SANTA MONICA, CA — Color and finishing boutique Apache (www.apache.tv) has signed colorist Arianna Shining Star to its roster. Her commercial work includes spots and branded shorts for Apple, Nike, Porsche, Budweiser, Tommy Hilfiger, Spotify and Coca-Cola. She also has numerous music video credits, including Wild Thoughts for Rihanna and Justin Bieber’s visual album for "Purpose." On the longform side, Shining Star’s work includes the newly released Netflix feature film
Ibiza, a comedy co-produced by Adam McKay and Will Ferrell’s Gary Sanchez Productions.
Arianna Shining Star’s name was inspired by the Grateful Dead. She joins as the studio as its first woman colorist. After studying Cinematic Arts and Psychology at USC, Shining Star cut her teeth at Company 3 as an assistant colorist. She then worked as a Baselight specialist for FilmLight before joining Paramount Pictures, where she remastered feature films in HDR. Later, she was brought on as colorist at Velem to spearhead the post production department of Milk Studios.
“Arianna worked with us before, and we’ve always had our eye on her,” says Apache managing partner LaRue Anderson. “She’s super-talented and a true go-getter who’s amassed an awesome body of work in a relatively short time.”
Shining Star’s flair for color grading grew out of her interests in the visual arts. She brings a background in painting, drawing and photography, and an interest in psychology, which helps explain what attracts her most to color grading.
“It has the ability to elevate not only production value and overall aesthetic, but can help guide the viewers’ emotional journey through the piece,” she says. “I love the opportunity to put the finishing touches on a piece, too. After countless people have poured their heart and soul into crafting a film, it’s an immense privilege to have the last creative touch.”
On joining the studio as its first female colorist, Shining Star says, “I want to be seen for the quality of my work and nothing else. What makes me unique as a colorist is not my gender, but my aesthetic and approach to collaboration. My style runs the gamut from big and bold to soft and subtle.”