelling techniques could not be more different. Philippe specialises in fast-paced CGI while Kris focuses on the crafting of beautiful stop-motion work bringing carefully selected objects to life but the effect they each achieve has equally compelling creative impact.
Kris Hofmann studied at Camberwell College of Art where she graduated in Graphic Design, making the move to animation during her MA at the Royal College. Her fantastic graduation film, Breakfast, caught the attention of the international film-making community and has subsequently been screened at numerous festivals around the world, its appreciative reception helping secure funding from the Austrian Film Council for her second stop-motion film, Screwed Up. Kris has also won a Victoria & Albert Museum Illustration Award for her work on Anna Kavan's novel Ice and has recently completed a number of commissions, both moving and still, including work for Granta and Madrid Fashion Week. Kris has already began to receive a lots of interest since joining Nexus.
Chris O'Reilly, Co-Founder & Executive Producer at Nexus, added, "Kris is a really exciting young talent. She's helped us in recent months with the creative development of some projects and has shown fantastic design skills, a very clear thought process, and a tremendous amount of energy. We're big fans of her previous work and think she will be great addition to the Nexus team.”
Philippe's career has come full circle, having first started directing before turning his attention to the then-emerging area of digital post and directing special effects until 2000. His first short, Gouill & Gar, in 2000 saw him return to directing animation, not to mention getting selected in over 100 festivals around the globe and winning prizes at 22 of them. Philippe opened his own animation studio, Space Patrol, in 2004 and has worked on commercials for blue-chip clients including Nescafe, Kellogg's and Danone. His absolute mastery of CGI animation, not to mention his expertise directing special effects, can be witnessed to maximum jaw-dropping effect in his latest short, Chase, which is just starting what we anticipate to be an amazing festival run.
Charlotte Bavasso, Co-Founder & Executive Producer at Nexus, added," When we saw the Chase, we knew this guy was special. We met him and he's absolutely that. We are really looking forward to working with Philippe and his team. He is an amazing craftsman, the basic key to any outstanding work. This is what we always look for.”