XYZ Graphics

New Work :: Nike Fuel Band

2012-01-19T13:25:00.000-08:00

01.19.12. has finally come! We are pleased to announce the launch of the new Nike Fuel Band. We had a blast working with the creative team at Nike to establish the look and feel for this new product. Both CG and retouching departments were highly involved with the still imagery creation of the Fuel Band. Check out the site and killer imagery here. www.nike.com/fuelband/

Creative Dose :: Vivian Maier

2012-01-13T11:16:00.000-08:00

Friday, Friday, Friday!
What does it mean to capture a moment in time? What about when those moments are found without even knowing they were lost? This site was created in dedication to Vivian Maier (1 February 1926 – 21 April 2009). Vivian, was a french-born street photographer from the 1950s – 1990s, who came to the US in childhood and worked for several years as a nanny in Chicago. Her photographs remained unknown until after her death and were discovered when an estate agent was going through her belongings. These are great snapshots of an era in America and the color work is as impactful as the black and white. vivisanmaier.com

From Maier's New York 1

Creative Dose :: Drawing Machine

2012-01-10T15:37:00.000-08:00

Hello all. No, we did not take a 3 week vacation over the holidays. We were busy, busy bees these last few weeks. Sit tight for some big launches. In the meantime, here is a creative dose. Welcome back to the world everyone, bring on 2012.

So, for the last thing of the week this year I wanted to pose a conundrum….when is art the whole act of what is being created, or the final product of that creation overall? What?!? More simply is the drawing machine the art or is it the drawing.

Images and video of the machine and the drawings…it's in Danish, but I'm sure you'll be fine.

Check it. Cool work guys.

XYZ Augmented Holiday App

2011-12-22T16:34:00.000-08:00

This season, you can augment your holiday experience. Grab your friends and family, huddle around the computer and let the holiday fun begin.
Announcing the XYZ Augmented Holiday App.

Happy Holidays, you fruitcake you.

2011-12-19T15:39:00.000-08:00

Wishing all of our clients and friends a holiday season full of love, joy and fruitcake.

XYZ Artist Project

2011-12-14T13:50:00.000-08:00

Here's the deal. XYZ has some insanely talented artists. On the rare occasions that we are not working on cool client work, to keep everything fresh, we foster creative thinking anyway we can. That's where our artist project comes in. We'll be launching new projects whenever they're done brewing. Instead of keeping everything behind our walls, we want to share. Like us on Facebook and we'll send you a tee. Share the love.

Sugar Exchange 2011

2011-12-13T16:24:00.000-08:00

Creative Dose :: Popuphood

2011-12-09T15:48:00.000-08:00

For this week's Creative Dose we are pleased to present a project by one of our very own, photographer Eva Kolenko. Check it out and give her some love!

POPUPHOOD from Eva Kolenko on Vimeo.

Creative Dose :: Videorative Portraits

2011-12-02T09:43:00.000-08:00

Artist Sergio Albiac creates portraits. But they move beyond what a brush or a camera can do. He creates portraits of people through memories, emotions, relationships and personal story. The brush is really just a metaphor, as they are loaded with meaning instead of paint.

Cheers to a fabulous Friday everyone.

Videorative Portrait of Randall Okita from Sergio Albiac on Vimeo.

New Work :: Prescriptives

2011-11-30T12:03:00.000-08:00

Some of our freshest cosmetics work recently launched on the new Prescriptives website. The XYZ photo team loved working with the peeps at Hello Design.

Superstar stylist Theresa Evans from Stella Design.

Tricks of the trade.

Turkey Day!

2011-11-23T10:09:00.000-08:00

Is it Thanksgiving yet? Good thing there is one more day to digest because we're still full from our annual Thanksgiving potluck. Big turkeys, big flavor, big bellies. Good times. The very happiest of Thanksgivings to everyone from XYZ.

New Work :: Yahoo Animated GIF

2011-11-04T10:13:00.000-07:00

Happy Thursday everyone. Before you all get settled in for the rainy weekend, here is some of our new work. Who says animated GIFs can't be cool?

