Sydney-based design and animation company Sixty40 has bolstered its directorial team with the arrival of Brazilian mixed media director Boca (Marcos Ceravolo), French animation director/illustrator Skull (Frédérick Venet) and design led storyteller Kyra Bartley.

Arriving in February 2017 from Sao Paulo, Boca’s work is characterised by the use of mixed techniques. Whether it’s stop motion, live action, animation or visual effects, he has spent a decade working globally with clients including Unilever, Carlsberg, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola and Adobe.

An animation director and comic book illustrator by trade, Skull is well known for his street art. Honing his skills working on French animated TV series such as Mandarine & Cow and Gaston Lagaffe, his move into commercials and music videos has him animate clips for U.K. hip-hop artist Dizzee Rascal and French singer Sebastien Tellier, along with directing spots for cell phone network Orange via Publicis.

Since moving to Sydney, Boca and Skull recently partnered up on a project that celebrated moments when ‘Mothers Really Shine’ in an online campaign for Air New Zealand on Mother’s Day with agency Host.

Bartley joins Sixty40 with a background in animation and art direction, and was recently responsible for creating immersive films for Myer’s ‘Wonderland’ lift.

Sixty40 executive creative director Simon Robson said the focus for the Sydney studio is to approach directors that bring a fresh edge to the local market.

“Sixty40 started out as an animation studio and over the past 15 years has done some terrific work,” he said.

“We have now developed into a craft-based moving image house, combining artful live-action work with animation, stop motion and VFX.

“With Sixty40 founder and creative director Mark Simpson now heading up the LA office, with a focus on new media, for Sixty40 Sydney, it’s all about pushing our directors and letting them loose on the local market.

“Skull has just finished directing a super fun animated film for News Corp, and at the end of last year, Kyra directed a beautiful paper-craft spot for Hungry Jacks. So, whilst the plan is to stay boutique and beautiful, we aim to pack a serious punch.”