PRODUCTION COMPANIES

London's Academy signed Carmen Montanez-Callan as head of music videos.

Toronto-based Avion Films signed Wade Sherman, Michael Cerny and London-based Jeff Ford to its roster.

Backyard Productions signed Swedish directors Jesper Ericstam and Magnus Rosman.

Fever Films signed Randy Diplock, formerly of Imported Artists, Toronto.

Canadian director Tim Hamilton joined Go Film for US spot representation.

Garlic Films, Madrid, signed new director Marcelo Burgos, following 14 years as CD at various agencies.

Gearhead signed Paris-based director Henri Barges for exclusive representation in the US and Canada (excluding Quebec). Gearhead also welcomed back Milan-based director Mauro Salesi.

MJZ added director Matthijs van Heijningen for UK representation.

Bicoastal Moxie Pictures signed the Odiorne Brothers - Peter, formerly of Crew Cuts, and Jeff, founding partner and former CD of Odiorne, SF. In addition, Peter joined NY's PS260 as editor.

Pagan, London, signed director Anthony Easton, formerly of Large.

Director Dinh Long Thai joined LA's Rhythm + Hues Commercials in the US.

Zero 2 Sixty, NY, and Comotion Films, Atlanta, jointly exclusively signed

director Glen Owen - previously with Storyville Pictures.

POST / AUDIO / ANIMATION

LA-based A52 hired Mark Tobin, formerly a producer at Method, as MD and EP.

International Amber Music signed musical act Zero 7 to its roster.

Berwyn Editorial, NY, added audio engineer/sound designer Eric Thompson.

NY's Charlex named Keith McCabe senior lighting technical director of 3D.

ChicKönKey, NY, welcomed Elyse Hanan - most recently with Blue Rock - as EP.

Jan Cilliers, a South African-born visual effects artist, joined Click 3x, NY.

Derek Moore, formerly with Rushes, joined London's Clear as senior Inferno Artist. Meanwhile, Jonny Hicks quit to join LA-based Digital Domain.

Cosmo Street, Santa Monica, hired Alex Brooks as EP. Brooks was previously senior producer at Deutsch in LA.

Chicago's Daily Planet appointed Scott Marvel president.

Digital Kitchen, Chicago, appointed Bruce Hanson - formerly with PricewaterhouseCoopers - to the position of COO.

Minneapolis-based Echo Boys signed audio engineer Bethany Lacktorin.

KromA, LA, promoted Adam Fisher to visual effects artist.

Outlaw, London signed animation duo Berger & Wyse.

Santa Monica-based Steele VFX promoted Monique Eissing to the post of Henry artist.

AD AGENCIES

San Francisco agency Attik added Patrick McFarlane, formerly of Pittard Sullivan, as executive producer and head of production.

Omnicom Group's BBDO network promoted Andrew Robertson, formerly CEO and worldwide president of BBDO North America, to worldwide CEO,

based in New York. Down under, Clemenger BBDO Melbourne promoted Emma Hill to creative director, following the departure of CD Mike O'Sullivan to Saatchi & Saatchi Auckland. Clemenger BBDO Sydney's CD, Danny Searle, joined the creative committee.

Toronto's Cossette Communication Group welcomed back Bill Durnan as its new creative director.

DDB Canada's Toronto office promoted Andrew Simon and William Hammond from ACD to vice-president/creative director.

Boston-based Modernista! appointed Charles Wolford executive producer and director of broadcast production. He was formerly EP at Hollywood's Satellite Films.

Texas East, former head of production at Ogilvy & Mather, NY, quit the company in May. East says he plans to set up his own consulting firm for agencies and clients.

Publicis & Hal Riney, SF, hired Jon Soto, former assistant creative director and art director at Goodby Silverstein & Partners, as executive vice- president/group creative director.

HOOKUPS> Mergers, partnerships and what's happening in the industry

After a two-year stint freelancing, former Audiobanks composer Chris Winston opened ON Music and Sound. Winston previously worked with clients such as TBWA, Wieden + Kennedy, and FCB.

Hollywood's Fabrication Films formed satellite company A FiLM BY, for commercial work. The new division represents Gary Johns, who recently directed a Ford campaign via J. Walter Thompson featuring Phil Mickelson, Toby Keith and Wayne Gretzky.

Publicis Groupe launched Arc Worldwide, a Chicago-based marketing services company aligned with Leo Burnett and headed by CEO Nick Brien (formerly of Starcom). It comprises iLeo North America, Frankel and Semaphore Partners in the US, Arc in Europe, and iLeo in Asia.

New York-based audioEngine opened a new studio in Phoenix, AZ. The facility, dubbed audioEnginewest, will be headed by partner Bob Giammarco. Joining him is long-time collaborator and composer Jason Camiolo.

The Commercial Film Producers of Europe (CFP-E) and European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA) jointly published guidelines for cross-border TV commercial production in Europe, aiming to breed greater efficiency between international commercial partners. The CFP-E says these guidelines can serve as a template for countries that have no such procedures in place.

With the help of owner/editor Dan Swietlik of Santa Monica-based Swietlik Editorial, London-based Cut + Run opened an LA studio. The combined editorial roster of the two shops will now be represented in the US as Cut + Run LA, and in the UK under the Cut + Run London banner. The studio recently cut spots for Lexus, Visa and Nokia.

Cape Town's Maximum Films Africa joined forces with Oliver Nurock, previously of Reel Africa, making Maximum a multi-faceted prodco, rather than focusing on service only. The company will also be repping Polish director and Cannes contener Michal Sablinski worldwide, along with UK helmer Kevin Molony.

Dallas-based FirstCom Music started up NoisePump Music, releasing 10 CDs of sounds from electronica to orchestral. NoisePump features "on-the-edge" music produced entirely in London by veteran UK producer Aaron Harry. Each CD will contain long-form, commercial-length and sub-mix versions of many musical pieces, and will be available for download online.