Meet Ed Rhine of SPILLT in RINO

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ed Rhine.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Ed. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I have always had a passion for film and art, but my route to becoming a co-owner of a creative business was quite circuitous. I left the East Coast in 2002 seeking adventure and new experiences in the wilderness of Colorado. Shortly after, I abandoned my original field of Geology and decided to return to school and follow my interest in animation and video editing which led to a creative career in motion design.

Over the past fifteen years, I have worked in various staff and freelance positions in Denver and LA. Starting out as a junior designer/animator and working my way up to Executive Creative Director has allowed me to continually learn about the creative process, while still maintaining the technical knowledge to approach problems from various angles. I feel very fortunate that I entered this industry early on, during a time of exponential growth in the possibilities. This allowed me to work on national commercials, broadcast network re-brands, motion picture titles and content in nearly every imaginable format.

Always having a strong entrepreneurial spirit, I started Freed Motion in 2011 after developing a strong list of freelance clients. In 2015 I merged that business with SPILLT, working with the founder Ryan Bramwell, to help grow the company in physical scale and market presence. Over the past five years, we have grown to a team of eleven, strengthening our design, animation and editorial capabilities, while also recruiting some of the best talent in our country and abroad.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I would say that looking back it has actually been a pretty smooth road for me professionally. There are those moments when you embrace a big challenge or change, where at that point it certainly does not seem so smooth though. Numerous times I have transitioned from a staff position to a freelance role, with excitement and trepidation, and certainly when starting a new business, nothing seems smooth then. Those moments help to define the path of your career though, and looking back the road seems smoother than in the moment. Of course, there are challenges that any business faces over its lifetime and there are a two that stand out to me.

First, I would say the largest hurdle to running a creative service company is the business acumen necessary to keep it running year after year. This was certainly not something I learned in college or art school, but I have been lucky to have a group of mentors and supporters that have helped along the way. Knowing your industry and being capable in your profession only takes you so far. I have seen other similar businesses ultimately fail if the focus was not on equally on the business side of the company as well as the creative.

Second, and probably the most relevant, is the shift in the media landscape as advertising and entertainment spread from traditional TV and print to streaming OTT services, social media and out of home marketing. When I started my career, creative companies were able to reach millions of viewers through a single piece of TV content that would have a long shelf life, and the production and post-production budgets were ample with longer production time frames. With the advent of social media and streaming services over the last decade, there is a constant demand for fresh content. This has created a landscape where the creative service industry is pushed to do more for less in a shorter timeline. Fortunately, technology and processes have been able to adapt alongside with how we approach our production schedules, to allow us to keep up with current trends.

SPILLT – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
At SPILLT, we are a team of practiced perfectionists. SPILLT was created in 2007 with the belief that great living is the source of creativity from which truly exceptional work is born. That’s why we opened our doors at the foot of the Rocky Mountains in sunny, snowy Colorado. Over the last decade, we’ve evolved into a collection of detail-obsessed designers, animators, editors and producers united in the belief that “good enough” never is. Through our process, stories take shape and transform, engaging and elevating your brand’s visibility.

We believe in the process of listening and learning that builds lasting relationships, the process of discovering the challenges and opportunities that exist within a brand, the process of finding the optimal solution and progressing with reason, intention and integrity. That’s why from discovery through development and production through implementation, our services are aligned to ensure that everything we create is crafted with care and attention to detail.

This process, alongside a lot of passion and hard work has allowed us to work with a diverse set of clients in three main verticals: Advertising, Broadcast Entertainment and Film & Streaming. It is this client list which I am most proud of as a creative company. Over the years, we have had the pleasure to work with: CNN, ESPN, Netflix, Food Network, Spectrum, Deloitte, Ford, USA Network, ABC, Boa, Discovery Networks, AT&T Sportsnet, McCann, TNT, TBS, Adult Swim and many others. We are very fortunate as a company based outside of the traditional coastal hubs to have developed these relationships and look forward to continued growth in the upcoming years.

Contact Info:

• Address: 1441 29th St.
  Denver, CO 80226
• Website: www.spillt.com
• Phone: 303-292-0299
• Email: info@spillt.com

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