Work for Hallmark, Allstate, Porsche, Coors and Other Accounts Fuels Expansion

Having gotten off to a very fast start, The Colonie, the post production boutique launched earlier this year by editors Bob Ackerman and Brian Sepanik and executive producer Mary Caddy, is now expanding. The company has added three artists to its staff-editors Billy Sheahan and Joe Clear, and visual effects artist/online editor Tom Dernulc. The three newcomers already have several projects under their belts, including work for Philip Morris, Porsche, Corona, Hallmark and Allstate.
Sheahan, Clear and Dernulc have all previously worked with Ackerman, Sepanik and Caddy, so their arrival at The Colonie is more like a reunion. “We are very pleased to welcome Billy, Joe and Tom to our team,” says Caddy. “We’ve known each other for a long time and collaborated on many projects so it has been a very easy fit. They are all extremely talented and bring the kind of energy and enthusiasm that we need to keep our momentum going.”

Sheahan said that The Colonie has a relaxed, intimate environment that encourages great work. “It’s nice to be part of a shop that is focused and nimble,” he observes. “It’s an amazing group of people and because we work close together, it’s easy to bounce ideas off one another-we’re a close-knit community.”

A Chicago-native, Sheahan has cut spots for Leo Burnett, BBDO, Saatchi & Saatchi, Ogilvy & Mather, A. Eicoff, Cramer-Krasselt, DraftFCB and DDB, among others. He received an Emmy nomination for his work on the independent film Ruth’s Journey. His credits also include the short film Mrs. Marshall that premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. Additionally, Sheahan is an acclaimed fine art still photographer, whose work has been exhibited at galleries nationwide.

Clear began working as an assistant editor shortly after graduating from Columbia College. He has been editing on his own for two years with credits that include spots for Wal-mart, Bank of America and The Gap. Cowboys, a spot he cut for the Chicago Latino Film Festival was a finalist for a London International Advertising Award in 2007.

In assessing his move to The Colonie, Clear said that he was excited by the opportunity to build a new company. “I hope to help establish this company as a pillar of the Chicago advertising community and be a go-to shop for high creative,” he said.

Dernulc began his career as an online editor before moving to the Smoke platform a decade ago. Since then, he has applied an art background to add motion graphics design and visual effects production to his skill set. His credits include spots for such brands as Ameritrade, Aquafina and Hallmark. He also has experience in long-form television, where his credits include The Show, a documentary series (directed by former DraftFCB senior producer Sam Ciaramitaro) about baseball prospects trying to make it in the Big Leagues.

“I like being the final piece in the puzzle and seeing it all come together,” says Dernulc of his craft. “Being able to knock out last minute changes in an efficient manner with clients in the room and the clock running…I like that.”