Spacejunk has come a long way from its humble beginnings as a two-man team operating out of Mike's attic. From day one, Mike has provided valuable insight in technical matters and fostered key client relationships to help drive the studio's development. Mike is responsible for leading our studio by overseeing day-to-day operations, making key business decisions and providing advice and perspective to the team on a variety of subjects. Mike utilizes years of production experience to provide support on high-priority projects, occasionally taking the reins to capture footage or drive edits forward. When not overseeing projects or studio operations, Mike also handles special projects including technology and equipment upgrades, human resources initiatives and developing new client relationships.

A junkie since 2007, Mike heads up discovery and strategy for all client projects, leads pitches and concept development, and plays a key role in new business acquisition and overall studio strategy as a member of the Spacejunk senior leadership team. He has written and directed award-winning content and campaigns for brands such as Intel, Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, Nationwide, The Cleveland Browns, Jack Daniels, Columbus Crew, Vitamix, Shell, and many more. 

Originally hailing from the frozen tundra of Michigan, Christa has more than two decades of industry experience at some of the top visual effects and production studios in NYC. She has produced award-winning work for brands such as DirecTV, Netflix, Marvel, ESPN, Bud Light, and Verizon while working for agencies such as Grey, McCann, Weiden + Kennedy, Droga5, and many more.

Deanna wears many hats for Spacejunk:  Ambassador, Chief Negotiator, Traffic Cop and Ring Master to name a few. Simply put, she helps keep the studio running in a million different ways, both great and small but always with grace, compassion and patience. Additionally, she draws upon years of experience in administration to continually provide valuable insight into the studio’s day-to-day operation. When asked about her favorite part of the job, she cites “solving problems, helping people discover their potential and herding cats.“

Grindin’ it out with Spacejunk since 2010, Kurt brings a trendy fresh eye and a skill set so diverse he makes a swiss army knife look weak. His passion for editing, audio engineering and music gives him a unique perspective on all projects and makes him one of the busiest artists in the studio. When asked about his favorite part of his job, Kurt states, “I really love the variety. Edit, grade, shoot, direct. Gotta keep things fresh, nah mean?!”

After serving fifteen years in the New York City motion graphics industry, Brian joined Spacejunk in order to tackle new challenges and work with the truly talented team here at the studio. With experience in broadcast, commercial and the feature film world, Brian brings his knowledge of technical direction to the team here at Spacejunk to ensure a continuous push for quality, efficiency, and work we can all be proud of.

With over twenty years of experience in business development & strategy for motion studios and brands, Kelly is first and foremost a relationship builder. With a broad understanding of the production process and both live-action and animation pipelines, Kelly has a keen sense of what a client needs to bring their project to life. She leverages her vast experience, in collaboration with the rest of the Spacejunk crew, to help brands and agencies tackle their biggest challenges.

Brent was born and raised in Williamstown, West Virginia. After graduating with a BFA in Painting from WVU, Brent worked in various creative and production roles before discovering his love for shooting and directing. He is a multi-talent with a passion for cinematography and live-action directing. Since joining the Spacejunk team in February of 2015, Brent has brought his magnetic sense of humor and his passion for the creative process to his role as Senior Director. Brent says his favorite part of his job is “that moment in an edit bay when something really inspired happens…when one little idea elevates the course of a whole piece. It’s powerful, it’s exciting and completely addicting!"

Andy Murphy-Young comes to Spacejunk with 10 years of experience as a freelance production crew member, wearing a great number of hats on set (primarily the fez).  A grip and electric guru with years of feature film experience, Andy’s escaped the world of manual labor for the prime opportunity to actually order other people around for once.  His vast array of first-hand experience and knowledge in the production world makes him an incredible asset to the team, when it doesn’t just make him look like an annoying showoff.
 

Ohio-raised with a love for animation, Nick’s path in the Motion Design world all began with Spacejunk circa ’07. Fast forwarding several years, that path led to him and his wife trading in their home for a little RV, driven by curiosity, bound for wherever and freelancing along the way. Coming full circle, Nick’s back with the SJ team, this time bringing stories and visuals to life while in orbit from the mountains of Crested Butte, Colorado.

Juliet is an experienced video producer who has been creating engaging digital content since 2013 for both start-ups and Fortune 500 companies. At Spacejunk, she expertly manages various projects, ranging from 2D character animation work to more technical 3D projects and Augmented Reality experiences. Juliet's excellent communication skills enable her to liaise effectively with clients and support the creative team to deliver high-quality video and interactive digital content that drives sales and marketing initiatives.

Melina’s journey has been a tumultuous one: from a mere server at Applebee’s to one of the top departmental administrative assistants in a large hospital system. Ambition struck Melina, and she decided to go back to college after a 12-year hiatus and graduated with a dual degree in 3 years. She has worked as an ESPN Producer and Graphics Operator/Stage Manager with the Detroit Tigers. Most recently, she was a Director of Broadcast & Video Content at LTN Global Communications, where she had the opportunity to work on the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. However, when the pandemic came along, Melina sought out a different lifestyle that didn’t come with the stresses of Sports Broadcasting. Melina received a phone call one day, and all the skills that she acquired throughout her many lives found a home at Spacejunk.

Hailing from corn fields of Northwest Ohio, Miranda found her creative spark in daily doodles in her sketchbook. Initially drawn to the world of animation and video editing, Miranda obtained a BFA in Art & Technology from THE Ohio State University in 2014. 
Combining her love of athletics (Go Bucks!) with her artistic talents Miranda gravitated towards the Professional Sports market in roles with the Cincinnati Reds and Columbus Crew SC. 
Wearing basically ALL the hats, Miranda worked as producer, director, videographer, editor, animator, manager and social media extraordinaire with those clubs. All of these roles have helped shape her into a well-rounded creative producer involved from start to finish across a wide-variety of projects.

Lew first joined Spacejunk after 5 years on the video staff of his beloved Ohio State Buckeyes football team. He worked with SJ for a year before deciding he was tired of affordable rent. He moved to California and spent the next several years cutting for clients including CBS, FOX, NFL Network, and TBS in Los Angeles. One day while laying on the beach, sipping a margarita, he thought to himself  "Man, I sure miss those beautiful Ohio winters." Shortly thereafter, he headed east back to Columbus. A Cleveland native, Lew rejoined the Spacejunk team in an epic reunion reminiscent of Lebron's triumphant return to win one for The Land.

Hailing from India’s capital city of New Delhi, Sanjana comes to Spacejunk after stints in Florida and Oregon to share with us her love of color, typography, and good design. Passionate about well-crafted storytelling, Sanjana wears many hats at SJ, lending her skills in art direction, design, and animation to a variety of projects. Self-proclaimed as ‘interested in everything’, she is always looking to learn and experiment with new techniques to further fuel her forays into concept development and design.

Originally from Cleveland and a 2014 graduate of Ohio University, Dan has been working in motion design, animation, and visual effects for the last 5 years. Inspired by films like Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings as a kid, he has been on a never ending quest to figure out how the magic is made.

A central Ohio native, Melanie returns to Columbus after spending 5 years traveling and working in live entertainment. Her degree from the University of Cincinnati in scenic design and production has led to roles in props construction, scenic art, and production management. Since returning to Ohio, Melanie is ecstatic to begin her journey into video production and is thrilled to be on team Spacejunk!