Bio – Gregory Simms - Gregory Simms Website

Bio – Gregory Simms: www.gregorysimms.com, gs@gregorysimms.com (509)869-8053
A Los Angeles native and a Pepperdine University graduate, Gregory Simms has worked on
numerous film production crews throughout his career. In the 1990’s he worked on over
a hundred TV commercials for Pepsi, McDonald’s, Chrysler, At&t, superbowl spots for
Budweiser, Honda and the like. At age 24, Gregory co-developed and co-produced 40
half-hour TV shows for ESPN. Hosted by Mark L. Walberg, and featuring extreme action
sports, Gregory wrote scripts, produced location shoots, cast talent, and supervised
offline, on-line editing, sound & music design and editing sessions for the show,
which he delivered on time, and on budget.
Gregory next worked for the visual effects cinematography company Image G, Inc., where
he worked his way up from a VFX Coordinator to be a Visual Effects Producer. In
Vancouver B.C., he worked on complex VFX sequences with Director Brian DePalma on
“Mission to Mars” and also with Director Frank Darabont on “The Green Mile,” and with
legendary VFX Supervisor Richard Uricich on “Mission Impossible 2,” and he ran the
motion control unit on many other films as well. Later, Gregory worked on episodes of
The ‘X’ Files, with Producer and Director Kim Manners, dozens of TV commercials and
music videos for the likes of “Rage Against the Machine” and “Lauryn Hill.” Gregory
also supervised Inferno digital compositing sessions on TV commercials while at Image
G. He also successfully produced VFX on a spot for Coca-Cola using the world’s largest
motion controlled crane, a custom-modified Akela crane, which was over 100 feet long.
Continuing his career, Gregory worked his way up in the Art Department. He once again
worked on big-budget TV commercials this time as a Production Designer crafting the
look and texture of spots for clients: Toyota, Nikon, M&M’s, Castrol Motor Oil,
Nissan, Progressive Insurance, Shiseido Cosmetics, Cisco Systems and others. He had
the opportunity to production design TV promos for The Discovery Channel, The Comedy
Channel, Showtime, Disney Channel, and music videos for Neil Diamond, Mya, Mystikal,
Snoop Dogg, Master P, and others widely viewed on Mtv. He art directed episodes of
“History’s Mysteries” for The History Channel, and three feature films including the
mobster satire, “The Sinatra Club.” Gregory also was the Set Designer for Los Angeles
radio station Star 98.7’s annual “Not So Silent Christmas” concert at the Wiltern
Theater, which featured Bon Jovi, along with 7 other bands…
Production Design by Gregory Simms, a pencil sketch set illustration
and a set photograph for Disney Channel’s “3 Minute Gameshow”
Along the way, Gregory was the Controller of the medium-sized, bi-coastal TV
commercial production company - Downtown Reel Productions, Inc. He oversaw the
finances and logistics of the company, which specialized in producing commercials for
broadcast in Japan, with big-name talent such as: Angelina Jolie, Charlize Theron,
Tommy Lee Jones and others…
A spaceship interior for a TV promo
for The Movie Channel by Gregory Simms
A set for a Showtime TV promo
Art Directed by Gregory Simms
Gregory was the Production Designer on a film project called “The King of the
Vampires.” He created a tropical swamp, indoors on a sound stage, complete with a pool
(more like a pond) of crimson-red blood and mossy rock cave walls…
Gregory is the one on the left…
As a new a member of The Art Director’s Guild - Local #800, Gregory recently flew to
Savannah, GA and was the Art Director of the feature film, “The Firstling” shot there
and in South Carolina. A psychological thriller starring: Rebecca de Costa, Milo
Ventimiglia and Logan Browning and also featuring Andie McDowell and Academy Award
Winner Lou Gossett Jr., the film’s script required technically challenging sets and
had cold, wet and dangerous shooting locations. Gregory was also the film’s Set
Decorator, and he recreated on stage the film’s main set, an apartment interior, which
was an enhanced duplicate of a practical location shot early in the film’s shooting
schedule. It required removable walls for coverage of choreographed fight sequences…
Set Decoration by Gregory Simms
“The Firstling’s” Apartment Set – The Living Room
The Bedroom
The Bathroom
Directed by Predrag “Gaga” Antonijevic, produced by Warren Ostergard and shot by
veteran DP Steve Mason, “The Firstling” explores the supernatural consequences of
greed, graft and the betrayal of family and loved ones by those who think that they
are acting prudently but, unfortunately for them, end up being profoundly careless.
The centuries old backdrop of architecturally historic Savannah proved to be a very
compelling canvass, and it provided many unique opportunities for great cinematography
and art direction for the film, which is set for release in Summer 2013.
Gregory Simms’ IMDb Link http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0799964/#ProductionDesigner