Northern Lights Celebrates 20 Years

Twenty years ago, there wasn’t much in-house production or editing.

There wasn’t HD.

There really wasn’t even email…

But that’s when Philip Bruell, Mark Littman, and David Gioiella founded Northern Lights, a creative boutique, in a converted feta cheese warehouse in lower Manhattan, with a perfect view of the twin towers of the World Trade Center.

Not concerned with the conventional workflows, the company developed its own.  Sure they edited commercials.  But they also developed the look and feel of “Cribs” and “The Osbournes” on MTV.  Produced a multi-festival award winning comedy documentary about competitive eating.  Created and authored a CD-ROM to help you beat parking tickets.  And served as the full-service agency for an artisanal cheese maker.

Fast forward twenty years, and their unorthodox approach has spawned a bi-coastal family of companies including motion design studio Mr. Wonderful, creative production studio Bodega, and full-service audio shop SuperExploder.

And high profile work including NBC Sports’ Sunday Night Football opening, the CBS Network Carnegie Hall Upfront, and the celebrity-filled opening and promo package for the historic Mayweather/Pacquiao bout on Showtime/HBO.

Sure, awards have followed, including Cannes Lions, Emmys and Pencils.  And they’ve landed a spot on Inc. Magazine’s list of Fastest Growing Companies—twice.

But for Gioiella and Littman, it’s always been about what it’s always been about:

Finding the most interesting creative storytelling solution, regardless of client, screen, or budget.

And doing it with the best , like-minded talent possible.

Sounds like a good plan for the next twenty years too.