Coffee & TV, a global creative studio based in London announce they have opened a new studio in New York that will be led by the award-winning duo, Jaz Rongokea as managing director and Robert Bruce as VFX supervisor.
A force to be reckoned with in the VFX industry, Jaz Rongokea joins Coffee & TV from The Mill New York where she served as Head of Production and spearheaded high-profile campaigns for global brands like Burberry, Balenciaga, and PlayStation. She was also heralded for her vision and leadership style having helped transform internal teams and processes.
Jaz’s career began at Wētā FX, the beating heart of New Zealand’s entertainment industry, where she first worked on James Cameron’s decade-defining blockbuster Avatar. Since then the benchmark was set for her career, working across the film, television, software, and advertising sectors. Her impressive portfolio includes award-winning projects such as His Dark Materials, which earned a BAFTA for visual effects, and Burberry’s pioneering ‘Open Spaces’ campaign, recognised with a Gold award at Cannes Lions 2022.
Sharing her excitement for the new role at Coffee & TV, Jaz said, “One of the things Coffee & TV are so famous for is their culture. They are proof you can deliver creatively excellent work without compromising the people making it. I can’t wait to bring that attitude to New York and help confirm the narrative that there is another, better way.”
Jaz will be joined by award-winning VFX supervisor Robert Bruce who will be at the heart of the action on set. Having helped lead the 2D team at Blacksmith in New York for the last six years, Robert’s work has been recognised across the globe with honours including a Super Clio win and Emmy nomination for CeraVe’s memorable ‘Michael CeraVe’ campaign. Before that, Robert was a compositing supervisor at Mr X., working with legendary directors including Ang Lee, Guillermo del Toro, Ben Stiller and Adam McKay.
“I’m looking forward to bringing Coffee & TV’s world-class, creative magic to New York. We have an amazing opportunity to build an environment and team that encourages mentorship, development, good chat, and stellar work,” Robert said of the special culture underpinning Coffee & TV’s craft.
Chris Chard, executive producer and co-founder of Coffee & TV, couldn’t be more excited about the future, “To attract talents like Jaz and Robert is a dream come true. The energy, the ambition, the creativity! I can’t wait to see what we accomplish together.” Chris will be heading to New York in early 2025 to support the studio’s growth.
Jaz will lead the charge on the growth of the New York studio, working in collaboration with studio leads in LA and London. The innovative new studio on Varick Street will bring together impeccable design with the very latest tech.
“I’m delighted that Coffee & TV attracts such a high calibre of people, even in a new market for us like New York,” CEO and co-founder Derek Moore shared. “Coupled with the imminent opening of our gorgeous new facility in Soho, I am incredibly excited; both for our own future and that of the wider VFX industry here,” he said.