Yahoo Behind the Scenes from XYZ Graphics on Vimeo.

The individual elements were captured in studio, retouched and comped into the final piece. Shout outs to Bow Wow Productions, Stephanie, Trouble and Jorge. We had a great time working with the Yahoo team!

Halloween :: XYZ Style

2011-11-01T09:46:00.000-07:00

Creative Dose :: Boo. Happy Halloween from XYZ.

2011-10-28T09:20:00.000-07:00

We know Halloween isn't until Monday but with the amount of cheap candy we have consumed and the aroma of rotting pumpkins engulfing our studio... why not.

New Work :: Denver Fifty

2011-10-24T11:07:00.000-07:00

New XYZ retouching work for The Denver Fifty. Check out the event here.

Photographer: Bryce Boyer
CD / AD / Designer: Jennifer Hohn, Burns Marketing
CD / Copywriter: Ryan Johnson, Vladimir Jones
Chalk Mural Illustrator: Debbie Clapper, Gneural
Photo Retouching: XYZ Graphics

New Work :: Nike Lunarglide

2011-10-20T16:00:00.000-07:00

Our new work for Nike has officially launched and can be seen at a Niketown near you (or the PDX airport). XYZ was tasked with creating an infinite urban road to demonstrate the idea of running forever in the Nike Lunarglide+ 3. Our photo team spent late nights shooting various cityscapes and urban buildings to construct the infinite road. The XYZ retouching team took the photographed pieces and seamlessly blended them into one urban setting. Wet pavement and rain was added in retouch. Finally, the shoe was shot in studio and comped in to finished the piece. Nice work Nike and XYZ! nikerunning.nike.com

Nike Running "Endless Road" from XYZ Graphics on Vimeo.

Niketown, San Francisco

Summer Picnic

2011-10-10T11:34:00.000-07:00

Hello all. Hope everyone is having a lovely, Monday morning. Check out the photos from XYZ's Summer Picnic. We all know one thing, XYZ does not mess around when it comes to food. Plenty of BBQ, beer and sun. Thanks to our CG artist JP for all of the great photos!

Geek Speak :: Big Spaceship + Adobe = The Expressive Web

2011-10-04T14:25:00.000-07:00

NYC's Big Spaceship recently partnered with Adobe to develop The Expressive Web showcasing the newest features of HTML5 and CSS3. The site is full of dynamic, engaging demos showing the new features. Check it out!

XYZ OOTO :: MC Cycling with Lance

2011-10-04T13:46:00.000-07:00

Congrats to our Boulder Managing Director MC for riding in the Wapiyapi Classic benefiting families who have battled with childhood cancer. MC did an excellent job fundraising and because of her efforts earned her one of the few spots that were able to start the race with Lance Armstrong (Not quite sure if she ended with him). Either way, congrats.

Creative Dose :: Travel Dreams

2011-09-28T09:40:00.000-07:00

Short and sweet today. Here's a visual gem in honor of all of our recent time lapses. Oh, and our desire to get out of the office and see the world. Any cool travel documentaries/clips/essays you've seen? Share share!

A Journey Down Analog Lane

2011-09-20T15:22:00.000-07:00

So, on a recent evening I had a taste for a steak. I don’t eat much meat these days but it sure sounded like a good idea. I stopped by a well-known steak house, Kelly’s on Naples Island in Belmont Shore. Kelly’s is a throw back to a time gone by. As I sat at my table with a linen tablecloth and napkins in a room with dark wood and genuine virgin naugahyde booths (I always feel a little sad about all those little naugas that gave their live to make those booths) I couldn’t help but feel a little nostalgic even though this was my parents era.

My waiter Mick (great name right) who is as good as it gets when it come to old fashion service, came by to shake hands and take my drink order. A martini seemed appropriate to the setting. The only links to the digital world was my smart phone sitting on the table (bad taste I know) always ready to receive the next text message or all-important email, and the two digital flat screens positioned at either end of the bar.

