Christina Caspers-Roemer and Christopher Hantel takes the helm of the high-end visual effects studio; co-founder and former Chief Creative Officer Simone Kraus Townsend returns to creative leadership as Animation Supervisor.
Trixter, a leading provider of high-end visual effects for film & television, has the previously planned leadership transition has moved ahead. Simone Kraus Townsend, Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer/Animation Supervisor, and Christian Sommer, Chief Executive Officer & Executive Producer, are departing their current roles, with Kraus Townsend returning to the role of Animation Supervisor.
The change comes as part of the planned transitional period with existing management following Cinesite’s acquisition of Trixter in 2018. Now that Trixter’s integration into the Cinesite group is complete, the planned management restructuring has moved ahead. Christina Caspers-Roemer and Christopher Hantel will be taking over Kraus Townsend and Sommer’s leadership roles at Trixter as General Manager and Managing Director, and as Head of Finance and Managing Director respectively. Between them, they bring a fresh perspective and specialized knowledge which will greatly benefit the company. Caspers-Roemer has a background in virtual production and other cutting-edge technologies that can make filming & VFX production more creative and budget-friendly. Hantel brings 23 years of experience in the media industry with a focus on services, film production, and a wide range of entrepreneurial topics.
Caspers-Roemer recently re-joined Trixter as Head of Studio & Business Development after working as Managing Director at Dark Bay – Europe’s largest virtual production stage. In this role, she oversaw the daily productions and supported and consulted shows from the scriptwriting process to the final image in all virtual production-related topics. The volume, one of the world’s largest LED installations, was used, among other things, for the filming of the Netflix series 1899. With a background in VFX and XR, she previously worked as Head of Operations & HR for Trixter on projects such as Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Black Widow, The Suicide Squad, Foundation Season 2, and others.
Hantel, who joined Trixter as Chief Financial Officer and Managing Director in April 2023, is a highly experienced Managing Director, CFO, and Commercial Manager with a proven track record of success in finance, controlling, business operations, and restructuring - including M&A and carve-outs. He has held many executive positions throughout his career, including serving as Commercial Manager of ARRI Media, a leading German post-production facility. There, he was deeply involved in carving ARRI Media out of the ARRI group, and subsequently in the selling of ARRI Media to a strategic investor. Hantel also served as Managing Director of Band Pro Munich where he oversaw the sales and distribution of high-end camera technology with national and international manufacturers, distributors, and key accounts.
As they prepare to step back from their current roles and transition into new pursuits, the previous management's achievements and contributions are recognized as being pivotal in Trixter’s journey. Kraus Townsend co-founded the company in 1998 along with Michael Coldewey, and under her creative guidance, the studio worked on many high-grossing blockbusters and television programs, including Captain Marvel and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, as well as Academy Award-nominated films such as Iron Man 3 and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. Her prominent animation skills and deep industry expertise will be utilized and valued as she continues in the role of Animation Supervisor for upcoming Trixter projects.
Sommer has been at the helm of Trixter since 2014 when he joined as Chief Executive Officer. Following his strategic vision, the company grew significantly, with Sommer also acting as Executive Producer on many international and German feature films & television programs such as The Suicide Squad, The Marvels, The Loki Series, The Kangaroo Chronicles, and Jim Button and the Wild 13.
“This marks an exciting opportunity for Trixter and the Cinesite Group,” said Antony Hunt, Group CEO of Cinesite. “With new management, we’re moving forward with a very strong strategic, commercial, and operational foundation. Looking ahead, I have no doubt that Trixter will continue the great progress we have seen under Christian and Simone’s leadership, and on behalf of the Cinesite Group, I would like to sincerely thank them both for all their efforts. We are looking forward to what the future holds.”
Source: Trixter
Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.
