Paul Simpson, Founder/Creative Director
The founder and creative director of Realise, Paul supervises every project the studio takes on. Above all a visual artist, he has been at the cutting edge of computer generated imagery since ducking out of college in the early nineties to work for software company Side Effects. Having cut his teeth at the Academy Award-winning developers, Paul went on to direct music videos for bands like The Prodigy and The Future Sound of London.
With an established reputation for ground breaking effects and 3-D animation, Paul set up Realise in 1998. The objective was to work with like-minded creatives and directors, and really push the boundaries of what is possible whilst expanding the repertoire to include commercials, feature films and art installations. Pauls team rapidly made an impact, winning MTV Awards, gold and silvers at the British Television Awards and Creative Circle awards for ground breaking music videos and commercials for clients including Audi, BMW and First Direct.
Fourteen years on and the studio has grown into a full service post production facility, with a client list that includes some of the worlds leading film makers, creatives and artists. Paul has maintained a passion for innovation, recently completing a series of complicated sequences for Mike Newalls hit feature The Prince of Persia and co-directing a stunning film for the launch of Paris art gallery La Gaite Lyrique with Universal Everything.
Whether directing or supervising sequences for other teams, Paul applies the same passion and exacting standards, helping to make great ideas outstanding.
Norra Abdul Rahim, Managing Director/Executive Producer
Norra is the oil in the Realise engine. Passionate about the work, she has been an influential member of the team since she joined as a Senior Producer in 2004. Norra now oversees all production, runs day-to-day operations, manages client relationships and, when required, is a first-class counsellor for nervous teams.
Having delivered first-rate content for both agencies and production companies, Norra is an extremely steady pair of hands who has not lost any of the passion for the industry that first led her to move from her home city of Singapore to London. She has a broad technical knowledge, delivering cost-efficient, effective production from initial concepts to grading and mastering.
Dont go dancing with Norra unless you have your wits about you.
Jordi Bares, Deputy Creative Director
Ben plays a crucial role at all stages of the creative process. Responsible for helping to ensure the quality of the conceptual development and the execution of clients? briefs, he is expert at interpreting the requirements of the job. Ben makes sure that that the Realise team has the best information and steer to meet and exceed expectations.
Following a comprehensive design education, Ben worked his way up through a succession of the most highly regarded CG/animation companies including Picasso Pictures, The Mill, Nexus and now Realise. This experience, which includes concept development, modelling, lighting, rendering and shading, and sculpting ensures that Ben can intervene highly effectively throughout a production.
An artist at heart, Ben likes to push boundaries, not just buttons.
Louis Dunlevy, Senior Technical Director
Louis has been working at the forefront of visual effects and post production for seventeen years. A long-term collaborator with Realise, he currently supervises both artistic and technical approaches to client briefs in the studio.
Classically trained, Louis? creative flair and technical prowess are applied to a wide range of tasks. He is responsible for the planning and setting up of 2-D and 3-D jobs, on-set shot supervision, compositing, and 3-D rendering and animation using software packages including Maya and Houdini.
With previous senior roles at companies including Double Negative and Framestore- CFC, Louis has played a major role in leading sequences for commercials and movie?s including Blade, Hellboy and the Harry Potter franchise. Despite a demanding schedule, he remains the proverbial kid in a sweetshop, addicted to images and encouraging as much interaction between clients and the artists in the studio, as possible.
If you ask nicely, he?ll also drum for you.
Ben Blundell, Art Director
Ben plays a crucial role at all stages of the creative process. Responsible for helping to ensure the quality of the conceptual development and the execution of clients? briefs, he is expert at interpreting the requirements of the job. Ben makes sure that that the Realise team has the best information and steer to meet and exceed expectations.
Following a comprehensive design education, Ben worked his way up through a succession of the most highly regarded CG/animation companies including Picasso Pictures, The Mill, Nexus and now Realise. This experience, which includes concept development, modelling, lighting, rendering and shading, and sculpting ensures that Ben can intervene highly effectively throughout a production.
An artist at heart, Ben likes to push boundaries, not just buttons.