Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), a Lucasfilm Ltd. company, announced today respected industry veteran Rob Bredow has been appointed SVP, executive creative director & head of ILM. In addition, it was announced that Gretchen Libby, has been promoted to vice president, marketing & production. Bredow will be in charge of all of ILM’s 4 global studios and report to Lucasfilm General Manager Lynwen Brennan, and Libby will report to Bredow.
Bredow joined Industrial Light & Magic as a visual effects supervisor in 2014 and shortly thereafter was named vice president of new media and head of Lucasfilm’s Advanced Development Group. Bredow was instrumental in launching a new division, ILMxLAB, in 2015, combining the talents of Lucasfilm, ILM, and Skywalker Sound to develop, create, and release story-based immersive entertainment. In 2016, Bredow was promoted to CTO of Lucasfilm, overseeing technical operations and partnerships as well as the company’s technology roadmap. Currently, Bredow is serving as the visual effects supervisor and co-producer on Solo: A Star Wars Story directed by Ron Howard, which releases on May 25, 2018.
“I’ve been working very closely with Rob over the past two years on Solo,” says Kathleen Kennedy. “I have witnessed his leadership skills and creative abilities first-hand and I’ve been extremely impressed. Filmmaking is often about problem solving and Rob comes to every challenge with a strong creative point of view and the ability to find the best solution every time. This and his business acumen make him an ideal candidate to lead ILM, which has always stood at the crossroads of technology and artistry.”
“I am thrilled that Rob is going to be leading ILM into the future. He is the perfect fit for the role combining creativity, innovation and business savvy”, says Lynwen Brennan, Lucasfilm general manager. “He is also a wonderful leader who builds great, trusting relationships within the company and with the filmmakers and studios we work with.”
“I’m honored to take on this role for Industrial Light & Magic,” says Bredow. “From my involvement with the launch of ILMxLAB to supervising the visual effects team on the soon-to-release Solo: A Star Wars Story, I can honestly say the people at this company are some of the most passionate, creative, and dedicated people I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with. I’m thrilled to help guide ILM’s legacy of innovation and excellence on a global scale.”
Prior to joining ILM, Bredow was the CTO and visual effects supervisor at Sony Pictures Imageworks. He has worked on films such as Independence Day, Godzilla, Stuart Little, Castaway, Surf’s Up, Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs, and many others.
Bredow is a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences (Visual Effects Branch) and the AMPAS Scientific and Technical Council and, in 2010, was nominated for a Visual Effects Society Award Outstanding Effects Animation in an Animated Feature Motion Picture.
Gretchen Libby started at ILM in 1997 as a production manager. A year later, she was promoted to associate visual effects producer for A Perfect Storm and then to visual effects producer on Star Wars: Attack of the Clones two years later. In her previous role, Libby had focused on the company’s global expansion, which included opening studios in Singapore, Vancouver and London, and was the key marketing point of contact for ILM’s clients. Libby’s focus will remain on client marketing, overseeing all global production and strategic relationships. Prior to ILM, Libby worked in visual effects film production at Pacific Data Images in Palo Alto, Calif. and in visual effects commercial production in New York.
“Gretchen is a key member of our executive team and has been instrumental in numerous strategic initiatives in recent years, from marketing the studio to our global expansion,” noted Brennan. “She brings depth of production understanding that is prized within the company and continues to be invaluable to our clients.”
“In my 21 years at the company I have seen firsthand the tremendous impact ILM has had, and continues to have, on the industry,” says Libby. “I’m excited to help ILM continue to evolve as we take on new challenges and provide new and exciting ways for storytellers to share their visions.”
Libby is a member of the Producers Guild of America and formerly served on the board of directors of the Visual Effects Society of which she remains a member. She is also a member of Women in Film and has served as a producer on 29 feature films, eight of which received Academy Award® nominations for visual effects.
