Jonathan Lia, Brian Welsh, and Ryan Heiferman Launch GOODCOMPANY
New York-based GOODCOMPANY is an innovative, producer-led production company that makes commercials, music videos, and films around the world.
“We build relationships with the freshest, brightest and most creative minds,” noted Jonathan Lia, the shop’s Executive Producer, Director and Co-founder. “Artists, directors, and brands have sought us out to find creative solutions to the most challenging concepts. From Kanye’s ambitious seven-screen film installation, Cruel Summer, to an innovative spot that saw Nike and Microsoft creatively joining forces, we find ways to make memorable, meaningful content that realizes the core of our clients’ wishes.”
Behind a directorial roster comprised of Aaron Platt, Alexandre Moors, Daniel Gomes, Jonathan Lia, Noah Conopask, Scarlett Johansson, and Surround, GOODCOMPANY has already produced an impressive reel of commercial and music video work. This includes a series of promos co-directed by Jonathan Lia for Spike TV’s Guys Choice Awards, co-producing a Kinect Training spot for Nike and Microsoft featuring Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson and DeSean Jackson of the Philadelphia Eagles, and a series of TV spots for ASUS directed by Daniel Gomes.
On the music video front, GOODCOMPANY has been producing many projects for Kanye West, including his recent Birthday Song video with 2 Chainz, the Mercy video and the Ni**as in Paris video with Jay-Z, the latter two each nominated for two VMAs.
Before forming GOODCOMPANY, Jonathan Lia and Brian Welsh each had their own companies, producing content for brands including Nike, AMEX, Microsoft, Adidas, and Toyota and for artists such as Madonna, U2, Beyonce, MGMT, Coldplay, Depeche Mode and Justin Timberlake to name a few. Their work has earned a trophy room’s worth of D&AD, VMA, Much Music, BET, UKMVA, National Board of Review, and Grammy nominations and awards.
The shop will continue to grow its talent roster as it expands its portfolio of commercial, music video and film work. “The industry is changing rapidly – format, ingestion, culture,” continues Lia. “Rather than wait around for these changes, we are spearheading them. GOODCOMPANY is made to innovate.”
About Jonathan Lia, EP/Director/Co-Founder:
Jonathan Lia has produced major national campaigns for brands including Nike, Ford, and Adidas and some of the most prominent music videos in recent times, including videos for Kanye West, Coldplay, Depeche Mode, Madonna, and Beyonce. He co-directed the SNL/Lonely Island Digital short I’m On A Boat and produced the first-ever live, scripted, one-take music video: Death Cab for Cutie’s You Are A Tourist.
He has also directed commercials for Adidas and SPIKE TV and music videos for Asher Roth and Need to Breath. Lia’s work has garnered two D&AD’s, National Board of Review honors, a Grammy nomination, and many MTV VMA nominations.
About Brian Welsh, Executive Producer/Co-Founder:
Brian Welsh has overseen campaigns for Toyota, American Express, Nike, Swatch and VH1, to name a few. He has also produced music videos for Timbaland, Rye Rye, Marilyn Manson, TV on the Radio, and M.I.A. Welsh also received a Grammy nomination for Mana’s Lluvia al Corazon which also won a VMA.
Fresh off the campus of UC Berkeley in 1999, Welsh started his career on the West Coast at the global design agency ATTIK. As a broadcast producer for ATTIK, Welsh oversaw many international campaigns and was a prominent figure in the groundbreaking U.S. launch for Scion. Welsh moved to NYC in 2003 to take over as Executive Producer at the motion design/vfx shop UVPH for almost six years, where he produced various commercials and music videos including the network launch for Al Jazeera International and the D&AD award winning Bjork Wanderlust music video.
About Ryan Heiferman, Managing Director/Co-Founder:
Ryan Heiferman spent the past fifteen years working on national ad campaigns, network shows and films for the likes of McDonald’s, NFL, Crayola, Mastercard, History Channel and Discovery. Heiferman also put the finishing touches on the award winning Disney show, Little Einsteins and oversaw the sonic-branding of Spike TV.
About Scarlett Johansson, Director:
Scarlett Johansson has starred in dozens of movies as an actress and directed the 2009 short film These Vagabond Shoes. She also directed Jessie Baylin’s Hurry Hurry music video, produced by Jonathan Lia.
About Alexandre Moors:
Alexandre Moors is known as a visual director, having directed commercials for the likes of Nike, Swatch and Johnson & Johnson, and music videos for Jennifer Lopez, Miguel, Talib Kweli, and The Crystal Method to name a few. He was just recently the co-director of Kanye’s 7-screen, immersive film, Cruel Summer and has just finished up his first feature, Blue Caprice, which was recently accepted into Sundance 2013. Co-written by Moors and starring Isaiah Washington, Blue Caprice is a psychological thriller based around the story of the Beltway sniper attacks of 2002.
About Noah Conopask:
The Emmy-nominated Noah Conopask’s reel includes spots for Under Armour, Target, Lincoln, General Motors, Olay, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Sports Authority, 2K Sports and Verizon. With his diverse background of experience in design, animation, and photography, Conopask is known to create distinctly designed films that have a bold graphic finish. Noah’s prior stops include Shilo, DNA Studio, and Digital Kitchen, earning multiple Emmy nominations along the way. His work has been featured and recognized by The FADER, Res, Boards, Best Ads on TV, and Shoot, to name a few. GOODCOMPANY is representing Conopask for music videos only.
About Aaron Platt:
Aaron Platt has directed and shot commercials, music videos, and films for a plethora of brands and artists, including Fiat, Beats by Dre, Diane Von Furstenberg, Bono, Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, Timbaland, and MGMT. He was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award and his films have been shown at Sundance and Cannes, among other festivals. In 2009 Platt was featured in Shoot Magazine’s “New Directors” series.
About Daniel Gomes:
Daniel Gomes hails from the UK and has directed commercials for brands such as ASUS and Factory and has worked with various record labels including Atlantic, Universal, Sony, and Warner Brothers. Gomes is currently based out of Los Angeles, writing and directing commercials, music videos and narrative films. His latest short film, Abstraction, just won three awards, including The Audience Award, at the NYLA Film Festival.
About Surround:
Surround is Brian and Brad Palmer. Together, they have co-directed hit music videos, successful network campaigns and groundbreaking content for numerous brands and artists that include JC Penny, Comedy Central, MTV, Usher, The Killers, TV on the Radio, and They Might Be Giants among many others. Their inventive approach to live-action directing coupled with organic post processes has gained accolades from such notables as Steve Jobs, who showcased their work in 2006 and in publications such as Die Gestalt. Surround operates as a full service production and post-production studio in Brooklyn, NY where projects are handled from inception to completion.
About GOODCOMPANY:
We realize concepts. We foster creativity. We live in the solution. Whether it’s realizing challenging boards, developing a custom camera system, broadcasting the first live and scripted music video, or taking the kernel of an idea and nurturing it into something profound, we deliver quality through innovative problem solving. A company founded by producers, no challenge is too great.