Brazen Animation, a leading animation studio for the creation of feature film, series, game cinematic, and multiplatform content, announced three senior hires have been brought onboard to help lead the production of the studio’s expanding slate of projects. Marc Matthews came onboard as the new VP of Production and Operations leading the studio into their next steps of growth. Chris Osbrink and Greg Rizzi have joined the team as Creative Directors setting a new standard for the studio’s services.
“Marc, Chris, and Greg are going to be great catalysts to continue to push our studio to the next level,” said Brazen Animation CEO and Chief Creative, Bryan Engram. “Adding these key leaders aligns with our mission of continued growth and innovation. Their combined experiences add a new perspective to set a new standard for our animated storytelling.”
As the new VP of Production and Operations for Brazen Animation, Marc Matthews has worked in feature animation and production for the last 15 years. He spent time with Reel FX Animation working on animated feature films such as Freebirds and Book of Life, then onto Animal Logic in Vancouver where he led production for The Lego Movie 2 and DC League of Super-Pets for Warner Bros. His production career started in production finance, expanded into content development and producing, and finally into the Head of Production role, overseeing a studio with over 300 staff and artists producing multiple feature films and other ancillary content.
Chris Osbrink joined Brazen as a Creative Director. Previously, Osbrink has written, directed or produced for Netflix, Universal, Warner Bros, Riot, Comedy Central, Shadow Machine, Lionsgate, and MTV. He has sold multiple features, served as the showrunner for premier animation companies, and collaborated with some of the best artistic talent in the business. His latest pilot was produced by SyFy in 2021. He recently worked as a writer/director for Blur Studios where he created AAA game trailers for Elder Scrolls, Division, PUBG, Fable, and League of Legends.
Greg Rizzi also jumped onboard as an Associate Creative Director this year. He most recently came from Blur where, as Animation Supervisor, he led animation on large cinematic projects including League of Legends: Wild Rift and Valorant. Rizzi’s career began in 2003 when he was hired as a previs artist for Star Wars, Episode III. Along with his fellow Lucasfilm co-workers, he became one of the founding members of The Third Floor previs studio. His prior experience includes stints at Electronic Arts, Reel FX, Lucasfilm Animation, Blue Sky Studios, and Disney Feature Animation.
“Throughout our studio’s growth over the years, it has been a core focus to implement systems and processes to allow our artists to flourish. Our hiring of new senior talent reflects a pursuit for innovative minds that want to propel Brazen to scale. Brazen’s collective talent is undeniable and this will be shown in our upcoming partnerships along with internal projects the studio is pushing out in the next 12-24 months,” said Ryan Iltis, President and CBDO of Brazen Animation.
