NEW YORK CITY — Visual effects studio Blacksmith (http://blacksmith.tv) has added colorist Mikey Pehanich to its creative team, helping to expand the facility’s list of services. Prior to joining Blacksmith, Pehanich was colorist at The Mill, Chicago, where he spent six years honing his craft. He was the first local hire when The Mill opened its Chicago studio in 2013.
Born and raised in the Chicagoland suburbs, Pehanich grew up with an affinity for skateboarding, ’90s rap videos and the outdoors. He picked up a 35mm film camera at the age of 15, leading him on his future creative path.
Initially cutting his teeth as color assistant, Pehanich quickly worked his way up to becoming a full-fledged colorist, working on campaigns that included Michelob’s 2019 Superbowl spot, featuring Zoe Kravitz, and Regina Spektor’s Black and White music video. Credits also include work for Amazon, Samsung, Prada, Nike, New Balance, Marriott and Carhartt. Most recently, he worked on Smirnoff’s global “Infamous Since 1864” campaign, Volkswagen’s Look Down in Awe spot, Fisher-Price’s “Let’s Be Kids” campaign, and Miller Lite’s newly-launched Followers spot.
In addition to commercial and music videos, Pehanich also collaborates on shorts and long-form work. His recently contributed to Shabier Kirchner’s short film Dadli, about an Antiguan boy and his community, and Andre Muir’s short film Four Corners, which tackles Chicago’s gun violence issue.
“New York has always been a creative hub for all industries; the energy and vibe that is forever present in the air here has always been a draw for me,” says Pehanich. “When the opportunity presented itself to join the incredible team over at Blacksmith – there was no way I could pass it up. To be able to work alongside such a talented and passionate group of people all whilst being in New York made for a truly amazing scenario that I am so very honoured to be a part of. The culture and ethos that exists at Blacksmith is something I truly admire and am honored to join.”