Guerilla FX Opens in Manhattan

Guerilla FX, an independent design, effects and post finishing company, is the natural out growth of the relationship created when Zero 2 Sixty (0:2:60) President/Executive Producer Doug Robbins signed Visual Effects Designer/Editor/Director Thor Raxlen for exclusive commercial representation in October 2005.

The first 0:2:60 project they completed together was a BellSouth spot through Matlock Advertising. Raxlen directed and, with his background in visual effects and editing, he and Robbins found they had the vertical capability of doing not only the production, but also carrying the project through the post and digital effects. The two worked so well together they partnered to open Guerilla FX.

Thor Raxlen had been the founding force at Chelsea Digital, Chelsea Pictures’ in-house postproduction finishing boutique for the past nine years. As Head Editor/Visual Effects Designer he completed effects and editorial work on spots for numerous high profile agencies and commercial products. At the same time directing a number of commercial projects and building a substantial directorial reel which is what initially brought him to Robbins’ attention.

“Thor is a filmmaker skilled in many of the creative crafts. He is a superb storyteller and a visual effects artist. His knowledge of effects is tremendously important in our industry these days and the addition of Thor to the 0:2:60 directorial roster and the formation of Guerilla FX provide important creative opportunities for us, and our clients,” explained Doug Robbins.

“Launching an effects company has always been a dream of mine,” Robbins continued. “Many effects companies have tried to get into production. Thor and I think we have a better formula. 0:2:60 is an established commercial production company with a strong client base and a roster of really good directors. In addition to his directorial work, Thor is incredibly talented and has a deep history and understanding of effects and editing.”

“I wanted a partner who believed in what I was doing and was interested in taking this venture to the next level. I think we can and will continue to do the kind of work that is at the forefront of the industry but I needed a partner who could market Guerilla FX because I cannot do the work and sell the work simultaneously,” Raxlen stated.

During the Christmas holiday lull, Guerilla FX was born. Raxlen and Robbins set up shop on Manhattan’s West side and hit the ground running with eight employees working on a half dozen commercial projects including V8 Juice, V-Fusion, MTV, Crayola, Hamburger Helper and Champs, among others.

“With the creation of Guerilla FX, 0:2:60 is now in the unique position of being a production company that has effects and editorial in-house and can readily package live-action with effects. In return, 0:2:60 has already enhanced the volume and flow of work for Guerilla FX. We hope to keep in place relationships that existed with Chelsea Pictures, and others. It is a win across the board for us all,” stated Raxlen

The Guerilla FX team includes the same creatives Raxlen worked with over the years: Postproduction Supervisor Julie Snyder; Editors Jeff Um and Linda Peters; Designers Dan Shapiro and Alex Topaller ( a.k.a. Aggressive); Compositor Chris Greene; 3D Artists Steve Sullivan and Jesse Holmes; all strong, client savvy artists, all of whom are represented in New York by John Naitove, in the Southwest by Jack Reed, and in the Southeast by Carol Budd and Sheryl Myers of Comotion Films.

Why Guerilla FX? “For all these years we have been doing great work on small boxes with really talented artists. We have sort of been the Che Guevara of the New York post world, so the name seemed fitting,” added Raxlen.

Guerilla FX is headquartered at 121 West 27th Street, New York, NY 10001. For further information about the effects and editorial facility, contact John Naitove in New York at (212) 633-6211 or [email protected]; Jack Reed in the Southwest at (214) 328-7832 or [email protected]; In the Southeast contact Carol Budd at (407) 620-1481 or [email protected], or Sheryl Myers at (404) 688-3800 or [email protected]; and please visit the Guerilla FX website at www.guerillafx.com


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