Playing on one screen was Casablanca and the other Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Although the volume was muted it didn’t matter, as I seemed to somehow know the lines. In the corner the pianist played his Baby Grand accompanying the vocalist who was crooning “It Had To Be You”.

As I sat there savoring my steak and sipping on my martini and taking in the entire scene, a few terms kept coming to mind. “Style”, “Class” and “Eloquent” seemed to most accurately describe my experience while in this wonderful environment from a time past. Terms that are often absent in this cold digital world we live in.

Don’t get me wrong. I love digital technology and all the possibilities it presents. I love the visual effects we create and high-end image manipulation we do everyday at XYZ. But I was reminded how warm the analog world with all it’s “class”, “style” and “eloquence” can be. My experience served to remind me that we need to bring that same sense of warmth to everything we do in the seemingly cold digital world we live in.

Maybe the “Art Center” needs to hold a class at Kelly’s one evening so today’s up and coming creatives don’t miss the opportunity to have a short walk down Analog Lane. By Steven Henry

Creative Dose :: Not So Old School Photo Projects

2011-09-19T11:56:00.000-07:00

Just a thought for your Monday. What if you took a picture at a place in the past, and then went back and took a picture of that picture in that place in the present?

Photo project called Dear Photograph. Check it out, check it out.

Or if you took an old photo and recreated it?

Photo project by Irina Werning. Back to the Future.
"I love old photos. I admit being a nosey photographer. As soon as I step into someone else’s house, I start sniffing for them. Most of us are fascinated by their retro look but to me, it’s imagining how people would feel and look like if they were to reenact them today... A few months ago, I decided to actually do this. So, with my camera, I started inviting people to go back to their future."

Anyway, some food for thought. Enjoy your Monday everyone.

Shot in the Face :: Time Lapse Experiments

2011-09-08T12:52:00.000-07:00

Hello all. Our photo team has been jet setting around the western states capturing time lapse footage for our upcoming showreel. It was a week full of plane rides and long periods of time sitting in one location. Good thing Eva and Eric are patient people/artists. Check out a few of their pieces.

LA Freeway Time Lapse from XYZ Graphics on Vimeo.

Night Fog Time Lapse from XYZ Graphics on Vimeo.

Setting the car mount for LA street shots.

Makeshift rain cover.

Old-fashioned navigation in the Colorado Rockies.

XYZ OOTO :: MC Riding to Support the Battle Against Cancer

2011-08-31T13:35:00.000-07:00

Boulder's Managing Director MC Pfeiffer is riding in the Wapiyapi Classic this year to support her friends and their families who are battling cancer. Check out her fundraising page to help support a great cause. Go MC! The entire XYZ team will be cheering you along the whole way!

Creative Dose :: Fried-Ay? Us too.

2011-08-26T16:16:00.000-07:00

To do list for the rest of the day and something to help you get it done.

Sorry it's taken me a bit of time to get this out today. Friday decided to smack me upside the head as soon as I got up today. So, to try and combat Friday and put it back in it's rightful place (be careful, you back me in a corner and I'll cut ya'!) as the official start of the weekend I wanted to send through a great mix from DJ Domy Books. Remixed, Remashed, Sunny Dub music for a Friday afternoon and the rest of the weekend.

Hey Friday, Suck it!

Creative Dose :: This is Where We Live

2011-08-17T12:47:00.000-07:00

Just because we love books, time lapse and animation. Great creative produced by Apt Studio and Asylum Films for 4th Estate Publishers' 25th Anniversary.

This Is Where We Live from 4th Estate on Vimeo.

New Talent :: XYZ LA Expands Account Team

2011-08-11T12:05:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to announced the recent hire of two of Los Angeles’ most prominent Account Directors, Jesse Irwin and Kiki Gomez. Coming to XYZ with more than 20 years of sales experience, Irwin and Gomez will manage XYZ’s accounts out of the Los Angeles studio.

“We are pleased to have such dynamic and respected professionals join our team,“ said Steve Waterloo, president of XYZ.

