Ascent Creatives International (Ascent) today debuts its new agency name and corporate identity. Officially formed earlier this year by the merger of leading production agencies Dattner Dispoto and Associates (DDA Talent) and Worldwide Production Agency (WPA), Ascent represents one of the entertainment industry’s most respected rosters of creative department heads and storytelling talent worldwide.
Dedicated to an artist-centric approach, Ascent provides collaborative representation for cinematographers, production and costume designers, editors, visual effects artists, directors and producers. The agency is dedicated to ensuring its clients’ bodies of work continuously evolve and ascend.
“Ascent Creatives International reflects how we have always approached our clients’ careers: there is no single destination or defining moment, but a constant progression of ideas, opportunities and creative work,” said Barnaby Laws, who leads the London Office. “The new identity gives that philosophy a name, whilst reflecting the international nature of the industry our clients work within and the breadth of talent and opportunity across the UK and beyond.”
Ascent’s leadership team spans the U.K. and U.S., with Barnaby Laws, Estere Sulca and Amber Thompson in the U.K.; Frank Balkin, Molly Bruns, Bill Dispoto, Brian Goldberg, Steve Jacob, Trevor Kossack and Erin Searcy on the West Coast; and Juanita Tiangco on the East Coast.
The combined roster includes Academy Award®, Emmy®, BAFTA and guild-recognised talent working at the highest levels of the entertainment industry, including two-time Academy Award-nominated cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth ASC (The Social Reckoning); two-time Emmy Award-winning cinematographer Brett Turnbull (Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour); Emmy Award-winning production designer Richard Toyon (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty); Emmy Award-nominated cinematographer PJ Dillon ASC ISC (House of the Dragon); BAFTA Award-nominated cinematographers Nyk Allen (One Shot with Ed Sheeran) and Stephen Murphy BSC ISC (Say Nothing); two-time Camerimage Golden Frog winner Jake Gabbay; commercial heavyweight Benjamin Todd; cinematographers Maryse Alberti (Creed), Jeff Cutter (Predator: Badlands), Simon Duggan ASC ACS (Practical Magic 2), Larry Fong ASC (The Predator), Callan Green, ACS, NZCS (Nobody 2), Xavier Grobet, ASC (Sugar), Mihai Mălaimare Jr., ASC (Jojo Rabbit), Malik Hassan Sayeed (After the Hunt) and Vanessa Whyte, BSC (Ted Lasso); production designers Laia Ateca (Sirāt) and Katia Wyszkop (A Private Life); producer Ralph Winter (X-Men franchise); and editors J.J. Geiger (Reacher), Phil Hignett BFE (Finding Emily), Al LeVine (Sonic the Hedgehog 3), John Murphy (The Quiet Girl), Darrin Navarro ACE (Cape Fear), Adam Recht ACE (Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale) and Ian S. Tan ACE (Avatar: The Last Airbender).
