MSSN XXVII
/
Spotify | Playlist Pyramid
/
5:31
Animation
2022
Gabe Bornstein
Partner / Executive Producer
Gabe’s first ever job was working as a grom at his local surf shop at the age of 13 and was paid in surfboard wax. He inherited a love of film and image-making from his dad and never looked back.
After a stint working as a cinematographer at VICE under Spike Jonze’s creative department and for VICE On HBO, he went on to create films in the surf and outdoor industries across Hawaii and Australia (there was still surfboard wax involved but slightly less this time around). As a founding partner of ROVE, managing the big picture of the company while also making time to be involved with each of the projects is where he thrives.
Outside of work, Gabe is on the board of More Women Surf+, a non-profit dedicated to fostering an inclusive outdoor community in board sports, and is an advisor to Blueprint Surf Company, a 3D-printed surfboard manufacturer.
Jay Brown
Partner / Creative Director
One part hip-hop nerd, one part sci-fi lover, and a heavy dose of skateboarding, that’s how you concoct a Jay cocktail (get yourself a nice rocks glass, trust us).
Prior to co-founding ROVE and putting his creative stamp on work for clients like Spotify, Google, Toyota, Complex, and many more, Jay began his career creating branded content for the likes of Pernod Ricard and JEEP. He later discovered a love for mixed media which led to three years of traveling all over the United States directing psychedelic music videos and working with record labels like Mello Music Group, Stones Throw Records, Atlantic Records, and Virgin Records.
At ROVE Jay can be found conjuring up conceptual, playful, and inventive work spanning the design, animation, and live-action landscapes.
Jen Vance
Senior Creative Producer
Meet Jen – A multi-instrumentalist since age five with skills on the cello, piano, and even the nose flute, accompanied by Maurice, the Keeshond furball sensation. He’s basically a living cloud with eyes <3
After a pivot from the fashion industry over a decade ago, Jen has had a career full of work in the mixed-media commercial space and the interactive experiential world. She’s a creative powerhouse drawing from all of her past experiences with an attentive eye for detail and a love for the process. Pre-ROVE she was creating/producing for the likes of Vimeo, Nick Jr., Shopify, Spotify, Google, Netflix, Facebook, and the list goes on and on!
Here at ROVE Jen keeps things moving smoothly whether she’s running the creative or post-producing (or both!) on any number of projects.
Devon LaBonte
Post Producer
Meet Devon, a New Hampshire native, former community theatre nerd turned Vermonter. She’s a spicy food fanatic, and finds solace in wintry wonderlands.
After a stint in Scotland where she received her Master’s Degree from the University of Edinburgh, she traded bagpipes for tapas and jet-setted off to Barcelona to teach English for a year. Devon’s journey led her to the concrete jungle of NYC where she spent two years working in the publishing industry. Her life took a wild turn into the realm of “virtual celebrities.” Yes, you read that right—Devon worked her way up from production coordinator to animation producer at an IP + Media startup, focusing on creating synthetic influencers and an animated music group. She fell in love with the animation process and developed an extensive set of skills managing post-production pipelines.
When Devon isn’t keeping all of us in line, post-producing ROVE projects with careful attention, she can be found cuddling up with a classic novel or watching a spine-tingling horror film.
Jared Flynn
Lead Animator / Post Supervisor
Who else do you know that has extensive 2D and 3D animation chops and is also a budding theremin musician? There can only be one and it’s Jared Flynn.
Cutting his teeth in the broadcast space for clients such as National Geographic, NOVA, and The History Channel, Jared began his career pushing keyframes around at an award-winning documentary house. From there, he moved on to running the animation capability at a large digital agency for clients like Welch’s and Harvard Business School.
You can now find Jared masterfully conducting keyframes at ROVE for all of our animated projects like the maestro he is, and lending his expertise every step of the way. He’s basically a superhero in human form.
Mari Ray
Motion Designer
Mari is a born and raised Cuban Puerto Rican, whose love for exploration extends from traversing the globe to infusing life into her vibrant 2D designs and animations.
With a BFA in Motion Media Design from SCAD fueling her ambition, Mari’s journey started in Atlanta, where she worked at a leading consulting firm, adding her creative touch to brands like Tapestry, Sysco, and John Deere, among a myriad of others. But that was just the beginning—Mari then took her keyframes and voyaged on to put her stamp on the work coming from a healthcare and wellness design studio in Chicago, for clients like Takeda and Meridian.
Mari’s desire to push the boundaries is expressed through constant exploration. She’s always finding new techniques and ways to deliver an idea or message. In her spare time, you can find her creating art, hanging out by the water, or skateboarding around with her dog and cat chasing close behind.
PO Box 3727
Portland, ME, 04101
Kristen Huffines
kristen@aspireartistsagency.com
+1 (310) 902-6880