Joey Waldrip has a colorful story to tell: After 21 years of working at charlieuniformtango, he’s now an owner of the company, and has become one of the industry’s most talented VFX/Flame artists in the process.
“Being an owner has been my vision for years and keeping the company in the Waldrip family is something I hold very dear,” Joey says. He has worked with his uncle – Tango co-founder Jack Waldrip – since he joined charlieuniformtango. “My creative art is who I am, but with the support of my partners, James Rayburn and Deedle LaCour, and my effects team – ten of the best people in the business – I can now also mentor and manage. We’ve organized this company in a way that gives each of us the space to do what we do best.”
“I was very lucky to work with the best colorists in the business from the time I started out. I worked with Company 3, The Mill, Nice Shoes, and others on high-end clients like BMW, American Airlines and Chick-fil-A. Back then, we were dealing with film, and because we didn’t have a transfer house, Tango set up the technology to work remotely with leading colorists around the world. When the tsunami hit Japan in 2011, important film resources were destroyed, and that pretty much changed everything. We all had to begin working digitally – that was a real turning point. I was able to adapt what I had learned from the world’s best film colorists to digital. As an experienced Flame artist, I saw how color added a vibrant new dimension to my work—and to my art. Now, I can finish the effects and do the color – all with a singular point of view. The combination of new technologies and my years of experience gives me the ability to fine-tune virtually every aspect of a client’s visual story,” says Joey.
“I’ve known most of my clients for decades, but I approach each project like a first date. We’re going to be in the same room for 12 hours or more and I want my clients to have a good time. Jack taught me it’s not just how skilled you are using the box – everyone runs the same box – it’s about the relationships; it’s about clients wanting to come back for that next date.”
Fran Montoya, head of sales for charlieuniformtango, says, “Joey has an industry-wide reputation for interpreting the exact mood his clients want to convey. And no one does a better job of using color to help our clients tell the stories they want to tell.”
Joey’s new color reel showcases his unique ability to add magic to every scene.
Watch Joey Waldrip’s reel…
