SAN FRANCISCO — LA-based design & animation studio Laundry (www.laundrymat.tv) has opened a new location in San Francisco and hired industry veteran Michael Bennett to serve as managing director of the new studio. Bennett, formerly of Ntropic, will work closely with LA managing director James Sweigert to ensure seamless integration of talent and capabilities between both offices.
The doors are already open at the new San Francisco studio, which is located in the South of Market (SoMa) neighborhood. The space is designed for client-attended sessions, and can handle ideation and concept development, live-action production, animation, graphics, editorial and finishing.
Bennett’s hiring reunites him with Laundry, where he spent five years as executive producer in Los Angeles. There, he played an integral role in the company’s growth from 2010 to 2015. He brings extensive experience in branded content, specifically within the disciplines of design, animation and VFX. He was most recently director of business development/managing executive producer at finishing company Ntropic in San Francisco. Prior to that, he served as executive producer at Laundry in Los Angeles. Other career stints include serving as director of business development, commercial & gaming at yU+Co, and handling business development for Belief Design.
“[Laundry executive creative director] Tony [Liu] and I are both from the Bay Area and feel it’s the perfect return to our stomping ground as artists and designers,” says PJ Richardson, Laundry’s executive creative director, who co-founded the award-winning studio with Liu in 2006. “We’re excited for Michael to be returning to Laundry in this capacity, and helping us nurture partnerships with the agencies and brands anchored in San Francisco and the Silicon Valley.”
“In my opinion, there’s no other studio in the San Francisco market quite like Laundry,” adds Bennett. "It's the perfect setting for their unique vibe, animation style, and design-driven storytelling. I look forward to bringing our high level of ideation, forward-thinking design, and execution to clients in this area.”