RINGSIDE CREATIVE EXPANDS SERVICES
February 20, 2008

RINGSIDE CREATIVE EXPANDS SERVICES

Central to RingSide Creative’s plan is its new interactive media team. The company has added Chris Calabrese (pictured) and Derek Kuschel as interactive creative director and associate creative director, respectively. Both were formerly on staff at Detroit agency Campbell-Ewald, where they were involved in new media projects for clients such as Alltel and Chevrolet. Their role will be to leverage RingSide’s current resources and to develop new capabilities in order to take on multimedia projects.
 
The studio’s new music services are intended to support both traditional broadcast advertising clients and new media projects. Heading the original music composition and licensing division are Jay Scott, the company’s director of audio and music services, and Les Schefman, a composer and entertainment lawyer who will serve as executive producer. In addition to Schefman, the group will use the talents of staff sound designer and composer John Garstecki.

Garstecki recently created the music and sound design for a video that opens concerts on Carrie Underwood’s current tour. The trio have relationships with publishers and artists across the world whom they can tap for original music, licensing of existing tracks, and as performers. Schefman also has the experience to negotiate music licensing agreements for agencies.

Motion designer Rob Eckert has also joined RingSide. He was previously an art director at Y Partnership, an Orlando, FL-based advertising agency that specializes in the travel industry. Eckert will work on design projects for both broadcast advertising and interactive media. He has the skill set to take projects from the concept phase through execution, including 2D and 3D animation. He will also collaborate with RingSide Creative’s visual effects group.