A purveyor of well-made products and a curator of good taste, Irwin’s interest in how design affects the human experience began long ago and led to a start in graphic design. For the past 11 years Irwin has developed and managed print for such select brands as Porsche, Jaguar, Land Rover, Tommy Bahamas, Cleveland Golf and the Getty. Irwin’s interest in technology and motion graphics led him to XYZ where he is thrilled to join such an incredible pool of talent. He resides in Long Beach, CA with his wife Rebecca, his two young and strapping boys, 1 Labrador, a cat and an alligator lizard.

Gomez spent 8 years as a successful Business Banker, as one of the top sales producers for Bank of America and US Bank. After excelling in banking he decided to chase his dream of working in the Entertainment/Advertising world. Mentoring underneath Steve "Scof" Schofield for 8 months as a Jr. Rep in Zoic's VFX commercial department Kiki quickly started to shine at Zoic, showing his ability to establish relationships due to his passion for the industry. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Gomez fully lives the So Cal lifestyle. Whether it’s rocking out on the guitar, surfing, yoga or playing hoops, it is never a dull moment being around him.

“We are continuing to build one of the most exciting Image Creation Studios in the Los Angeles area.” said Steven Henry, Managing Director of Los Angeles, “Bringing Jesse and Kiki on board is just a indication of things to come”

Creative Dose :: Interactive Creativity

2011-08-09T16:15:00.000-07:00

Two things this week that really show the kind of creativity across multiple platforms that I really love. Both of these bands have really stretched these boundaries, in their videos, their live shows and here.

Both of these pieces use Google chrome (you'll have to download the browser if you don't have it) to some of it's fullest potential and it's always amazing to see technology infused into such a creative art form. It's worth investing the time into watching at least one of these…

Arcade Fire, "We Used to Wait"

Hopefully, you have already experienced this interactive piece. If not hear it is for your viewing pleasure. You need to enter the address of the house you grew up in and watch for the twist at the end of the piece.

The Wilderness Downtown

Ok, Go, "All Is Not Lost"

Enter a message at the beginning and watch the "living font" come to life at the end of the clip.
All is Not Lost

Enjoy.

Creative Dose :: Richard Phillips

2011-08-03T11:30:00.000-07:00

So this week I wanted to highlight one of my favorite artists whose work has had an influence on me. Richard Phillips probably describes his work better than I can, "my pictures involve a kind of wasted beauty – that’s always been a thread in my work". For me it's always been his approach, the hyper reality he creates in his paintings combined with the elevation of the lower echelon of society and celebrity culture. Here are some of his paintings, but I also wanted to highlight a short film he did for V magazine.

These are part of a series that he did with the most famous being the Lindsay Lohan piece, but the one that I think is actually more impactful is the film with Sasha Grey. Beautifully shot at the John Lautner Chemosphere house (you'll recognize it when you see it) it is just a great example of his evolution from his paintings into film. He is still dealing with similar subject matter and still elevating those subjects to that hyper reality. Enjoy.

SASHA GREY from V Magazine on Vimeo.

Thanks.

Creative Dose :: The Art of Remixing Remixes

2011-07-25T14:09:00.000-07:00

In the age that we live in is there really such a thing as an original idea? Our culture is continually building on the past, creating, remixing, mashing up what exists and then creating something new from that. Thing is, this is nothing new. It's been happening forever. There really is no such thing as that eureka moment, that purely original idea. Everything comes from something, you just have to twist it up and do it better than it was done before. That's how true innovation happens.

But, that's ok. Actually that's how it's supposed to be. We can't help but be influenced by what's around us, by what we hear, see, smell, taste or feel. Anyone who's ever created anything understands that we are continually "Standing on the shoulders of giants." A quote famously uttered by Sir Isaac Newton, that he stole from Bernard of Chartres who got it from Greek mythology…see what I mean.

This is a short film series by Kirby Ferguson called "Everything is a Remix" that outlines the history of creativity in Film, Music and Technology. Amazing in their own right, they do a great job of laying out the trails of influence.
Everything is a Remix Part 1 from Kirby Ferguson on Vimeo.
More of his videos can be found here.

