ShootersINC Rebrands as Alkemy X
ShootersINC has re-named and re-branded as Alkemy X; positioning the Commercial, Network Promo, Original Content, Branded Entertainment and VFX production company for its integrated future. All divisions of ShootersINC including ShootersTV, ShootersNYC, DIVE & BIGSMACK fold into its new brand name: Alkemy X. The company has also expanded its space in New York and added a series of new talents including Vice President, Development for Content Don Sikorski, Executive Producer Susie Shuttleworth, Creative Director Bex Schwartz, and 3D Visual Effects Supervisor Dave Zeevalk.
According to Alkemy X President & CEO Ray Carballada, the company’s re-brand is a natural evolution for the company. “Our new brand is an accurate reflection of who we are; a media company that provides integrated creative content to our clients,” he says. “It became clear that we needed one name and one brand that really told the story of who we are and encapsulated our messaging for clients, so they know immediately the talent and resources that we can provide for their projects.”
Vice President, Business Development for Alkemy X, Anne-Marie Starker, “We are thrilled with the new brand and name for the company. Alkemy X allows our clients total access to the amazing creative talent that spans across all of our disciplines,” explains Starker. “Over the past fifteen years, we had grown, adding divisions and capabilities as our clients needs’ grew. We are beyond excited to have one overarching brand that represents a 360-degree approach to who we are and what we do.”
Leading the new team additions in Alkemy X’s is Vice President, Development Don Sikorski. Reporting to Mark Finkelpearl, SVP of Development and Production of Original Content for Alkemy X, Sikorski is a series creator and producer whose most recent projects include VH1’s hit “Black Ink Crew” and its new spinoff series “Black Ink Crew: New Orleans.” Don has created and delivered programming to clients such as CNBC, Nat Geo Channel, NBC, and A&E.
“I was excited to become a part of a versatile creative company that would be open to developing television and other content that is the future of entertainment,” explains Sikorski. “I have always wanted to be a storyteller in many mediums and Alkemy X is the definition of a company and creative environment that provides that platform. The company has developed a great environment to develop and produce television. This company to me is what the future of content looks like. They have built a streamlined infrastructure that will allow me as a storyteller to explore many ideas and content development platforms. With the success of ‘Restaurant Impossible’ this is a company that wants to make bold moves in developing television and digital content.”
For Alkemy X Managing Director/New York, Nick Litwinko, the additions of Executive Producer Susie Shuttleworth, Creative Director Bex Schwartz and Visual Effects Supervisor Dave Zeevalk, create a powerhouse team. “It was clear when I joined the company that the planned re-brand would better position us for clients in today’s integrated marketplace,” states Litwinko.
Alkemy X’s new Executive Producer Susie Shuttleworth brings more than 15 years of high-profile television industry experience, to her new position. She has served as Producer, EP and/or Head of Production, and honed projects for leading entertainment and consumer brands through some of America's top creative entities, including 1st Avenue Machine, Loyalkaspar, Urban and Pilot NYC. Among many impressive career accomplishments, Susie has been the EP on more then 25 network rebrands, including the 2011 PromaxBDA Award-winning brand package for Comedy Central. Her most recent accomplishment was launching the successful Brooklyn-based production company Juniper Jones.
“Joining Alkemy X has been such a great opportunity to bring all of my years of experience in together into one place, and a company with an extraordinary wealth of creative talent and resources,” details Shuttleworth. “Building up the team was essential for us to continue on this path as a nationally recognized company, collaborating with long-time clients certainly here on the east coast but also expanding our reach to clients across the country as well.”
Creative Director/Writer/Director Bex Schwartz joins Alkemy X, having had stints at VH1, MTV Games' on air work, overseeing and producing all of the cross-Viacom (MTV, MTV2, VH1, Logo, Spike, CMT, etc) content for Rock Band, Rock Band 2, The Beatles: Rock Band and Dance Central. She's led creative on projects for clients including Joyride, Big Star, Pilot, Oxygen, Audio Department, Blue Room, Brand New World, Pure, Advizor, AOL, Fuse, Nick Jr., CNN, Nick Jr., Lifetime, TBS, IBM, and Rolling Stone. Bex has also directed music videos for her friends like Mike Doughty and The Long Winters. Most recently, Bex was the Creative Director, Brand Creative of TeenNick (including “The 90s Are All That”) and “NickMom.”
“I was thrilled that Alkemy X shared my vision of working at one unified company that produces creative content for all platforms,” says Schwartz. “No silos, just strategic campaigns to reach viewers wherever and however they consume content. I love TV more than anything and I think the future of promoting programming and products will require integrated campaigns that crossover from on-air to digital and to social. Here at Alkemy X, I want to problem-solve and write, direct and create the most compelling and innovative content, promos and commercials for every brand in the world (I dream big!). As television and the methods of its consumption of content continue to evolve, I think it is extremely important to reach viewers across multiple platforms to make sure they know about the best stuff available for them to watch.”
Carrie Spott, Executive of Business Development will now be focused on network relationships and the growth of original content, branded entertainment and promos. “Carrie’s background with advertisers and networks is the perfect combination to pursue the opportunities within these disciplines,” adds Alkemy X’s Anne-Marie Starker, whom Spott reports to.
Alkemy X has also welcomed 3D VFX Supervisor Dave Zeevalk. Zeevalk brings to Alkemy X a breath of visual effects experience including commercial work. He comes from Look Effects, where he spent several years expanding the company’s 3D Department and pipeline. While there, Zeevalk supervised both episodic television and feature film projects, including such high-profile credits as: “Moonrise Kingdom,” “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” “Noah,” “A Most Violent Year,” “Gotham,” “Games of Thrones,” and “Babylon Fields.” Dave’s career has included stints at Zoic Studios, Look Effects/LA and BIGSMACK. He has worked on many award-winning television shows, commercials, broadcast and network branding and video game trailers/cinematics including ABC’s “Lost” and Fox’s “Bones,” Fox’s “Fringe,” HBO’s “True Blood,” ABC’s “Flash Forward,” Craftsman NASCAR commercials, and a “James Bond: Quantum of Solace” video game trailer.
“I am really excited to join the team at Alkemy,” concludes Zeevalk. “Their expansion is what drew me to join Nick and the team here, and the diversity of projects. I have always enjoyed supervising television, film and commercial projects. With Alkemy’s continued expansion into the content world, I’m thrilled to be able to work on commercial projects, as well as projects in TV film and digital.”
