French Butter Adds Director Timothy Hogan to Roster

French Butter, the food and beverage production company based in Chicago and Los Angeles, has announced the addition of a new director/DP to its roster and the addition of a new representation relationship to bolster its national sales team. Both announcements were made by French Butter Founding Director/DP Brett Froomer and Executive Producer Irec Kriske. 

Joining French Butter is Timothy Hogan, a veteran director who got his start in still photography and brings extensive experience shooting liquids, fashion and jewelry, among other product categories, to the company. To view his work, go here.

Joining the French Butter sales team are Jenny Lumpkin and Dani Jackson, partners and sales agents at The Cre8tors,  which will handle French Butter sales to agencies on the East Coast in the US as well as for all brand assignments nationwide.

Hogan brings more than just a DP’s eye to the French Butter talent offering. An experienced teacher, writer and lecturer, he’s done everything from building studios to teaching courses at his alma mater, Syracuse University, to being published in some of the industry’s leading creative and design publications. A self-professed tinkerer who got his start in film after filling just about every role when it came to lighting, rigging and styling his many still shoots, he shares insights into everything from how to approach client relations to keeping your creative spark on his social media channels. 

With a reel that includes work for a wide range of brands, Hogan adds an extra dimension to the French Butter roster, which includes Froomer as well as Director/DP Jennifer Davick. His film work includes such brands as Absolut Vodka, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Sam Adams, Courvoisier, David Yurman, Miller Coors, Johnnie Walker, Gucci, Chanel and many more. 

“Tim has that special eye for detail, lighting and composition that you often find when photographers move into film direction,” says Froomer. “And he’s a true magician when it comes to shooting liquids. I’m looking forward to working with him as we integrate him and his workflow into the French Butter family.”

“I want to surround myself with a team, with people who I like and respect who can lift me up,” says Hogan about joining French Butter. He was drawn by the fact that French Butter is a family owned company, and woman-owned to boot, as Brett’s wife, Susan, is CEO. “Brett has this quality to him that’s so sharing,” he adds. “I’ve never had a mentor in my career, and that’s what this feels like. I just gravitate towards that, and I’m looking forward to learning new things from him and his team.”

Hogan explains that his approach often involves pushing the boundaries of motion control and leveraging robotics, high-speed cameras and special effects to create kinetic, starry visuals. Where did this fascination come from? “It’s one of those unexplainable things that I think separates my work from others in the tabletop world,” Hogan explains. “Rather than being bright and pretty, I like things that are a bit more visceral, that have a sense of drama and sexiness. I’ve always responded to these kinds of assignments.”

“In addition to being an amazing artist, Tim is also an entrepreneur, a business owner and a thought leader when it comes to filmmaking and photography,” says Kriske. “He’s truly a go-getter, and we were very impressed with him during that bidding process. Our coming together is really serendipitous, as we were looking for a director with his unique expertise at the same time that Tim was looking for a more structured form of production and sales support. It was just perfect timing.”

Commenting on the addition of The Cre8tors to the French Butter sales team, Kriske notes that “Dani and Jenny are powerhouse reps who have great relationships with agencies and brands. They have a progressive and proactive approach to managing their clients, and we’re eager to see what they bring to the table.”

The Cre8tor’s Lumpkin is excited to bring the French Butter roster to the company’s agency and brand clients. “I got to know Irec while working together on several AICP committees,” she says. “He’s a passionate leader, dedicated to his artists, clients and craft. He was one of the first people to reach out when Dani and I announced our partnership, which meant the world to me. 

“French Butter is a renowned table top production company that I've admired throughout my career,” Lumpkin adds. “Dani, Irec and I talked about the directions in which the company is growing, and the new creative talent they’re adding, and our mutual excitement was palpable. We’re honored to be representing them, and are looking forward to cooking up many tasty things together.”