McKenna joins Flame artist/VFX supervisor Patrick Murphy and 3D/VFX supervisor Andrew Hall

Santa Monica visual effects boutique a52 is very proud to announce the addition of award-winning visual effects (VFX) supervisor and artist Andy McKenna to its full-time staff.
 At a52, which is well known for its artful contributions to major  commercial, music video and television projects, McKenna joins a  team that includes the talents of Flame artist/VFX supervisor  Patrick Murphy, 3D/VFX supervisor Andrew Hall, and many others.

Since beginning his career in 1994, McKenna has established  himself as one of the world’s premier VFX artists working in  commercials, music videos and feature films. During a stint with  Sydney-based GMD, Asia Pacific’s most highly awarded design and  visual effects company, McKenna contributed his artistry to major  feature film projects, among them, “The Lord of the Rings: The  Fellowship of the Ring.” Later, for Radium, he worked with  acclaimed director Dave Meyers and many others on music videos  for Ludacris, Janet Jackson, Liz Phair, and Missy Elliott (for  Elliott’s “Pass the Dutch,” he received the 2004 Visual Effects  Society Award for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Music Video),  and he also contributed to “Spiderman 2,” which earned the 2005  Academy Award for Best Achievement in Visual Effects, as well as  numerous top Visual Effects Society honors. Later, as a staff  artist for Sydney’s Animal Logic, McKenna’s work with leading  creatives and commercial directors reached new heights, and  included contributions to Carlton’s “Big Ad” (winner of ten major  international advertising awards, including a 2006 Gold Cannes  Lion), among many others. Andy landed at Santa Monica’s Moving  Pixels in 2006, where his technical mastery of VFX compositing  and his creativity shone through in high-profile commercial work  for brands including Coors Light, Nissan, Buick, and Mercury, to  name but a few.

“For as long as I can remember, a52 has been one of the most  prestigious VFX companies in the United States,” McKenna began. “There is a certain sense of style and sophistication to the  finish of all work that a52 produces. It’s pretty obvious why  the top directors all do work here. Over the years, I have always  kept a keen eye on a52, and when the opportunity came up to join  them, especially after meeting with Angus Wall, Linda Carlson and  the rest of the team, it became clear that it was going to be a  great fit. They have also been doing some really fantastic 3D  work which really impresses me, too.”

“After seeing Andy’s work, it became clear that his aesthetic  sensibility is an excellent fit with a52,” said a52’s executive  producer Ron Cosentino. “Also, the design background he has  earned working with GMD, Animal Logic and other companies  impressed us a lot.”