Hicks Takes a 'Shine' to Tool
The Academy Award-nominated Director Scott Hicks is one of several big-name talent signings at the L.A.-based hybrid film and interactive production company.
Hicks, Cooper and Sevilla Join Tool to Bolster
Production, Interactive Capabilities
Tool of North America has added a number of new talents to its roster. Topping the list is Writer/Director Scott Hicks. Also joining the company is James Cooper, the former Chief Creative Innovation Officer at JWT New York, who signs on as an interactive director, and the designer Michael Sevilla, who joins as an Associate Creative Director.
A lauded feature director who frequently crosses over into the spot and documentary realms, Hicks was nominated for an Academy Award for "Shine," the 1996 drama that made a star of actor Geoffrey Rush. Since then he's reeled off a string of critically-acclaimed films and documentaries, including "The Boys Are Back," starring Clive Owen; "Snow Falling on Cedars," based on David Guterson's novel of the same name' an adaptation of Stephen King's "Hearts in Atlantis," starring Anthony Hopkins; an adaptation of Nicholas Sparks' "The Lucky One"; and "Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts," a feature-length documentary on composer Philip Glass.
"I'm thrilled to be able to work with such an accomplished filmmaker," says Tool Managing Director Brian Latt. "As 'Shine' is one of my favorite movies, Scott's work has had a profound effect on me. He's an incredibly multifaceted director with a special gift for crafting a story."
Hicks has also been prolific in the commercial space for many years, having directed campaigns for brands such as Hummer, American Express and Subaru.
Cooper joins Tool as the latest interactive director on the company's roster. He's served as the creative leader behind a wide range of digital work, including the recent Cannes Gold Lion-winning mobile application for Band-Aid featuring the Muppets, Wheaties' Most Valuable Tweeter Super Bowl campaign and JC Penney's "Return to the Doghouse" campaign.
Starting at Ogilvy London, where he ran the multi-award winning IBM business, Cooper has consistently won awards and judged awards shows, and is also a published industry author. With over 50 top digital awards to his name and a portfolio that transcends the traditional realms of advertising, Cooper fits perfectly into Tool's culture of digital innovation, says Tool Digital EP Dustin Callif. "James is a creative visionary with a rare grasp of what it takes to lead a team," he adds. "Our in-house digital capabilities and roster of talent have grown tremendously over the past few years, and James is exactly the sort of leader who can help us marshal those resources into our next game-changer."
Prior to joining Tool, Cooper acted as chief creative innovation officer at JWT New York, managing the agency's creative product in the emerging digital space, creating both campaigns and products. Previously, Cooper was the creative director at two of the UK's leading independent digital agencies, Dare and Agency Republic, growing both from a staff of under 50 to over 150 people during his tenure. Under Cooper's guidance, both agencies were named "Agency of the Year" by Campaign, and after winning that title three years in a row, Dare was named "Agency of the Decade."
Further adding to the studio's interactive capabilities will be Sevilla. A multidisciplinary creative specializing in direction, branding, print, and all things interactive, he brings a fascination with the convergence of art, design, music, technology and life to his new role.
As an award-winning designer of numerous brands, applications and interactive websites, Sevilla has handled projects for clients such as Converse and the NBA. He played an integral role in establishing Maven Creative, a start-up design and development studio, and also worked as an art director at Tombras Group, a Knoxville, TN digital agency, where he secured two national ADDY Gold awards and numerous local Golds and Best of Show prizes.
Published 18, November 2012