Also, here is a documentary about one of our favorite artists, Girl Talk, who takes the art of the mash up (and it is an art, just as sampling or remixing is) to another level while dealing with the issue of Intellectual Property… check it out here.

Enjoy your Monday everyone.

Vitaminwater's New Ads Charge Your Mobile Devices

2011-07-21T14:21:00.000-07:00

Phone dead? No idea where you are going because you can't access GoogleMaps? Yes, unless you carry a paper map around in your back pocket, I'm almost certain this has happened to all of us. This new campaign from Crispin Porter & Bogusky aims at people who are low on juice. Their new campaign for Vitaminwater, "You're Up", stresses that the drink can give you a quick energy boost while you're scurrying around on a busy day. It has installed battery-powered public USB ports in bus shelter ads that proclaim the drink is an "Alternative Energy Source," allowing you to recharge mobile devices while you're waiting for your ride. The ads can currently be found in New York, Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles.

What do you think of the idea?

Source: Business Insider

Creative Dose :: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

2011-07-15T09:35:00.000-07:00

The digital age is upon us, obviously, but it is still interesting to think of tiny kids stumbling to school with iPads under their arms. Check out the adaptation of children's stories into an iPad app. Morris Lessmore is an amazing blend of old time storytelling, various animation techniques and a great use of iPad technology. Once you click through the site watch how the sets were built below.

The Making Of Morris: Part 3 (Thousands Of Books) from Moonbot Studios on Vimeo.

Creative Dose :: Animated Hitchcock Cookbook

2011-07-12T10:19:00.000-07:00

Hello all. Did you rush out the door this morning, forgetting to grab your umbrella and skipping breakfast? Check out this creative and perfectly executed animated cookbook by Felix Meyer, Pascal Monaco and Torsten Stre. Based off Alfred Hitchcock's classic stories.

Hitch from Pascal Monaco on Vimeo.

Creative Dose :: Animated GIFs are so 2011

2011-07-08T10:37:00.000-07:00

Animated GIF's, these small sized animation files have been around for a long time. Anyone who had a MySpace page can remember how some people would use GIF's as their profile icons. These once crude 3 to 5 frame animations are now being used by artists and photographers to create sophisticated, elegant moving pieces of artwork that give life to their work in a simple, lo-fi way. El Paso photographer, Ignacio Torres, is heating up the photography world and his recent animated GIF work was featured in The Ones 2 Watch. Click the images to see Ignacio's work creative. Be sure to scroll horizontally through all of his pieces.

Creative Dose :: Love Story + AR

2011-07-01T11:12:00.000-07:00

Just because the sun is out in San Francisco and it is Friday we thought we'd give you a double dose of creative. Happy Friday everyone. Hope the 4th is filled with plenty of BBQ smoke and watermelon seeds. Cheers!

We know this clip is going viral fast but we love the creative, DIY feel. Keep in mind that the entire short was filmed with a cell phone. Remember the days of brick-like, foot long antennas? Technological progression sure is a beautiful thing.

Splitscreen: A Love Story from JW Griffiths on Vimeo.

XYZ has recently been involved in Augemented Reality so we are always keeping our eyes out for new progressive ways to use it in advertising. This one is for all of you movie buffs out there.

New Work :: ATTIK for Scion

2011-06-30T14:42:00.000-07:00

New XYZ retouching work for Attik for Scion. Zeus, lightning bolts, a palace in the clouds and the new Scion tC.

Check out the broadcast portion of the campaign.

Creative Dose :: Nightsurf

2011-06-29T10:15:00.000-07:00

Beautifully shot, haunting music. Check out this midnight surf session that we stumbled across. Well done Iker Elorrieta.

Nightsurf from Iker Elorrieta on Vimeo.

