Harbor, a global leader in production and post-production in entertainment and advertising, is proud to announce the opening of its state-of-the-art studio in the heart of Chicago. This strategic move comes as part of Harbor’s commitment to meeting the demands of its clients while establishing a presence in one of the most influential advertising cities in the nation.
The new studio in Chicago will offer top-tier talent across all post-production artistries – creative editorial, color/finishing, sound, VO record and casting, VFX, and design.
Overseeing Harbor Chicago, Executive Producer Casey Swircz, formerly of The Mill and Carbon, is supported by a deep bench of award-winning talent. Creative Directors Oisín O’Driscoll; Head of Color, Steve Perski; Sound, and VFX Creative Directors Kyle Cody, Anne Trotman, Andrew Granelli, Alex Candlish, and David Soto lead a global team of VFX and design artists, focusing on CG, 2D, and Motion Design.
Executive Creative Director Chris Hellman, formerly of Crewcuts and Homestead, curates Harbor’s roster of premium editors across automotive, comedy, visual storytelling, beauty, fashion, documentary, mixed-media, Spanish-language, and kids-audience advertising.
Since launching the Chicago studio, the team has successfully delivered notable projects including Tide’s “Lucky Jersey,” (Saatchi & Saatchi NY) earning a Silver Cannes Lions in 2023, Levi’s “Precious Cargo,” (Droga5) earning Best Color at AICP 2023, and Goldfish’s “Tiny Hands” (Saatchi & Saatchi NY), which garnered Bronze, Silver, and Gold Cannes Lions awards in 2023.
“Opening a studio in Chicago is a significant milestone for Harbor. It allows us to be closer to our clients and collaborators in this vibrant advertising capital, providing them with convenient access to our world-class artistry,” said Zak Tucker, Founder and CEO of Harbor. “Moreover, Chicago’s storied history in the advertising world inspires us, and we are truly honored to contribute to the city’s creative legacy.”
In 2012, The Harbor Picture Company was launched as an independent studio crafting premium content for the feature film, episodic, and advertising industries.
Founded as a home for moving image creativity at the forefront of the digital media era, Harbor disrupted a fragmented approach to filmmaking by bringing together all production and post-production disciplines under one roof – a unified creative process.
Since then, HARBOR has grown to a global company with operations in New York, Los Angeles, London, Chicago, and Atlanta. Relentlessly focused on talent, technical innovation, and protection of artistic vision, Harbor hones every detail throughout the moving image-making process: live-action, dailies, creative & offline editorial, design, visual effects, sound & picture finishing.
Notable feature and episodic post-production projects include, A24’s Beau is Afraid, HBO’s Love & Death, Netflix’s El Conde, Bardo: A False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths, directed by Alejandro Iñárritu; Armageddon Time, directed by James Gray; Venom 2: Let There Be Carnage, directed by Andy Serkis for Marvel and Sony; Lisey’s Story, created by Pablo Larraín for AppleTV+, and more.
