The studio, which kicked off the new year with a refreshed look and midwestern presence, adds Chicago-based creatives Daniel Pernikoff as associated creative director, Travis Saul as creative technical superviso,r and Scott Rachwalski as art director/CG supervisor.
Creative studio ATKPLN has further expanded its new regional presence with the addition of three key hires: Daniel Pernikoff as associate creative director, Travis Saul as creative technical supervisor, and Scott Rachwalski as art director/CG supervisor. The trio join following the recent additions of Chicago-based Larissa Berringer as executive producer and Daniel DelPurgatorio as executive creative director.
Pernikoff attended the Rhode Island School of Design where he studied graphic design and animation. He started his professional career at Digital Kitchen in Chicago, which inspired him to move to NYC, working on a wide range of projects with some of the city’s most notable design shops, including Imaginary Forces, Brand New School, DKNYC, and Superfad. In 2012, he returned to Chicago to work as a senior art director and compositor for leading studios including Method Studios, Filmworkers, Vitamin Pictures, Carbon, and Framestore.
Originally from Indiana, Saul earned a BFA in Art and Technology at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, later adding an MFA in Fine Art at the University of Chicago. He began his career as a studio assistant for contemporary artist Jason Salavan before landing a role as technical lead at Clutch Studios. He eventually rose to technology & innovation lead, focusing on XR, real-time and game engine technology, playing an instrumental role in the creation of the VR experience for the launch of International Truck’s MV Series.
Rachwalski studied audio engineering before making a change to the visual arts. After seven years freelancing, he landed a gig as creative director at Clutch Studios in Chicago, growing the team while overseeing innovation initiatives across broadcast, virtual reality, real-time and location scanning services. He eventually joined Framestore as a technical design director, working on a wide range of commercial projects including the iconic Super Bowl spot Scissorhands Free.
Source: ATKPLN
Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.