Credits
Director: Iker Elorrieta
Producer: Sergio Villalba, Sam McIntosh
Camera operator: Iker Elorrieta
Music composer: Nico Casal
Surfers: Adam Melling, Julian Wilson, Kolohe Andino
Special thanks: Stab magazine, Oakley, Siam Park (Tenerife)
Post producer: Iker Elorrieta
Production company: Pantoma

Creative Dose :: Impactful Augmented Reality

2011-06-23T11:22:00.000-07:00

Good morning everyone! Our Creative Dose today comes from our Creative Director, Steve Thompson.
As I look out on the digital horizon, I’m starting to see Augmented Reality as a realistic marketing tool that is rapidly becoming a way for brands to reach consumers in a meaningful and impactful way. But the real question is why is that happening and what is making it a more realistic marketing tool? Well, the question of “What” is simple, technology and consumer expectations.

The smart phone and the tablet have finally caught up with the technology. You didn’t think we were all really going to walk around with those glasses on did you? Or keep taking pictures of those crazy QR codes? The processing power, and the camera in our phones and tablets is finally fast enough to make this technology work at real time and at the level people expect it to. Now that a majority of us carry around smart phones, or have an ipad or some kind of tablet that we use, and downloading an app is becoming less and less of a hassle (and becoming as expected from a brand as a Facebook page) the idea that a poster you see at a bus shelter, or an ad in a magazine can come to life, or that I could point my iPad at a box of Rice Krispies and Snap, Crackle and Pop not only come to life to entertain the kids, but they also offer me a great deal on my next purchase right after they run through a new recipe for mint chocolate chip Rice Krispies treats with a live action Graham Elliot. You get the idea.

The “Why” is that brands are starting to understand not only how to integrate this into their ongoing dialogue with their consumers, but how to make it a valuable part of the brand story telling. As with any new technology, the brands that are going to be the most successful with it are the ones that understand how it fits into their message.

This is how I’ve begun, and continue the augmented reality conversation with the agencies and brands that we have started projects with. It’s not about doing this for the sake of doing it; with that approach you’ll always fail with any new emerging marketing tool. The wow factor with augmented reality is there, don’t get me wrong, but I really feel you have to use this as an enhancement of the message and see it as an extension as well as another form of medium in the brand storytelling. You also have to give people a reason to keep viewing and visiting. The message, the content and the return on their time investment are all important parts to keeping people engaged and giving them a reason that your brand deserves their loyalty, their time and their repeat business.

In a very short time the integration of augmented reality in some way into a brands campaign is going to start to be expected, not only from our clients, but from your clients and very quickly your client's consumers. I’ve included a link to the latest Augmented Reality summit in London, http://www.augmentedrealitysummit.com/, to provide some information on what’s out there and what is the latest use of this technology. Now is the time to start looking for what those opportunities could be and reaching out to myself and XYZ is a great way to start really understanding what those possibilities can become.

http://www.augmentedrealitysummit.com/

Creative Dose :: Kinect Graffiti by Jean-Christophe Naour

2011-06-16T14:56:00.000-07:00

Kinect Graffiti™ from Jean-Christophe Naour on Vimeo.

Kudos to our Creative Director Steve Thompson for this great find! Great work Jean-Christophe.

Shot in the Face :: Day in the City

2011-06-09T14:07:00.000-07:00

Happy Thursday everyone. Our photographers are always scouting and shooting new locations. We figured it would be fun to play tourists in our own city for a day. What is the most touristy thing to do in SF besides getting clam chowder at Fisherman's Wharf or doing a Segway tour along the Embarcadero? Golden Gate Bridge. Here are some images that we shot along the way.

Oh and to set the record straight, we have nothing against Segways.

New Talent :: XYZ Appoints Steven Henry as Managing Director

2011-06-06T14:09:00.000-07:00

We are excited to welcome Steven Henry, as our newly appointed Managing Director of our Los Angeles creative studio. A proven leader in the marketing and graphics industries, Henry comes to XYZ with over 20 years experience, most recently with Venu Interactive, a digital integrated branding and marketing firm. Prior to working with Venu, Henry held the titles of EVP of Sales at Cenveo and was also a Managing Partner at Insync Media, where he led the company through its greatest growth period.

