PRODUCTION COMPANIES
Boxer Films, LA signed director Tom Gatsoulis, ex-Anonymous Content, for US spot rep.

Curious Pictures, New York signed tabletop director Yann Malka for US spot rep.

New York's cYclops productions inc. signed one half of art/pop duo Fischerspooner, Warren Fischer, to its roster for spot rep.

Dab Hand Media, London signed Atonement director Joe Wright for worldwide spot rep.

Bicoastal/London/Rio-based Hungry Man signed Flight of the Conchords director Taika Waititi.

Industry Films, Toronto signed directors Peter Lydon and Alex Ogus.

London's John Spary & Associates (JSA) signed Toronto-based director Philip Kates for rep in Europe, Russia and Asia Pacific.

The Joneses, Santa Monica signed director Allen Martinez for exclusive US spot rep.

Looking Glass Films, Hollywood signed Chad Einbinder for US spot rep.

New York's losthighwayfilms signed directing duo Zack & JC for US spot rep.

One Small Step, London signed Monkmus for spot and music video rep.

Radke Film Group, Toronto signed director Duane Crichton.

Raleigh-based Red Truck Films signed director Joe Kelly.

Revolver Film, Sydney signed director Bruce Hunt.

Bicoastal Smuggler signed director Jaron Albertin for US spot and music video rep.

London's Therapy Films signed director Jake Nava for UK spot rep.

POST / AUDIO / ANIMATION
1080 in Austin added Natasha Uppal to its creative editorial roster. 1080 Inc. hired Randy A. Dalton as chief operating officer, to work out of its San Antonio headquarters.

Absolute, New York hired CD Dirk Greene and managing director Nick Haynes, both previously of The Mill.

Bluerock, New York promoted Dana Gerolimatos to editor.

Bicoastal creative studio/directing collective Brand New School signed Vadim Turchin as CG supervisor in the New York office.

Los Angeles' BWN named Cathi Black head of music supervision.

Click 3X, New York hired producers Jared Yeater, Emily Gleicher and Carson Hood, junior designer/illustrator Gabriel Tick and junior motion graphics designer Erica Gorochow.

Bicoastal music house Human promoted Lauren Bleiweiss to the position of EP.

Chicago motion graphics design studio Lift hired 3D artist/animator Curt Cooper.

Lost Planet, New York hired Alec Sash as EP.

Radium hired EP Stacy McClain to head up its San Francisco studio. The Santa Monica office hired designer Angela Ko.

Smoke & Mirrors, New York hired EP Celest Gilbert.

New York's Thornberg & Forester added interactive designer Francis Villanueva and designer Emily Gobeille to its &sons division, and designer Kelli Miller to its design and animation roster.

San Francisco-based Umlaut added Inome Callahan to its editorial team.

AD AGENCIES
BBDO, Portugal hired Michael Wall, founding partner of Fallon, London, as CEO.

Cutwater, San Francisco named Walter Smith as president, succeeding Brad Harrington. Smith was most recently the executive managing director of TBWA\G1-Europe in Paris.

DDB Worldwide hired Lance Vining, ex-Taxi, as associate creative director, to work out of the agency's San Francisco office.

Deutsch, New York hired Aubyn Gwinn, ex-Publicis, New York, as SVP/design director.

Energy BBDO announced that after five years with the company as CCO, Marty Orzio is returning to New York to be closer to family. No successor has yet been named.

Fallon North America named Chris Foster, former EVP, global equity director for Saatchi & Saatchi, New York, as CEO.

Grey, SF, hired Guy Seese, formerly at Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, as ECD.

TBWA\Chiat\Day is rumored to be in talks with Y&R, Chicago CCO Mark Figliulo about the ECD position left vacant in the New York office by Gerry Graf, who left the agency to become CCO at Saatchi & Saatchi, NY. A TBWA spokesperson, when contacted by Boards, had "no comment at this point".

Seattle's Wexley School for Girls hired production director Gabe Hajiani.

Wieden+Kennedy, Amsterdam named Jeff Kling ECD. He will partner with current ECD John Norman. The New York office named Jason Clement to the newly-created position of director of search/associate media director.

Y&R, New York confirmed that Gary Goldsmith, North American CCO, is leaving the agency after two-and-a-half years.

HOOKUPS> MERGERS, PARTNERSHIPS AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE INDUSTRY
A group of 18 digital agencies joined forces with Adobe to form an industry association called the Society of Digital Agencies (SoDA). SoDA aims to start an ongoing dialogue around issues facing the ever-changing world of digital marketing and design. The charter members of SoDA are AgencyNet, Big Spaceship, Blitz Agency, Domani Studios, Exopolis, Firstborn Multimedia, Grupo W, iChameleon Group, IQ Interactive, Juxt Interactive, Lightmaker, Mind Comet, Odopod, Schematic, Struck Design, WDDG, WhittmanHart and 360i.

Sergei Serpuhov, formerly of Vilks Productions, set up a new Riga-based prodco called Baltic Pine Films which will service jobs in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.

Post company FilmCore, San Francisco launched a creative services division headed up by producer Stephanie Bunting. Copywriter Matt Ashworth and art director/designer Luis Peña also joined.

Directors Johan Tappert, Filip Nilsson and Tobias Bergman launched Stockholm-based production company Folkefilm. It's headed up by EP Johan "Joi" Persson and the roster also includes director Ruben Ãstlund.

London post house MPC (The Moving Picture Company) plans to open a VFX facility in Santa Monica in late 2008 that will focus on US commercials. MPC LA will be headed by producer Mark Tobin, previously managing director and EP for A52.

R/GA announced it is opening a San Francisco office to be headed by Mauro Cavalletti, a former R/GA CD who returns to the company after stints at Organic and, most recently, AKQA.

VFX boutique Red Magnet launched in Venice, headed by EP Shira Boardman, ex-Sway Studio.

Santo's London office will open in May, to be headed by CD Pablo Minces and Martin Cole.

Sonny, London and Toronto's Industry Films have set up an alliance under the name Sonny-Can. The new division will rep most of Sonny's roster (with the exclusion of Jeff Labbé, who remains with Spy Films for Canada) to the Canadian market.