ArtClass Signs Director/Creative Director Shaun Collings

Bicoastal production company ArtClass has signed Director Shaun Collings for representation. A versatile director and creative director known for his design-driven storytelling, Collings’ body of work encompasses projects for Under Armour, Acura, General Mills, Oculus, Nike, TaylorMade, and ESPN, the latter of which included the award-winning deepfake-style spot for the network’s “The Last Dance” documentary, featuring sports broadcaster Kenny Mayne.

As a director at ArtClass, he will focus on commercials, promos, and branded content for linear and digital platforms. He will also draw on his experience as a creative director to advise and build on the company’s post-production capabilities.

“Shaun and I go way back, so it has been fun watching him grow into the director’s chair after having established himself as a sought-after creative director,” says ArtClass Executive Producer/Partner Geno Imbriale. “His eye for design translates well to framing a live-action scene and finding those little details behind every great story. His deep understanding of the VFX and post process is also a huge asset as we are constantly looking for ways to elevate our pipeline and create more efficiently. He brings great passion in the process. I know because we’ve pulled off some impossible projects together.”

“Geno has been a true friend and mentor who has helped shape my career as a director,” adds Collings. “He and [co-founder] Vincent Peone have built ArtClass into a forward-thinking company when it comes to content creation -- one that’s finding new methods, bringing a diversity of voices and representation to the table, and really flourishing going into 2021. They’re known as being incredible creative problem-solvers and I wanted to get on this rocket ship.”

Collings freelanced with ArtClass prior to joining the company. In addition to his ESPN work with ArtClass during this time, he also served as Director/Creative Director on the Philo rebrand campaign. His other freelance stops include Elastic, Prologue, and Motion Theory, where he directed and creative directed commercials, title sequences, and VFX work for Nike, Disney, and Apple.

Collings got his start as a Senior Designer/Animator at Shilo. From there, he joined Elastic as a Design Director working on such projects as commercial campaigns for Nike Pro Combat and Verizon Droid, and the Tron: Legacy main titles. Collings then went on to Big Block as a director/creative director, where he built out the company’s design division, and helmed campaigns for the likes of Under Armour, ESPN, and Lexus. His work has garnered industry recognition, including an Emmy Award for Monday Night Football, and multiple Clio and Promax awards for ESPN rebrands, Fox’s Cosmos main titles, and an anthem film for Discovery’s Great American Country.

“The current landscape and speed of projects have edged production companies into the realm of handling many capabilities, from ideation through execution,” concludes Collings. “This is where ArtClass has stood out from the start, having the ability to manage the entire process and deliver quality work all the way through. I’m excited to expand on their post capabilities and to continue bringing my design background to projects, especially when it comes to original and longer-form content. I love helping to solve creative puzzles and finding ways to reshape the story.”