SEASONED OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE JOINS THE COMPANY'S LOS ANGELES LOCATION
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 19, 2021 — Crafty Apes, a full-service visual effects powerhouse with six production facilities across North America, has hired Alana Newell as Chief Operating Officer at their Los Angeles location.
With extensive experience in feature film and television across a variety of roles, Newell joins Crafty Apes as COO, and her responsibilities will include streamlining the studio’s operations to support their recent and upcoming expansions and increase production efficiencies. Newell, who most recently worked at Rising Sun Pictures as Head of Production and Operations, will focus on capacity planning, staffing and working with key managers to bring cohesion to various teams.
“I have known Chris and Tim since I started in the industry as an intern 15 years ago, and am inspired by the leadership and culture that they have developed. I am excited about the opportunity to join such a down-to-earth and creative team, and feel that my artistic background combined with a strong understanding of technology and process will help optimize the infrastructure required to not only support their growth, but also maintain the Crafty culture,” she says.
Tim LeDoux, one of the co-founders of Crafty Apes, commented on Newell’s hire saying, “I’ve known Alana for over a decade and her years of operational experience and looking at new opportunities to grow will make her a great addition to the team.”
Additionally, co-founder Chris LeDoux, added, “Alana has an impressive career in visual effects and her technical experience combined with her artistic skills will be a great asset to Crafty Apes as we continue to expand our offices.”
Crafty Apes’ recent credits include fan-favorite and critically-acclaimed films such as Mulan, Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey, Palm Springs, and Jumanji: The Next Level, as well as top episodic series including Star Trek: Discovery, Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Lovecraft Country, and Perry Mason, to name a few.
About Crafty Apes
Crafty Apes is a full-service visual effects company started in Los Angeles, with studios in Los Angeles, Atlanta, New York, Baton Rouge, Albuquerque and Vancouver. Beginning as a VFX studio for film and TV, Crafty Apes has grown to include a talented roster of creative and production supervisors that offer set supervision, VFX consultation and high-end CG and previsualization services. Crafty Apes’ work can be seen on such projects as Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey, Just Mercy, La La Land, Dolemite Is My Name, Hobbs & Shaw, Star Trek: Picard, The Orville, Stranger Things, Men in Black: International, Deadpool 2, and many more.