Description
To whom this may concern, I am well versed and experienced in Creative Director/Group Creative Director/writer and producer duties within the agency structure and have, as a result of those positions, been deeply steeped in the management of the accounts and the agency’s future that I had been tasked with. I have had over eight years in senior leadership roles, beginning at Leo Burnett and continuing on through my GCD role at DDB, where I was trusted to build an in-house production company – the very first of its kind in the U.S. I also started a new office for Tatham in SF from the ground up. Beginning with an empty floor at the top of the Union Bank building on the Bay, in just six months time I engineered everything from staffing to new accounts targets and was the lead creative in landing; Chandon Champagne, Activision Games and Delmonte for the agency, before moving back to Chicago to continue new business pitching and increasing billings at the home office, where I continued my responsibilities to deliver creative direction for every aspect of new product pitching and branding for existing clients. I have launched several new products on my original concepts for the Anheuser Busch Brewery, was the lead on rollout market campaigns and have created some of the longest lasting brand campaigns in the past 3 decades. At the Leo Burnett Company in Chicago I was promoted to ACD within my first year, where I created everything from broadcast to print, outdoor, promotional, live event and radio on United Airlines, McDonalds, Miller Beers, Proctor & Gamble products, Phillip Morris International (7-up) and new products, before accepting a CD position at Tatham, Laird & Kudner (now Euro RSCG). While at TLK, I brought in over $85,000,000.00 in billings to the new office. I was promoted to GCD on, US Government, RJ Reynolds, Coors Beers & Proctor & Gamble accounts. I was responsible for 50% of the agencies billing. The agency grew 60% in the two years I was there. DDB Chicago offered me a CD/writer position with room to grow. I began working on several accounts and was soon promoted to GCD responsible for all of the Anheuser Busch Beer products, new product development and new markets, where I supervised significant product releases and McDonalds restaurants. I began directing commercials for Anheuser Busch brands from inside the shop and in doing so cut production costs by 25%. Within six months in that capacity I was offered a director position at several production companies in NYC and LA. I settled at the Bedford Falls Company and began directing and producing commercials. I have been responsible for over $300,000,000.00 in accounts billing in my last position as a Group Creative Director/Director at DDB and these agencies came to rely on me to lead creative client pitches, while teamed with client service heads. I have since been writing, directing and producing commercials and have won over 60 advertising awards worldwide for my work. I have shared the top of the food chain in both agency successes and as a commercial director. I have had to be versatile enough to deliver full-service production on practically every broadcast platform existing to date and have gotten there through the core of any success – the idea. My experience in production and my success is easily tracked as a creative and a production company owner. I have worked all over the world, directed commercial campaign dialogue in a half dozen different languages overseas, written and directed cross-cultural/multicultural marketing campaigns for agencies. I bring a unique background to this position, because unlike other potential candidates, I have written, directed and produced; Studio and Independent feature films (Paramount, Eternity, A is A), documentary series and film (Sony, PBS, Netflix), short film, Network series drama and TV Pilots for ABC, CBS, and Comcast networks, so I provide a fresh perspective on new possibilities for advertising in the longer form arenas for; branding, product placement and other aspects of what’s trending outside of traditional broadcast and the known online platforms. I have worked with graphics departments on prints and advertising and I have hired a 14-person postproduction department staff for a period of over one year to finish a three-year documentary series project from scratch and I have worked closely with production entities at the top level to ensure that production guidelines, standards, and budgets are met, timelines are adhered to and the end result and deliverables meet expectations. I am experienced in every aspect of production from hiring production department and crew, to casting, to prepping a film, directing and producing through post and deliverables. I am an experienced camera operator of 20 years and have operated every system available in film and digital that exists to date, digital effects, digital intermediate, editing in film and digital, sound mix, audio, studio recording and music production. I am have relationships with most of the top production companies in the business, studio executives (Relativity Media, Legendary, Paramount, WB, Disney, Columbia, Sony), talent agencies (CAA, WME, ICM), talent management companies, music artist representatives in management and licensing and can directly access any director, music artist, department head, or creative asset in the business. My strongest suit is creating content, innovating new ideas for brand and product and storytelling. I am experienced with tight deadlines, collaborating with marketing, research, client service, media, designers and interactive departments within and outside company structure to ensure clear communication. I am experienced in camera operating, digital FX, digital intermediate, editing in film and digital, sound mix, audio, studio recording and music production. As a group creative director I have supervised creative departments of up to 70 people and I have managed performance and career development. I am interested in being an instrumental part of any company that has the capability to inspire people. Thank you in advance for considering. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. I would appreciate the opportunity to review my qualifications in person and I look forward to hearing from you. James Manera 310 930 4687 jamesmanera.com jamesmanera@icloud.com
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