Shot in the Face :: Photo Day in the Snow

2011-06-03T12:52:00.000-07:00

After a short winter hibernation XYZ is back and blogging, just in time for those summer BBQs and bonfires. In all honesty, our studio wasn't sleeping this winter but rather working very hard. Here are a few of the things we have been up to the last few months...

Recently our photographers travelled to our Boulder, Colorado office to shoot some additional footage for our Render Ready Library. Take a look at one of the hero images that they captured.

Behind the scenes shots. Keep in mind, we don't see snow too often.

New Talent :: XYZ Hires Steve Thompson as Creative Supervisor

2011-04-06T14:44:00.000-07:00

We're proud to announce the recent hire of Steve Thompson as Creative Supervisor. Coming to XYZ with more than fifteen years of experience Thompson will be responsible for the growing creative, interactive and digital need of its clients.

New Talent :: XYZ Names Greg Everage as Executive Producer of CGI & Emerging Technologies

2011-03-22T14:42:00.000-07:00

XYZ is pleased to announce today the appointment of Greg Everage in the newly formed role of Executive Producer of CGI & Emerging Technologies. Everage joins XYZ from his recent role of Executive Producer for Creative Technology, where he had the responsibility for all aspects of strategy, selling, producing, and team building for the boutique VFX studio.

New Talent :: MC Pfeiffer New Managing Director of Boulder Studio

2010-11-10T12:47:00.000-08:00

XYZ Graphics, a leading creative service, image creation and post-production studio, is proud to announce today the promotion of MC Pfeiffer to the role of Managing Director of XYZ’s Boulder, CO studio. A seasoned executive with more than 15 years of sales and management experience, Pfeiffer will continue driving the strategic vision of the studio and lend her immeasurable industry knowledge and support to existing and future clients.

XYZ interviewed in the November 2010 Photo District News

2010-11-09T16:30:00.000-08:00

Photographers with CGI expertise are adding to the creative
possibilities they can offer their clients. The key, they say,
is a close collaboration with CG artists through every step
of the image-making process. By Conor Risch

Creative Dose :: Who would win in a fight between a user and a designer?

2010-10-25T10:17:00.000-07:00

XYZ Graphics Showreel

2010-08-10T15:00:00.000-07:00

Check out our latest Retouching, CGI + Animation & Photography Showreel!

And those of you with your nifty iPad feel free to check out our showreel here.

XYZ's Baseball Outing - Giant vs. Dodger

2010-07-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

So close you could touch them.... but then you'd been kicked out and missed an awesome game.

Shot in the Face :: A Sunny Day Spent Shooting in Alameda with Emerson HC

2010-07-27T17:47:00.000-07:00

Spotted :: Love the Loaf Tour

2010-06-08T15:58:00.000-07:00

Thanks Leopold Ketel for letting us collaborate on the Love the Loaf Tour for Tillamook. Check the schedule to see when the tour hits your neighborhood.

Goodby Silverstein Earns a Grand Prize from the 2010 Kelly Awards

2010-05-24T16:55:00.000-07:00

Congrats to CPB & The Gap for Best Magazine Advertising Campaign of the Year from MPA Kelly Awards

2010-05-24T10:14:00.000-07:00

The 2010 Magazine Publishers of America (MPA) Kelly Awards for outstanding magazine advertising awarded CPB/Gap - Best Insert. The Kelly Awards are bestowed annually to agency creative teams and advertising clients whose magazine campaigns demonstrate both creative excellence and campaign results. And if we don't say so ourselves.... some mighty fine retouching!

Recent Work for Y&R

2010-05-20T12:05:00.000-07:00

see the full campaign here

VMA: Graphics on the Move

2010-05-11T17:15:00.000-07:00

“XYZ Graphics was founded in 2001 as a
print production studio. In the past four
years especially, we’ve seen a shift in how
our clients, typically advertising agencies
and corporations, use their assets, especially
for advertising on the web,” says John
Miazga, Director of Creative Development

XYZ Graphics Honored for the Third Consecutive Year as One of the Bay Area’s Best Place to Work

