Nexus Studios has signed director and multidisciplinary artist Devin Crane to its commercial roster.
Crane has worked across animation, feature film, illustration, fine art and concept design and has “built a career around creating distinctive characters, worlds and visual languages” across live-action, television and animated blockbusters, including Warner Bros. Pictures’ Space Jam: A New Legacy and Smallfoot.
He has moved between disciplines and scales, from animated world-building and character design for world-renowned IP to conceptualising theme park attractions and creating original fine art.
Devin’s career began at 17, when he joined Walt Disney Imagineering and was mentored by legendary Disney Art Director John Hench. He became the youngest designer ever to contribute concepts for a major theme park attraction, developing work featured at Tokyo Disneyland.
Over the course of his career, he has worked with some of the world’s leading animation and film studios, including DreamWorks Animation, Sony Pictures and Paramount Pictures. His credits span animation direction, character design, production design, story and visual development, with previous film work including The Iron Giant, Shrek 2, Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon.
He is also an accomplished illustrator and fine artist. Over the years, he has collaborated with fashion houses such as Hermès and L’Oréal Paris. His original paintings have been exhibited and collected internationally, including solo exhibitions in Monaco and Paris. He illustrated the New York Times bestselling Yoda: The Story of a Cat and His Kittens.
“Devin has long been a reference point in animation circles for his exquisite production and character design and visual sensibility. He brings the storytelling instincts and craft of some of the biggest animated films of recent years together with a more authored world of illustration and sophisticated design. That range feels very particular to him, and we’re very excited to have him directing with Nexus,” said Nexus Studios, Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder, Chris O’Reilly.
“Nexus has always set the benchmark for craft and visual storytelling. What excites me most is Chris and the team’s relentless commitment to pushing the medium forward while keeping genuine artistry at the core. It’s rare to find a studio with such bold creative ambition and integrity, and to collaborate with a studio so dedicated to groundbreaking work is deeply inspiring,” said Crane.
Jon Creamer
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