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HomeCraftsAnimationLeviathan Announces New Staff Additions and Promotions

Leviathan Announces New Staff Additions and Promotions

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From left: systems administrator Lucas Shira, producer James Turek and software engineer David Braun.
From left: systems administrator Lucas Shira, producer James Turek and software engineer David Braun.

Chicago-based design studio Leviathan announced three new hires – producer James Turek, software engineer David Braun and systems administrator Lucas Schira – along with three new promotions from within – senior creative director Bradon Webb (from creative director), director of R&D and engineering Adam Berg (from research engineer) and designer Alexis Copeland (from junior designer).

Turek has been freelance for the past several years, after more than eight years working on major film, TV and commercial projects in Hollywood. From 2012 to 2013, he was Marvel Studios‘ stereo coordinator, where he contributed to both Iron Man 3 and Thor: The Dark World. Prior to that, he spent seven years with Zoic Studios in L.A., where he began as VFX coordinator and also held the position of production and stage manager. During his time with Zoic, he accumulated more than 4,000 hours of on-set experience, and his TV credits include CSI and Falling Skies among others. His work on “CSI” helped Zoic win the 2010 Emmy for outstanding visual effects for a series. Turek earned his B.A. in Film Studies from the University of California at Santa Barbara.

“Leviathan is the embodiment of the forward thinking studio I sought to work for after my decision to relocate back to Illinois,” said Turek. “We live in an evolving world where entertainment, art, and education are accelerating toward new levels of immersion and interactivity, and this company is on the summit.”

A 2014 graduate of Brown University with a B.A. in mathematics-economics, Braun pursued a number of professional challenges throughout his studies at Brown, developing iOS apps for the Cambridge-based design studio Invivia, serving as data analyst and engineer for L.A.-based mobile gaming studio Scopely, and interning as a data scientist for NYC-based mobile advertising exchange and analytics company PlaceIQ. For an ambitious independent study project his senior year, he created an innovative, projection-mapped audiovisual installation that brought him to the attention of Leviathan’s executive team.

“David has already made himself invaluable to our team on every project he has touched,” said executive producer Chad Hutson. “As a crucial part of our problem-solving process, his plate is already piled high with creative challenges.”

Prior to joining Leviathan, Schira spent a year as a systems administrator for web hosting firm WiredTree. Prior to that, he was an interactive designer for Chicago-based M1 Interactive. Over more than two years, he helped design and produce exhibits at the Adler Planetarium and Shedd Aquarium, and many interactive trade show installations and public events using motion tracking sensors and projection mapping. He earned his B.A. in sound for visual media from Columbia College Chicago.

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