2010-05-05T14:18:00.000-07:00

PR Log (Press Release) – May 05, 2010 – San Francisco, CA - XYZ Graphics, a leading creative services, image creation and post-production studio, today announced that it has received its third consecutive Best Places to Work in the Bay Area award from the San Francisco Business Times, Silicon Valley Business Journal. [more]

PrintSC

2010-04-27T20:54:00.000-07:00

XYZ Boulder Welcomes Joe Takai as its New Managing Director

2010-02-26T11:45:00.001-08:00

V Australia + Steven Alan + XYZ = The Perfect Bag

2010-02-09T11:36:00.000-08:00

Sometimes the excitement of our job is getting to work on projects that you just know, from day one are going to be great.

This just happens to be one of those projects. CAA contacted us a few months back about a project they were working on for V Australia.

V Australia commissioned fashion designer Steven Alan to create the ultimate travel bag. After an inspirational trip to Australia, Alan designed what V Australia calls The Perfect Bag.

Shooting in our LA studio, just before the holidays—we spent an action-packed day capturing over 300 angles of the bag; simultaneously our retouching team was working their magic to ensure our captures we were spot on for the delivery.

Once completed, we handed off the images to Perfect Fools who handled the design and development of the website.

Thanks CAA for the perfect assignment....

Agency: CAA
Client: V Australia

Executive Creative Director: Jae Goodman
Creative Director: Jesse Coulter
Creative: Todd Hunter
Creative: Tony Fur 
Content Manager: Jay Brooker

Having a ball collaborating with great friends!

2009-12-29T09:51:00.000-08:00

It’s been a pleasure to work on such amazing projects this year! We truly look forward to what the New Year will bring. As we take this time to recharge our creative juices, rest assured we'll be there for you as a collaborator, partner and teammate for all the creative or technical challenges you hand us.

No two snowflakes are alike

2009-11-24T09:47:00.000-08:00

No two snowflakes are alike, and this past month XYZ’s retouching and compositing artists have been busy making this point. Our holiday spirits have been brightened by the opportunity to work for the Gap holiday campaign with Crispin Porter + Bogusky on the beautiful images shot by Peggy Sirota.
See the current Gap holiday work showcased in storefronts and online in our portfolio »

W3 Awards Silver Winner!

2009-10-19T15:13:00.000-07:00

The International Academy of Visual Arts 2009 W3 Awards, has recognized XYZ’s website with a silver award.

Halloween with Sephora

2009-09-29T13:49:00.000-07:00

Helping to scare socks off this Halloween season, we photographed an entire broken glass asset library for Sephora's latest in-store display.

Announcing :: XYZ and Deborah Ayerst Form Partnership

2009-09-18T10:40:00.000-07:00

We are excited to announce that we've partnered-up with Deborah Ayerst as our first outside artist agent. Deb will be helping us spread the gospel about our creative service suite of CGI, photography, and retouching. read more »

New Work :: DDB West - SOYJOY

2009-08-17T16:27:00.000-07:00

Compositing our in-house photography with a stellar botanical illustration, our artists seamlessly retouched the elements into a piece that echoes of times past.

HBO On Demand

2009-07-22T11:48:00.000-07:00

XYZ's photo studio has been cranking away on some awesome projects this season. Check out the recently completed HBO On Demand campaign we shot for HEAT.

Sunshine in the Summertime

2009-06-30T11:28:00.000-07:00

Saatchi & Saatchi enlisted the help of our retouching team on the new 3rd generation Toyota Prius dealer book, print campaign, and OOH creative materials for the 2010 lineup. Working closely with Saatchi's creative team of art directors, who even managed to brush up on their couch surfing skills a few late night in our studio, we were able to turn out some amazing work. Check it out »

PrintSC 2009

2009-04-13T14:31:00.000-07:00

Check us out tomorrow at The Eleventh Annual PrintSC 2009.

We will be at PrintSC (formerly Client Vendor Showcase) tomorrow. If you are attending the show, we would love for you to stop by for a chat and take a look at our latest work.

When
Tuesday, April 14 from 6PM - 9PM
Where
The Westin Bonaventure Hotel
404 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles