Michael Grills

Matrix Labs

Product Director

Art Director

Michael Grills Art Studio

In my work I explore how Fantasy relates to Identity.

We all have a fantasy but they are generally kept private because we face ridicule or worse can be expelled from our social circles. Sharing your dreams can be dangerous.

Our fantasies often begin with toys. My work uses dolls as an entry point for the viewer allowing them to become a child again, and play pretend.

The dolls represent all the masks we wear. We are never ourselves in our fantasies. We are more loved, wanted, stronger, healthier.

There are themes related to the moral lessons of fairy tales, the magic of the superhero costume, the objectivity of the burlesque dancers, and the elegance of the human figure. I’ve chased my curiosity about different forms of our character, be it a hero, villain, friend or family.

I work with a variety of mediums, including digital, paint, watercolour, and found materials.

You can buy my original art as well as my prints on my website.

Artist

Union Illustration Co

We  believe that great illustration brings people together. So I help brands make connections through visual metaphors, bold ideas and straight-up how to videos.

For leading advertising agencies that want to give their clients beautiful, original, illustration and they want the process to be easy; Union Illustration Co. will create world-class artwork, illustration, and art projects that are unique and on-brand.

Union Illustration Co. is known for its edgy, modern style, adherence to best project management practices, and unwavering commitment to quality. Our corporate illustration promises to bring pride to the brands you work with and envy to the ones you don’t.

As for us? We think our illustrators should always be classy. So our team always acts with passion, humility, and most of all empathy for everyone we come into contact with.
Putting Art to Work for Things that Matter!

Clients Include:
Google
Sirius XM
JWT London
Virgin Produced
Scholastic Canada
Honda
CULT
The Gathering

Principal Illustrator

New World Interactive

Served on the Executive Team, resulting in the following:

 - The hiring of 6 senior team members across all major functions, including Art, Animation, Engineering, Design, Production, Marketing and Product.
- Hired mid-management on the creative side.
- Designed operation policy for best-in-class practices in a games studio.
- Responsible for over 45 employees including outsourced studios and freelancers.
- Partnership management with Saber Interactive our head studio and various overseas operators.
- Finalized Pitches for unannounced project resulting in sale of Studio to Saber Interactive.

Director Duties resulted in:
- Establishing a career path for Artists, Creatives and Production
- Pre-Vis Art Bible Over 200 pages - Center of Truth for Game art style.
- 2 Year plan for the creation of over 5000 art assets.
- Wrote an Entire Narrative with writing partners for an upcoming unannounced project.
- Hiring of Art Producer - Most successful producer at the company.
- Hiring of Animation Director - Successful at creating the animation team.
- Hiring of Concept Artists - Brought team art quality to the next level.

Creative Director

University of Calgary Continuing Education

I teach Illustration, Video Editing and Motion Graphics in the Continuing Education Program.

Instructor

University of Calgary

I teach the Art of Interactive Storytelling which explores the history of interactive arts as well as its modern applications in art, video games, roleplaying and more.

Sessional Instructor

Emerge Learning Corp

I Lead a team that first supports our management consulting team and creates amazing learning experiences in the form of interactives, videos, published materials and LMS. We are focused on great user experience for executive training, safety and finance. 

Leadership Development is at the core of our offering and I am proud to deliver the content that helps all varieties of learning styles.

Creative Production Manager

Empire Avenue Inc.

Empire Avenue is the Social Stock Market, where you can Grow your Social Capital online. Here's how it works, you get to discover valuable, interesting, cool, fun people online and then based scores or share price, invest virtual currency in their profiles by buying shares in our Social Stock Market. It's boatloads of fun, and that simple act of buying shares in someone you think is worth your currency, you will create new connections and as people invest in you, grow your own social capital and get more value in and out of your networks!

Ph03nix New Media

Ph03nix New Media specializes in unconventional video game markets. These include education, casual, and branded entertainment games.

Ph03nix New Media (PNM) specializes in unconventional video game markets. These include the Facebook, iPhone, and PC/Mac Casual gaming markets.

Ph03nix's breakout game Curse of the Pharaoh was a hit #2 casual game. Recently, Ph03nix launched the iPh03nix Fund, Canada's first iPhone development fund focused on games and entertainment apps.

Creative Director and Project Manager

Bioware Corp.

BioWare develops computer, console, handheld and online video games focused on rich stories and memorable characters. Since 1995, BioWare has created some of the world's best-selling titles including the award-winning Baldur's Gate™ and Neverwinter Nights™ series, Star Wars®: Knights of the Old Republic™ and Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood for the Nintendo DS™. Original BioWare-created intellectual properties include Jade Empire™ and the 2007 Game of the Year, Mass Effect. With studios in Edmonton, Canada, and Austin, Texas, BioWare is hard at work on the epic fantasy RPG, Dragon Age™: Origins, and a story-driven MMO, Star Wars®: The Old Republic™ as well as several unannounced projects. In 2008, BioWare was acquired by the world's leading electronic entertainment publisher, Electronic Arts. For more information on BioWare, visit www.bioware.com

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